The Madness of the Madness

Here we are ... a second consecutive entry dealing with March Madness and post season college basketball. This one, though, asks a question of fans of the Missouri Tigers ... or the Missouri State Bears ... or St. Louis Billikens ... or the UMKC Kangaroos ... or any other Missouri college basketball team watching tournament play from the stands or from the comfort of the living room.

Simple question: Your favorite team didn't earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament ... and it was passed over for a spot in the NIT ... would you say "thanks" or "no thanks" to a bid to play in college basketball's third post-season tournament - the College Basketball Invitational?

The question arose during a newsroom discussion with Missourinet intern Jon Allison - a proud graduate of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. His ODU Monarchs were selected to play in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational. Jon, however, isn't following the CBI. He believes any basketball team that is not good enough to be invited to the NCAA or the NIT should not take pride in what he believes is a tournament created for losers.

Rather harsh, isn't it? But ... such is life!

So ... class ... let's get back to the question of whether you - as a fan of one of Missouri's Division I men's basketball teams - would be happy with an invitation to play in the CBI. It's certainly not "the Dance" ... and it's not even the NIT ... but it is a post season tournament. Would you watch the Tigers or the Bears or the Billikens or the Kangaroos in a tournament whose teams were chosen from what's left after 97 other teams had already been selected?

FYI ... (and pay attention, Jon) ... the Monarchs won their opening round game, Tuesday night, against the Rider University Broncs. Wouldn't it be fun to see one of our Missouri teams get one more kick at the can?

- Steve Walsh