Kentucky being upset by Saint Peter’s isn’t simply another case of David beating Goliath in the NCAA Tournament. It is the embodiment of everything great about college sports. Excitement, chaos, fun and, most importantly, opportunity. With the Power 5 looking to snuff out the little guys, this was another reminder as to why that should be avoided at all costs.
While some will dismiss Kentucky being upset by Saint Peter’s as America’s fetishization of Cinderella, it goes far beyond glass slippers. The Peacocks simply having the opportunity to be in that spot–being allowed to go head-to-head with the Wildcats–is what makes college sports so special. Everyone gets a chance. If we wanted to watch the same small pool of teams play each other, we’d switch over to the NBA.
Of course, all of this will sound familiar if you read our article on what makes college football great. You can check out the video below as well. TL;DR, we love our university athletics because of a lack of structure and uniformity.
The unpredictable nature of college football and college basketball is what draws in fans. It is called March Madness for a reason. However, the Power 5’s obsession to kick out the little guys could eliminate the opportunity for upsets like this to happen.
Hell, West Virginia Head Coach Bob Huggins has already come out and said major conferences should split from the other schools and create their own postseason tournament. The logic behind that is freaking stupid. Indiana just lost by 30 points to St. Mary’s and Huggins wants to see more teams like that playing for the championship.
I’m sure the TV ratings and attendance would be sky high to watch the 16-17 West Virginia Mountaineers face off against the ninth best school in the SEC instead of having sides like Richmond and New Mexico State in the field.
Even if the result was flipped and the Peacocks lost to the Wildcats, their contest wouldn’t have made it a bad game or proven Saint Peter’s didn’t belong. Just like Cincinnati’s loss to Alabama in the College Football Playoffs didn’t show Group of 5 programs don’t deserve a seat at the table.
What is great about college sports–the reason why we watch games on TV and attend them in person–is opportunity. After all, that is the story of Cinderella. It’s not about a prince falling head over heels for a common woman. It is the tale of a common woman having the opportunity to meet a prince and see what happened.
Without the opportunity, there is no story. This is a lesson the P5 needs to think long and hard about in its search for a financial fairytale ending.
Read More: The College Football Playoff isn’t expanding and maybe that’s good
