At last count, there were 342 Division 1 basketball programs in the NCAA. This year, 68 of them get to go to the "big dance". That's about 1 out of every 5, from the Northeast Podunk States, to the perennial powers. Throw in the NIT tournament, and the number goes down to maybe 1 in 3. Does this constitute elite status? I dunno.
What does it take to be a NCAA Division 1 basketball program anyway? The "divisions" certainly aren't based on student population, like high schools are. There's a lot of Division II and maybe III schools that have higher enrollments than some who participate at the Division I level. Near as I can tell, there's 3 criteria to be met.
1) You have to think you have a chance to be competitive at that level.
2) You have to meet a minimum standard regarding your venue/arena.
3) You have to cough up more money to belong to the club.
Enter Oakland University. They obviously thought they could meet the first standard and upgraded the O-rena to qualify for the second. Finding out about the third has about the same degree of difficulty as getting the truth out of that Ohio State football coach, or any politician, for that matter. While they've indeed made big strides in their basketball program, to the point where some people outside of southeast Michigan have actually heard of them, they have a long ways to go before they gain any sort of national prominence.
Yep, they won a "play-in" game a couple years ago, only to get trashed by North Carolina a few days later, and last year got a serious beat-down at the hands of Pittsburgh. Recently, it's been suggested that merely winning a "regular" game in the tournament is some sort of "final frontier". To which I say -- horse-puckey, balderdash, pshaw, and I ain't buying it.
Getting to the tournament barely puts them in the top 20% of the "curve". That's the classroom equivalent of a B minus. Other than another paycheck for the university, winning one game doesn't mean squat. If aspiring to be mediocre is their ulimate goal, they can stop pressing on. They're there
.
The final frontier shouldn't be about making it to the round of 32. It should be about winning the whole thing and being champions. Too much, too soon, and that's ridiculous, you say? Consider Butler University, just last year. They made it to the championship game, and were one basket away in the final seconds from winning it all. By the way, OU in Rochester, by most accounts a pretty well-to-do neighborhood, has about 4 times the student enrollment of Butler, in Indianapolis, which has some not-so-good neighborhoods. But they almost pulled it off against the mighty Dukies. Did I mention that Duke has roughly half the student population of OU?
You think Butler will be satisfied this year with winning just one tournament game? I doubt it. They've set their sights higher, and so should OU. Aim low, and the best you can hope for is to hit the bottom of the target. Why not shoot for the bulls-eye? Despite the name, so far, these guys aren't Grizzlies. Those animals strike fear in people, and command a lot of respect. Currently, the Oakies are koala bears. Cute, cuddly, playful, and Rodney Dangerfieldish. One way to change that.
Final frontiers are what you make of them.
Given a few more articles, I'm thinking Pulitzer.
Yeah, I know, but if Ocho and Terrell can get their own TV show, then anything's possible.
My work is done here for now and I must be going. Another matter requires my immediate attention.
Maximum warp, Mr. Sulu.
Engage.
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