When the presidents of all the Big East universities got together Tuesday for their annual meeting in Philadelphia (I'm picturing a smoke-filled room in the back of an old tavern), they decided it would be a good idea to invite all 16 basketball teams to the conference's championship tournaments.,”Great news for the worst men's and women's basketball teams in the Big East conference! Starting in 2009, you'll have the opportunity to display your utter lack of talent on a grander, more public scale!

When the presidents of all the Big East universities got together Tuesday for their annual meeting in Philadelphia (I'm picturing a smoke-filled room in the back of an old tavern), they decided it would be a good idea to invite all 16 basketball teams to the conference's championship tournaments.

Previously, only the top 12 men's and women's teams earned a spot in the Big East postseason brackets. "After extensive deliberation, it was decided that inviting all teams to participate would provide a special opportunity to every men's and women's basketball student-athlete," commissioner Michael Tranghese told the Associated Press.

Very true, Mr. Tranghese. In fact, the new system works in favor of nearly all those involved — the student-athletes, the coaches, the university and conference officials and most importantly, the fans.

Coaches have argued since the day the Big East was expanded to 16 teams that all should be welcome in the conference tournament, and from their vantage point, why wouldn't they want such a safety net. What coach wouldn't want to know that his or her team will be playing in some semblance of postseason regardless of how bad it stinks?

From a business perspective, this move makes some financial sense. Under the new setup, another day will be added to both the men's and women's tournaments. And another day of action means four more opportunities to squeeze cash out of fans' pockets.

Teams No. 9-16 will face off on the first day, and the four winners will move on to play teams No. 5-8 on the second day. The top four teams still will receive byes into the quarterfinal round.

Fans have got to love this decision, as well. If you're faithful to the South Florida men's basketball team, there's no way you want to trek up to New York to watch your Bulls get spanked by an upper seed in the first round.

Had the powers-that-be decided to pit seed No. 1 against seed No. 16 in the opening round, the Bulls — I'm assuming South Florida will finish dead last in the conference this year, and I feel quite safe in my assumption — would likely face a Georgetown or a Louisville, squads that would run the Bulls off the court.

Heck, even if the big wigs had decided to pair seeds No. 5 and No. 16 together in the first round, the match-up still would feature one team wiping the floor with the other. Some coaches will tell you the Big East is far too competitive of a conference for any team to blow out another, and that is a bunch of baloney.

The top eight teams in the conference could and should beat the tar out of the likes of South Florida, Rutgers and St. John's. And that's why this plan works out so nicely.

Fans from bottom-dwelling schools will get to see their team play in a first round match in Madison Square Garden with a realistic chance to win, an excitement that would extend to all those involved.

Critics of the new format will claim it dilutes the playing field. They will say that if teams No. 13-16 were not able to keep up with the pack during the regular conference season, they should not be rewarded for their sub-mediocrity.

And they may be right. But by matching up the bottom-eight teams first, school officials have put forth a format that ensures the strongest of the weak will challenge the more talented squads.

It's not about equality. It's about making sure the Big East puts its best product forward for the general viewing public.

That's exactly what this plan will do.

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