The Badger Herald

SPORTS

Point-counterpoint: Play-in game alternative

Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.

Also by Mike Ackerstein and Tyler Mason:

Point-counterpoint: Favre's next career move (March 5, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: New NFL Combine event (February 27, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: Best sports movie ever (February 20, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: Does Sun shine on Shaq? (February 13, 2008)
Point-counterpoint: Knight, genius or jerk? (February 6, 2008)

by Mike Ackerstein and Tyler Mason

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Mason:

Some people may argue the play-in game to determine the 64th and final team in the NCAA Tournament is exciting.

I am not one of those people.

Let’s face it: The play-in game is boring. It’s essentially an excuse for one team to lose to the No. 1 overall team the very next round, and it pits schools no one outside of their respective cities cares about.

Take last year’s game for example: Niagara versus Florida A&M. And the year before that? Monmouth against Hampton. Who cares? And in 2005, it was Oakland and Alabama A&M. Yawn.

So what’s the best way to spice up these snoozefests? Simple. Have the two teams go head-to-head on American Gladiators, with the winner moving on to the Big Dance as a 16-seed.

Imagine 6-foot-10-inch centers trying to navigate the Gauntlet against Hellga, Titan and Wolf. They’d surely put up a better fight than the scrappy challengers who have graced the show this season. Or watch the giant hoopsters try to duck under the 100-pound demolition balls as they tiptoe along the bridge in Hit and Run. It’d definitely make for great TV.

And the Power Ball event would be a cinch for the two teams. This would be one event the Gladiators would surely lose, as the basketball players could just sit back and make it rain on Justice and Mayhem.

To add a bit of March Madness atmosphere to the event, we could replace Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali with Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews. As annoying as Vitale is, he’s an upgrade (albeit a small one) from Hogan. And Erin Andrews? Nothing else needs to be said.

Play-in game? No. Play-in Gauntlet? Yes!

Ackerstein:

Need a better way to decide the play-in game? Don’t like blood and violence? I suggest the peaceful solution of a drinking contest.

It’s no coincidence that the play-in game falls the day after St. Patrick’s Day. Just move the matchup a day ahead, go to one of Dayton’s fine drinking establishments and have them play a series of drinking games to decide who will get slaughtered by Kansas in the first round.

If marketed right, the play-in game could go from the most unwatched part of the NCAA tournament to the most highly rated one — even above the Final Four.

Unfortunately, only players 21 and older would be able to participate, but the underclassman would make great cheerleaders for the matchup.

As for the actual contest itself, break it down into a couple different events, one for each half. It’s St. Patrick’s Day, so play flip-cup with Irish Car Bombs, and follow that up with a round of Drown the Leprechaun. If the game goes into overtime, maybe a little sudden death quarters will decide the winner. Beer pong is obviously a classic drinking game, but it’s just a little too much like basketball to fit in with the motif here.

Imagine the watchability of this contest. Think Gus Johnson makes a basketball game sound exciting? Wait until you hear him call a game of Drown the Leprechaun!

Sure, allowing alcohol to become part of basketball might compromise the integrity of the sport, but as long as all the players are of age, why not let them enjoy themselves?

After all, considering the beat down the winning team is guaranteed to take in the first round, they could really use a drink.

Drinking contest play-in game. Down the hatch!

Add a comment

We welcome your thoughts, but please keep your feedback thoughtful, on-topic and respectful. Offensive language, personal attacks, or irrelevant comments may be deleted.