One of my favorite films is JFK.
I should probably admit that up front.
I saw it in high school when it was released and subsequently became fascinated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I started reading books about it, started watching documentaries about it, even paid $9 to visit the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, and I'm not sure that last part was worth the time.
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| Think Jim Garrison would approve of Gary Parrish's investigative methods? (Provided to CBSSports.com) |
I enjoy all the conspiracies and supposed conspiracies.
And with that sort of mindset, I can't help but to see the NCAA tournament bracket and search for things that are odd, like that doctored photo of Lee Harvey Oswald that once ran in Time. So I looked. And I found some odd things. And now I'll try to distinguish conspiracy from coincidence in the new game sweeping CBSSports.com ... Conspiracy or Coincidence! (Catchy name, huh?)
UCLA has the easiest path to the Final Four
Somebody told me once there's a reason UCLA seems to always have a favorable draw, that the NCAA understands it is crucial to have the Bruins involved as long as possible because it ensures the event will maximize the Los Angeles market and West Coast in general. It seemed like an interesting theory at the time, though I didn't pay much attention to it.
When this bracket was released I couldn't help but notice the West is the weakest region thanks to a No. 2 seed (Duke) that has lost two of its past three games and a No. 3 (Xavier) that has lost two of its past four games. Contrast that to the Midwest, where top-seeded Kansas has to deal with a No. 2 seed (Georgetown) that won the Big East regular-season title and a No. 3 seed (Wisconsin) that swept the Big Ten crowns, and I'm starting to accept this theory as fact.
Verdict: Conspiracy.
Michael Beasley vs. O.J. Mayo in the first round
It seems strange that two premier players and prospects would be magically paired in a first-round game, and the CBS executives must be thrilled. But I can't imagine the selection committee had enough time to set matchups highlighting individuals given everything that was happening over the weekend.
Plus, if that was the purpose, it could have done better. Why not move Kansas State up to the No. 9 seed in the East, then pray for a second-round game against Tyler Hansbrough and North Carolina so we can settle this Player of the Year debate once and for all.
Verdict: Coincidence
The highest RPIs omitted are from non-BCS leagues
The teams with the top three RPIs not included in the field are No. 32 Dayton (Atlantic 10), No. 33 Illinois State (Missouri Valley) and No. 42 UMass (Atlantic 10). No big deal, right? Perhaps not. But what would you say if I told you this marks the fourth consecutive time that the top three RPIs omitted from the field belong to non-BCS schools? That's four years in a row, and a pattern that cannot be denied.
Verdict: Conspiracy
Quality non-BCS schools paired to eliminate each other
Butler, South Alabama, Gonzaga, Davidson, Drake and Western Kentucky were all either ranked or receiving votes in the latest AP poll, and somehow they ended up playing each other in the first round. This ensures more non-BCS schools will advance and fewer non-BCS schools will advance.
I would cast it off as nothing if I hadn't been in New Orleans last March and watched Creighton (MVC tournament champion) and Nevada (WAC champion) battle in the first round of the 2007 NCAA tournament for the right to be eliminated by Memphis (C-USA champion) in the second round. Put another way, last year's bracket was designed so that a non-BCS power (Memphis) would eliminate the winner of a game between two other non-BCS powers (Creighton and Nevada), ensuring only one of the three could make the Sweet 16. This is not an accident, I tell you.
Verdict: Conspiracy
No. 1 seed Memphis set to play regional final road game second time in three years
Memphis had a fabulous season in 2005-06 and was rewarded with a No. 1 seed in the West. UCLA was the No. 2 seed. So the Tigers and Bruins played in the Elite Eight in Oakland, where 16,000 UCLA fans created some kind of home-court advantage, and John Calipari was pissed.
But he kinda got over it.
Until Memphis had a fabulous season this season and was rewarded with a No. 1 seed in the South Region, where Texas is the No. 2 seed, which means the Tigers and Longhorns could play in the Elite Eight in Houston, where 16,000 Texas fans will surely create some kind of home-court advantage. Now John Calipari is pissed again.
And he's not getting over it.
But I'm still not sure the committee is totally out to get Memphis given how I think it over-seeded the Tigers last year when it tabbed them a No. 2 despite the fact that they possessed just two quality victories (Kentucky and Gonzaga). So for now, I'll give the benefit of the doubt to the committee on this subject, I guess.
Verdict: Coincidence (though I'm willing to examine this further at a later date).
