NCAA delivers a curve

Sports talk radio shows will be consumed this week with the ongoing NBA Playoffs, the initial third of the Major League Baseball season and the continued offseason machinations of the NFL.

But a controversy well worth talking about was graphically exposed Monday by the announcement of the regional pairings for the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship.

Let’s begin with the visual evidence. ESPN’s exclusive televised coverage of the pairings included a graphic showing the map of the United States, with the equivalent of push pins inserted to represent the 16 regional sites.

It was clear by this illustration that the freeway interchange of the “Road to Omaha” is clearly in the Southeast, where half the 16 regionals will begin Friday in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia (Atlanta and Athens).

The interstate could be considered the Southwestern locales of Texas and Oklahoma (two regionals each).

The backroads could be classified as Nebraska, as well as West Coast regional sites in Malibu, Fullerton and Corvalis, Ore.

The regional at Pepperdine, where UC Irvine will open against UCLA on Friday at 11 a.m., includes the host Waves, as well as import Missouri.

The regional at Cal State Fullerton includes the University of San Diego, Fresno State and St. Louis (which tourism brochures identify as the Gateway to the West).

West Coast entrants San Francisco, Oregon State and Stanford are all competing in separate regionals.

Due to an increasing emphasis on regionalization ? which in equal parts limits travel costs as well as the abundance of West Coast regional survivors ? the winners of the Malibu and Fullerton regionals will meet in the Super Regional, from which one team advances to the College World Series.

So, the way the tournament is structured, only one of six West Coast programs will earn a trip to Omaha.

There is also the issue of inclusion, with Long Beach State having been denied a bid, despite finishing one game ahead of UCI in the Big West Conference and having swept the Anteaters in their three head-to-head meetings this season.

Beneath the beaming smiles of satisfaction that being selected created, the probable lack of West Coast representation in Omaha clearly stuck in the craw of UCI Athletic Director Bob Chichester, as well as Anteaters Coach Dave Serrano. “Initially, there appears to be continuation on a concern that the West conferences have, and we refer to it as the East Coast bias,” Chichester said. “We feel very strongly about the strength of the baseball programs out here on the West Coast and I’m not sure that is shared by the rest of the country.

“There’s a concern about the strong teams in the West having to play themselves and eliminate themselves, and, arguably, about whether the best teams are moving on to the super regionals and world series. There are obviously some concerns about the fairness of the system.”

Chichester indicated he is prepared to do more than merely complain.

“As a conference, I think we’re certainly going to talk about creating more [regular-season] opportunities to play some of those teams back East,” Chichester said. “We’ve got to find a way we can do that financially, and that’s a challenge. But, I think as a conference, we need to regroup and find a way we can send a statement that we can play baseball as well as anybody in the country.

Chichester, noting the schedule limitations that will affect the warm weather schools next year (mandating a later start to the season, which will decrease the amount of games played by schools in warm weather locales), challenged schools in the voting power base to earn their superiority.

“If the East Coast schools feel that they’re that strong, why don’t they come out and play us here in the West?” Chichester said. “Don’t play the cupcakes in the nonconference schedule, play purely at home, and then make an argument you deserve to go to the postseason.”

Serrano who previously experienced the postseason slights delivered to the West as a longtime assistant at Cal State Fullerton, said he is doubtful the West Coast schools will ever receive equal postseason opportunities.

“I would like to see a change, but I don’t think it ever will change, because I think the [NCAA selection] committee is strong-armed by too many South Atlantic athletic directors,” Serrano said. “I think that’s why, every year, the same conversation about the West Coast getting [jobbed] comes up.”

Serrano said such treatment helps West Coast coaches root for one another when it comes to the postseason.

“Whether it’s us, or Fullerton, or whatever Big West school is in the tournament, I’m always pulling for them, because I want them to make noise and represent the rest of us,” Serrano said.