It’s 68 teams not a 96-team expansion.

The NCAA today announced a new 14-year television, internet and wireless rights agreement with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., to present the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship beginning in 2011 through 2024 for more than $10.8 billion. As part of the agreement, all games will be shown live across four national networks beginning in 2011 – a first for the 73-year old championship.

Additionally, CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting have been licensed and will collaborate on the NCAA’s corporate marketing program.

Late Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee unanimously passed a recommendation to the Division I Board of Directors to increase tournament field size to 68 teams beginning with the 2011 Championship. The recommendation will be reviewed by the Division I Board of Directors at its April 29 meeting.

I can’t begin to say how happy I am over this. 4 play-in games is fine. That keeps things relatively stable as there will now by 37 at-large teams.

If as it says, all games will be on TV, that means saving a $65-70 every year on the Mega March Madness package I’ve been getting. That’s a plus.

The day suddenly seems a little brighter.

Nothing to report on the new assistant front.

The end of the season basketball banquet took place. Here’s the list of award recipients:

TEAM AWARDS

Most Valuable Player: Brad Wanamaker, Ashton Gibbs
Most Improved Player: Travon Woodall
Best Defensive Player: Jermaine Dixon, Gary McGhee
Captains Award: Jermaine Dixon, Brad Wanamaker
Team Rebounding Leader: Gary McGhee (6.8 rpg)
Free Throw Shooting Leader: Ashton Gibbs (88.4%)
Most Inspirational Player: Nasir Robinson
Coaches Award: Gilbert Brown, Chase Adams
Academic Excellence Award: Dante Taylor
Jaron Brown Pursuit of Excellence Award: J.J. Richardson

Everyone is still waiting to find out if J.J. Moore will qualify academically for the fall, or if someone (*cough* Dwight Miller *cough*) transfers. Moore, though, was impressive at the Jordan Brand Classic and Adam Zagoria has a story.

“Those guys definitely shined through,” said Mike Kelly, the Suburban Team coach who also coaches at Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep. “Fu does so many things. Fu really played hard and J.J. Moore is an incredible talent. He is an incredible talent. And I’m a Pitt alum so I’m going to be happy with him up at Pittsburgh.”

…

“The biggest development from when he was at Brentwood to this year at South Kent is his ability to score from outside of defenses. He can hit the 3 off the catch consistently. In the past that wasn’t something he could do. He was always athletic. He was always a great transition scorer, he could always get to the basket,” said Tom Konchalski, who has covered New York high school basketball for four decades.

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon called Moore “his next Sam Young,” the former Big East star now with the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Wow, that’s pretty incredible,” Kelly said. “He’s got the strength and power that Sam Young has. I think he shoots the ball deeper than Young did. He’s got the body and he’s a great kid.”

Asked how it felt to be compared to an NBA player, Moore said: “It makes me feel confident that I can definitely be able to be in the NBA and play at the next level.”

In other news, Louisville sold the naming rights to their new arena: the KFC Yum! Center. As you can imagine, the Double Down cracks are already in full swing. Nothing like having a randomly inserted, meaningless bit of punctuation tossed in the name.

In what passes for good news/bad news, it looks like CBS will retain the rights to the NCAA Tournament — no matter how bloated it gets.

ESPN has told the NCAA that it will not increase its bid to obtain the NCAA men’s basketball tournament rights, clearing the way for CBS and Turner to share the rights starting next year, according to sources with direct knowledge of the talks.

CBS and Turner have a 14-year deal on the table that is worth more than the $710 million annual fee that CBS would have to pay over the last three years of the existing deal, source said. No deal has been formalized, though, and the NCAA still hopes to reengage ESPN in some way.

The good news is that it means no Dick Vitale calling the games. Always a good thing. Not to mention the continuing presence of Gus Johnson on the NCAA Tournament. It also means that CBS will still give something of a passing care to college basketball once the NFL season is finished.

The bad news is that it means the extra incentive for ESPN to upgrade their ESPNU broadcast center located in North Carolina to HD is lost. To say nothing of the hideous bloat of a 96-team tournament.

— I don’t know about you, but seeing Da’Sean Butler go down in an agonized heap against Duke brought back painful memories of seeing Mike Cook go down against Duke a few years back. Right down to the screams and a head coach cradling and trying to comfort and console his player.

I was not rooting for WVU, but I hated seeing Butler go down with an injury. He was a hell of a player that always scared the crap out of me. Anyone who cheered that is scum. Regardless of what name was on the front of his jersey.

— It sure will be easy to root for the Butler Bulldogs tonight. To the point where I kind of wish Billy Packer was still the analyst. Just to have him bag on Butler so it would be that much easier to root against Duke.

The other reason to root for Butler. Coach Dixon coached Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack on the US U-19 gold medal team.

“Someone asked me, ‘What did you learn from the experience with the U19 team,'” Dixon said in a phone interview. “I learned not to play Butler.”

Mack, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard from Lexington, KY, was named a team captain.

Hayward, a 6’9″ sophomore from Brownsburg, IN, was selected to the tournament’s All-Star team along with Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, who played for newly minted Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Hurley at St. Anthony in Jersey City.

“Gordon was our best player by far and Mack was probably or second-best player,” Dixon said. “That gives you an idea how good they were.

“This team’s not Cinderella,” Dixon added of Butler. “The two players I know are as good as anybody in the country.”

— The Pitt Blather bracket challenge is now down to

Renato Miguel and Ontario Lets Go Pitt. Very simple. If Butler wins, RM wins. If Duke wins OLGP takes it by a point.

— Apparently former Pitt assistant and Manhattan head coach Barry Rohrssen is still considering the offer for more money to be an assistant at St. John’s. By all reports, though, he’s got a strong recruiting class and an excellent chance to win the MAAC. Considering he remains in demand to be an assistant (rejected an offer from Calipari to join him in Kentucky), I don’t see the point in leaving his present job. Even if he fails and gets fired, the well-paid assistant/recruiting jobs will be out there. If he succeeds, he gets a chance to move up the coaching ladder.

— I don’t know how many of you had a chance to watch the debut on your PBS station for “The Street Stops Here.” The documentary on St. Anthony’s and hall of fame basketball coach Bob Hurley, that focuses on the 2007-08 season and players — including Pitt’s Travon Woodall.

The reviews have been glowing. For some reason, PBS in Cleveland didn’t air it this past Wednesday. They waited until Saturday night — during the Final Four — to ensure that anyone who likes basketball and would be interested totally missed it. I have it on the DVR and it is on my watch list right after tonight.

I’m not sure if the map is exactly right, but if you don’t live in Philly or Pittsburgh, you might want to check your local CBS Station’s program guide if you don’t want a nasty surprise on Sunday at noon.

I have the DirecTV sports package, and thankfully they air the alternative feed on channel 729 and 729-1 for HD.

Good luck.

UPDATE (4:50): Hat tip to SilverPanther in NYC for fining a better, more detailed coverage map.

This flat out blows.

Pittsburgh vs. SetonHall BIG EAST Network broadcast has been cancelled due to inclement weather.

Now, the way I am reading all of this. The game itself is on. There just won’t be any broadcast of the game. Not on FoxSports Pittsburgh. Not on MASN, SNY or Altitude. Not on ESPN360.com.

Just cancel the whole game if they can’t even get a TV crew there. That means it is too unsafe for anyone to make the trek.

UPDATE 1:49 pm: Here’s the official weasel statement from the Big East.

ESPN Regional Television (ERT) has had to cancel this evening’s “Big East Network” production of the Seton Hall at Pittsburgh game scheduled for 6 p.m. (ET) tonight.  Although the game is still scheduled to be played, the weather and road conditions throughout the area prohibit ERT from assembling production facilities and personnel in a timely fashion to originate a telecast.  We regret the inconvenience, but the safety of our staff and employees is always a primary concern.

Safety of fans in the area. Not so much. If you want to see the game you paid for, gut it out.

Just wondering. Since the Pitt Athletic Department is encouraging anyone who can’t walk to the game to stay home, any chance they are going to offer refunds? Any chance? Any?

/crickets chirping

UPDATE 3:00: Just for fun, here are some other locations that got hit by the storm, yet managed not to have their telecasts canceled:

State College (Minn-PSU), Big 10 Network

Charlottesville, VA (WF-UVa), Raycom

Richmond, VA (Temple-Richmond), ESPNU; and (ODU-VCU) Comcast

Blacksburg, VA (Clemson-VT), Raycom

UPDATE 3:33: Here’s how ESPN Regional works. They are based in Charlotte, but have production facilities in various areas that are dispatched. One of them is located in Huntington, WV. They pull in people — usually w/in driving distance from the region to do the job. For example, John Sanders (“bending, bending…) who regularly calls games for the Big East also shows up on Big 11 Network broadcasts and MAC because he lives in the Cleveland area and can drive to a lot of the games (or catch quick flights).

ERT didn’t plan or adjust. They just hoped that it would work out.

I still blame the Big East for deciding to push the game through. ERT knows they can’t safely have their people come in for the game. Pitt is saying that if you can’t walk to the Pete, don’t come.

Yet the Big East is saying that the game has to take place. That’s on the conference for screwing fans in Pittsburgh and outside.

UPDATE 4:50: I suppose it’s better than nothing, but apparently there will be a free video feed at Pitt’s web site. Here’s the direct link.

Also, all Pitt students get in free with a valid student ID. Lots of seats available.

Okay, folks it is another noon game for Pitt after the bye week.

When Pitt hosts Syracuse, the game will be at noon but for the scattered alum the game is getting shown on ESPNU on November 7.

Here’s a list of stations around the country that are showing the game.

I realize the latest Big East Commissioner from the Providence College cabal has stressed the need to improve the Big East’s bowl tie-ins as a top priority. And I don’t disagree since that is the most immediate contract. At the same time, he dismisses the need for a 9th team in football.

Well, the football stuff and the bloated side of basketball is in need of being addressed because of the impact on the TV money.

This shows the current set-up for TV deals in the conferences.

It is no surprise that the Big East has the worst contract of any of the BCS conferences with a 6-year/$200 million arrangement with ESPN/ABC for football and basketball. The Big East wasn’t in a position of strength having just lost three football teams and being on double-secret BCS probation.

Still, it is hideous even compared to the inept work of the Pac-10:

• ABC/ESPN: Five years, $125 million for football

• Fox Sports Net: Five years, $97 million for football

• ABC/ESPN: Six years, $52.5 million for basketball

(All run through 2011-12.)

However the Big East allocates the money to football schools versus basketball only schools, it is not good for the football schools overall. Guessing that $100 mill gets a roughly 8-way split ($12.5 mill) and the other half gets a 16-way ($6.25 mill), that’s a paltry $18.75 million over the course of the 6-year deal (or $3.125 mill/year).

Even the Pac-10 clears over $5 mill per team per year with their contracts, and they are considered to have the dumbest negotiators in big-time college sports.

This only underscores one of the problems with the Big East’s basketball side. It is just too big. Too many slices of the pie. Couple that with the too small football side that can’t get even close to the same drawing power of the other major conferences, and this will be a looming catastrophe for the football programs competitively. And eventually for the basketball side as well.

BONUS UPDATE: Brian Bennett on his Big East football blog for ESPN has some more disturbing numbers on where Big East teams lie on the overall list of what D-1 programs take in for overall revenue:

Now think about this: The top Big East teams made less than half of the revenue that Texas and Ohio State generated. Ten of the 12 SEC schools, 10 of the 11 Big Ten schools, six of the 10 Pac-10 schools and half the Big 12 ranked ahead of the top Big East revenue maker.

This list isn’t all about football, of course, and some schools sponsor several sports that bring in money. But we all know that football is the rainmaker, and those that have the most cash usually find the most success. The gap between the SEC and the Big East (and possibly everybody else) only figures to widen given the SEC’s new lucrative TV deal.

39. UConn: $54.7 million

40.: WVU: $54.3 million

44. Louisville: $52.2 million

45. Rutgers: $50.2 million

54. Syracuse: $44.7 million

61. Pittsburgh: $39.7 million

66. South Florida: $34.7 million

67. Cincinnati: $33.9 million

Yeep. Here’s the full chart.

About early starts for home football games this year? Pitt has 7 home games. 4 in the conference. No times for any of them have been confirmed, but it looks like up to 3 conference home games could be noon starts.

The Big East announced the 2009 Big East Game of the Week schedule. These are games that get the noon start. Well, they sort of announced it. ESPN gets first dibs on most of the games, so we won’t actually know for sure until a couple weeks before each game. That said, three of Pitt’s home conference games are potential BE Games of the Week.

Sat., Oct. 10 *    Connecticut at Pittsburgh or West Virginia at Syracuse

Sat., Oct. 24 * Louisville at Cincinnati or Connecticut at West Virginia or USF at Pittsburgh

Sat., Nov. 7 * Connecticut at Cincinnati or Louisville at West Virginia or Syracuse at Pittsburgh

I guess the good news is that Pitt is under consideration for plenty of ESPN network appearances if they do well enough in the non-con.

Of course, it is looking like those of us going to the games may be slaves to the early start to feed the bitch goddess of TV revenue.

Not sure what the Venn diagram looks like for Pitt fans outside of the Pittsburgh media market that would want to watch a rebroadcast of the Blue-Gold game and has the NFL Network. I’m guessing it’s kind of small.

Nonetheless, if you fit that intersect tune into the NFL Network at 3pm (EST) on Saturday, April 18:

The two-hour telecast gives the Panther Nation an early look at the new faces and established stars on this year’s Pitt team, which is already receiving advance praise as one of the country’s Top 25 teams.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt provides color commentary during the game, while Rob King calls the play-by-play action. Additionally, former Pitt coach Serafino “Foge” Fazio and Jory Rand give special reports from the field.

Fans will also be treated to an array of special features and guest appearances by former Pitt linebacker H.B. Blades, now of the Washington Redskins, and Jeff Otah, an offensive tackle with the Carolina Panthers.

Well, I know how I’m wasting my Saturday afternoon.

Awesome. CBS is sending Bill Raftery and Verne Lundquist up to Boston to continue stalking Pitt.

The truly obsessed and early arrivers can go watch Pitt practice on Wednesday from 2:10 – 3 pm at the TD Banknorth Garden. Xavier practices at noon.

It is free candy week with ESPN’s Full Court package. Lots of extra games to watch without paying. Most importantly for those who don’t live in the Pittsburgh area for WTAE or the cable channels: SNY and MASN. Well, the game is on the Full Court package for everyone else to watch.

So no excuses not to be able to watch on Sunday at noon.

Speaking of video to watch, here’s Coach Jamie Dixon’s interview with Jim Rome.

I still marvel at how far Dixon has come at being comfortable in his own skin in these interviews. He started out so stiff and uncomfortable. I mean, he’s never going to be confused with a John Calipari or Bruce Pearl in personality and energy to an interview, but now he isn’t stumbling over words and doesn’t look like he’d rather be getting a discount vasectomy rather than do the interview.

While on the subject of Dixon, congrats, I guess on a mid-year coach of the year award. Really? There is a mid-year coach of the year award?

A screenshot of Bob Davie’s use of the telestrator to show how Dorin Dickerson scored in the final couple minutes. I’m just channeling my inner Beavis.

Telestrator Use

The offline world has been hectic today. Since I don’t know if I’ll be getting back before the game, just want to drop the TV info on the game.

7pm tonight on SNY and FoxSports Pittsburgh. It’s also on ESPN FullCourt (channel 720 on DirecTV).

I still think it will get picked up.

Right now, it will be shown on ESPN360.com, according to the Game Notes (PDF) press release.

Here’s the list of broadband providers that have an agreement with ESPN360.com.

If this stays untelevised, it’s just plain humiliating for the Big East.