‘National Corrupt Athletic Association’: West Virginia Governor Threatens Legal ‘Actions’ After State Snubbed by NCAA Tournament

Forget March Madness. West Virginia’s governor, Patrick Morrisey, is March Furious.The governor on Monday vowed to take legal “actions” against what he provocatively calls the “National Corrupt Athletic Association” after the West Virginia University Mountaineers basketball team was snubbed from the 2025 NCAA Tournament.“This was a miscarriage of justice and robbery at the highest level,” Mr. Morrisey said in a midday press conference. He said he wants to find out if there were “any backyard deals—backroom deals—corruption, bribes or any nefarious activities during the selection process.”“Last night, like many West Virginians, we sat down to watch the March Madness Selection Committee. Quite frankly, many of us were watching to see how WVU was going to be seeded in the tournament,” he said, claiming that “111 out of the 111 bracketologists projected that WVU would make the tournament, and for good reason.”Yet that didn’t happen. Instead, the University of North Carolina got the last seed. Mr. Morrisey said the UNC athletic director had a bonus incentive — $70,000, the governor claimed — to get into the tournament.“I want folks to let that sink in for a moment,” Mr. Morrisey, who repeatedly talked about the “big money” lost by the snubbing, said on Monday. “Any way you slice it, this thing reeks of corruption.”That’s right, the selection committee is chaired by UNC’s athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, although NCAA officials claim he was not a part of selection discussions involving the Tar Heels.While West Virginia ranks 46th out of the 50 American states in quality of life — coming in at 48th for its economy, 48th for its education system, and dead last for its infrastructure and labor force participation — the governor and attorney general, JB McCuskey, spent nearly half an hour whining about a NCAA bracket snubbing.“What we are asking for is a level of detail and a level of transparency, and a level of accountability, so that teams like West Virginia can plan in the future and say, ‘What are we supposed to do to get into the tournament?'” Mr. McCuskey said. “We need to know what they are looking for.”For context, the Mountaineers closed the season with a 19-13 record and went .500 in the brutally tough Big 12 conference. Meanwhile, North Carolina boasted a slightly better 22-13 record and a respectable 13-7 standing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Only here’s the kicker — when it came to rigorous Quad 1 wins, or beating top teams in key games — the Tar Heels were an abysmal 1-12. West Virginia? A much healthier 6-10.Mr. Morrisey — who didn’t define what “legal actions” he’d take while noting it’s “too soon for litigation” — isn’t the only one fuming. Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark spat fire, too. “I was surprised and disappointed to see West Virginia not receive a bid,” he told ESPN. “The Mountaineers had 10 Big 12 victories — wins in one of the toughest leagues in college basketball — and six Quad 1 wins. Come on now.” Joining the chorus of outrage is West Virginia Athletic Director Wren Baker, who called the snub a “terrible travesty.” “Our resume was better than several teams in the field. I can’t comprehend this decision.” Even Head Coach Darian DeVries weighed in. “Our team poured their heart and soul into this season. We had a resume worthy of selection,” Mr. DeVries said, lamenting that the Mountaineers’ “bubble team” status popped in the face of politics and poor decisions.The governor’s legal threats are sparking mixed reactions. Critics have called Monday’s announcement “completely performative,” citing West Virginia’s mediocre close to the season. It lost 11 of its last 19 games, including a stumble against a sub-.500 Colorado team in the Big 12 tournament. March Madness litigation probably isn’t landing before a Supreme Court anytime soon. Florida State was hopping mad after being left out of the college football playoff last season, to the point that state lawmakers tried to go after the NCAA for damages. That led nowhere.

‘National Corrupt Athletic Association’: West Virginia Governor Threatens Legal ‘Actions’ After State Snubbed by NCAA Tournament

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