Max Power's Sports Stash

After listening to Gary Walters, Chairperson of the NCAA Selection Committee, explain his committee's decision making process of television and radio for the past 20 or so hours, I felt compelled to send him an e-mail. Below is the e-mail that was sent to walters@princeton.edu.

Mr. Walters, 

I am flabbergasted by your committee's choices and seedings concerning the field for this year's NCAA Tournament. I have watched your interviews on television and listed on the radio and are still not satisfied with your conclusions.

What is most disconcerting, is that you obviously let members of your committee from the Pac-10, Big Ten, and ACC push their agenda to include bubble teams from their conferences to get in. Meanwhile, the Big East Conference, with no representation on your "impartial" committee, ends up on the receiving end of the single biggest snub in tournament history. The seeding of the Big East teams who are in your field also reflect this.

While every single analyst in the country agreed that Syracuse was not even on the bubble, your committee apparently thought differently. It is shocking to think that dozens of those who are paid to follow and analyze college basketball could unanimously agree on something only to have your committee draw a completely different conclusion. Perhaps your committee needs an overhaul. Perhaps they should actually spend more time watching these teams play.

I have heard you contradict yourself on several occasions.  Most appalling is your argument that Drexel was out because as you state, "we just couldn't ignore their poor record in conference." Then you blatantly ignore Syracuse's 10-6 record in one of the top conferences in the country. 

It is a disgrace and with much regret that many college basketball fans now realize that your committee is not impartial. That you did not perform the task at hand without catering to the politics and personal agendas of those on your committee.

I would suggest a complete overhaul of your committee including membership, criteria for determining at-large bids and most importantly a new chairperson.

- If you would like to send an e-mail to Gary Walters his address is walters@princeton.edu.