The Variety Store: Tourney Topics; a Josh Smith Trade Rumor; and the V Foundation

It was interesting to hear the reaction of two prominent coaches whose teams were eliminated from their respective post-season tournaments over the weekend.

Coach John Calipari said something to the effect that if he was going to lose, as Kentucky did on Sunday against Vanderbilt, he wished it would have happened sooner. Coach K, when his Duke team went down to NC State on Saturday at Phillips Arena, was almost euphoric. He said that, even in defeat, his team played well and ended the tournament on a high note (read: I’m glad we got this over with so we can concentrate on the NCAA).

I have always questioned the value of the league tournaments. The Big 10 and PAC 12 lived without them until 1998 and did just fine. The Ivy League still has no tournament—but that’s the Ivy League.

League tourneys are good for marginal teams, bad for the good teams. Duke, Carolina, Kentucky and others, sure to go the NCAA tournament, may alter their seeds slightly, but have little to gain and a lot to lose. For example, the emotional energy expended in a league tournament would be better saved for the NCAAs. Then there’s the possibility of injury such as that sustained by John Hensen of Carolina among others.

Marginal teams who win the championship and an automatic bid obviously benefit. Also coming out ahead are teams like Florida State, which wanted to show the basketball world it belonged in the upper echelon of the ACC.

Of course the big winners are those whose coffers are enhanced by playing an extra round of games—the leagues, the schools themselves, and the networks, which can air many more marquee matchups. Factor in new media revenue and this becomes even more of a financial bonanza.

Obviously nothing is going to change at this point. Maybe if more Ivy League schools take basketball as seriously as Harvard, even that ancient league will cave. But when top teams with nothing to gain start holding back and not playing their best, post-season league tournaments may begin to lose their luster.

Quick takes… Among the local media at the ACC tournament, the majority say that the Hawks should trade Josh Smith now. Smith has requested a move and now would be the time to receive maximum value. One rumor involves Josh and the Lakers’ Pau Gasol…  Dick Vitale was at Phillips on Saturday and Sunday broadcasting for ESPN. He’s trying to raise interest in a V Foundation fund-raising dinner here in Atlanta. The V Foundation, named after former North Carolina State Coach Jim Valvano, has raised millions in the fight against cancer….790 the Zone’s Chris Dimino, also covering the ACC, spent a few days in spring training interviewing the Braves for CSS. He’s impressed with shortstop Tyler Pastornicky, calling him very poised and very confident. Overall the 790 morning host said he’s optimistic about the Braves despite their poor record thus far. We’ll have a look for ourselves this week in Orlando... Finally, the out-of-town press and ACC officials liked what they saw in Atlanta. They were especially impressed with the outdoor Fan Fest. Problem for Atlanta is that the addition of Pitt and Syracuse has created more competition for the tourney. Also, the league likes Greensboro because of its location in the heart of ACC country.