A Friday night trip to Columbia for the Bucknell-South Carolina game offered me more reminders why I have no use for the NCAA.
The governing body awards regionals for schools as a reward for good seasons, then tries to take away any advantage for being at home.
Normally at USC games, there are an American Flag, South Carolina State Flag and a USC flag flown in the plaza area. For Friday's game, there was only an American Flag. I guess we can't have South Carolinians being proud of their state. Of course, with some of the political hijinks going on in state, that may be more difficult than usual.
USC normally takes the field to start the game to as "2001" is played over the loudspeakers ... but not during the regional. I can live without that, but playing music doesn't seem like it would produce much of a home-field advantage.
The only souvenirs for sale were all NCAA Tournament related. I'm guessing there may have been some USC fans attending a game for the first time this season who might have appreciated the opportunity to buy a USC shirt or cap. I guess the NCAA doesn't get as big a cut for that.
My favorite example of NCAA idiocy came during the rain/lightning delay in the fourth inning. The suspension of play when lightning is detected in the area is a smart, sound policy. But, an announcement was made over the PA system -- several times -- that the stadium had to be evacuated because of a threat of lightning. Probably one-third of the 6,500 or so fans in attendance saw the absurdity of that and simply stayed under the covered portion of the concourse. Let me get this straight: It's safer to walk across several hundred yards of open ground with lightning in the area to get to your car than it is to stay under a sheltered area?
I just wish enough of the major schools would get fed up enough with the NCAA to form a separate governing body.
I would shed no tears.
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