Bid thief is a term that never struck me quite right, as though teams winning their conference tournament did something sneaky or immoral. If anything call the losing team bid thieves for swiping an at large spot they weren’t expected to need. Better yet just call them something like bubble busters.
I think 68 is awkward because the First Four is odd. But I also think 36 At large bids was the perfect number. How often are there passionate disagreements about who got left out? Rare these days. Seems like it’s one half-hearted disagreement per year.
At 28th, they have the highest NET ranking of any excluded team in the brief, five-tournament history of the system. And that distinction might hold up a while.
Ain't that the truth. They still would have done well in Brooklyn, b/c those fans travel and it's close enough that a bunch more could have traveled there today. But DC is perfect.
Mostly I agree, but teams in some conferences get 9 or 10 extra chances (Texas, Indiana, UNC, for three) while teams in others get one.
Florida looks really, really good. If I had to pick one team, it would be this Florida team. Just so deep and talented.