Big Dance Selection Process Amendment: Expanding On USC Holmey's Proposal

Recently, Bleacher Report contributor USC Holmey proposed that all BCS teams who make the Sweet 16 leave a spot open in their next season's schedule to play one game against a quality mid-major team that could use the game to bolster their NCAA Tournament hopes.

I think it's a great proposal but would like to propose two additional mesaures. With these, hopefully the smaller schools can gain even more footing and make the tournament that much more exciting.

Proposal One: Alter Bracketbusters

Keep the "Bracketbusters" idea but change it a bit. I thought the idea had great intentions when it was introduced, but most of the games featured on that weekend have teams squaring off that would still need to win their conference tournaments regardless of a victory.

Instead, feature schools that are in the middle of the pack in the major conferences. For example, this season could have featured matchups like St. Mary's-USC, Utah State-Arizona, Clemson-Davidson, Cincinnati-Dayton, or Syracuse-Niagara.

Proposal Two: Limit Bids Per Conference

Each conference should be allowed a maximum of six.

Yes, I know the BCS conferences would scream bloody murder up and down, especially if the Big East (or any other conference) continues to have seasons like they did this year.

But come on; after watching the first two rounds, can you tell me the ACC had seven deserving teams (and that one of them was Boston College with their 61 RPI)? Did the Big East send all seven of their teams to the second round? 

Besides, there is a precedent for sending really deserving teams to the NIT. Up until 1975, only one team per conference was in the Big Dance, meaning Maryland, which had Len Elmore, John Lucas and Tom McMillan, had to sit out on the virtue of their classic overtime loss to NC State, the team that went on to win the whole shooting match that year.

Of course, we have a lot more teams these days, and expansion of the Dance was necessary to accommodate them, but the chances of getting seven or eight deserving teams from one conference is between slim and none.

And while we're on the subject, any team that finishes below .500 in their conference and doesn't win their conference tournament should be automatically excluded from at-large consideration.  No "ifs," "ands," or "buts."