What? No Vitale for 25 Hours? College Hoops Start Goes Unnoticed

If you are a regular reader of this blog, I'm going to guess that you're a pretty passionate college basketball fan and therefore aware that the season actually tips off tonight. But I'd be willing to bet my Dwight Schrute bobblehead that 80 to 90 percent of regular sports fans have absolutely no clue that college basketball technically starts today, and that a Top 5 team (Memphis) and some traditional powers (Kentucky, UConn) are in action this week.

While there are only a handful of games and very few are expected to even be competitive, college hoops is still officially tipping off tonight, barley making a blip on the national radar. This includes ESPN, the leading provider of college basketball games. Want to watch Derrick Rose and Memphis tip off the season tonight? You better be one of 68 people with ESPNU, because that is the only place that you can catch college hoops until Monday, November 12th. This is of course in contrast to ESPN's countdown to the start of the college football season, where ESPN football crew was live for 25 straight hours, nearly killing Rece Davis. Cmon WWL, you're trying to tell me that Vitale sleeps? Not getting past this guy. Just stick him on TV and you've got yourself some college hoops tip off coverage.

Look, I know that the start of college basketball pales in comparison to the NFL and college football at this time of year and I don't want this to come across as sour grapes. All that I'm asking for is somekind of official start date recognized by the NCAA as well at the major media. Maybe a a four team tip-off tournament on this starting date with a few four high profile teams to bring some attention to the season tipoff. Actually, who cares right now.....college basketball is finally here. And don't care who notices, as long as I finally have some games to write about.