Sept. 8
Let's take a look at scheduling in college athletics. There are drastic differences in Division I when you compare football and basketball scheduling, baby!

In football, scheduling is done years and years in advance. Schools lock in those big Saturday afternoons way ahead of time -- teams are slated to meet in 2010 already.

More than 35 schools had not completed their 2003-04 schedules by the start of September.

Think about the different world of college basketball, where a recent ruling by a judge temporarily restored the NCAA's 2-in-4 rule. The rule prevents teams from participating in more than two exempt preseason tournaments over four years.

If a tournament is exempt, it counts as only one game toward a team's NCAA limit of 28 games per season -- whether the team plays two or more games in that tournament.

Why do coaches like exempt early-season tourneys? One reason is obvious: Schools can get the benefit of experiencing two or more games while only being charged with one. And there's also a key reason why fans like them: exciting David vs. Goliath matchups take place on neutral courts that normally don't occur during the season.

The late timing of the most recent 2-in-4 decision has thrown basketball scheduling for this season into a state of chaos.

How much of a dilemma has this created? According to the National Association of Basketball Coaches, more than 35 schools had not completed their 2003-04 schedules by the start of September. We're talking only a month-and-a-half before the start of practice, which begins this year on Saturday, Oct. 18. That's pretty late in the scheduling game.

This ruling obviously has hurt a number of exempt tournaments. And it has also impacted the schools that were scheduled to participate in those tourneys but have been forced to pull out so as to adhere to the 2-in-4 rule.

Some big-name schools have been trying to find opponents and fill out their schedules -- including Louisville, Auburn, Alabama, Seton Hall, Providence, Creighton, Texas and St. Joseph's. Several other schools only recently finalized their schedules. Kansas and Villanova have agreed to play a home-and-home series. Some schools don't want to give up a home date and are settling on Division II opponents.

Some big-name schools have been trying to find opponents and fill out their schedules.

These major schools don't want to play Division II foes, but to stay at home at this late date, there are few options. Some of the big boys didn't want to travel to the mid-majors. And remember, the NCAA Tournament selection committee takes into account the strength of schedule when determining those last few schools trying to get into the field of 65 at March Madness time.

It's hard to believe that so many schools have been unable to complete their schedules and we're in September already! What a mess! You will see some less interesting matchups early this season, and that simply doesn't help the sport.

So many exempt tournaments have provided interesting showdowns in the past. It also gave some of the little guys an opportunity to prove something to the tournament selection committee. Just look at what Ball State did at the Maui Invitational two years ago, upsetting Kansas and UCLA.

This whole situation is a shame, baby!