the problem is once you get to the postseason, when you start disqualifying teams for a positive test for a virus with a .075% mortality rate -- the super majority of which are 50 yrs older than these BB players, the postseason turns into a joke. you're seeing it right now with WV HS FB. how can anyone say they're the "true" AAA champs when martinsburg & SV weren't allowed to participate? it's a joke. just let the teams play their reg season for conference supremacy & help fund the athletic depts, & call it a day. they proved last yr NCAAB can afford to not have a tournament. if they're gonna play virus games again this yr, then let's skip it again. nobody will respect that you won the NCAA tournament if you win half your games by forfeit or 2/3 of the top 25 weren't allowed to play.
Sure, this spring all the talking heads will be talking about this and say exactly what you are saying. But if Marshall gets to the Final Four in part due to a couple of COVID forfeits, I can tell you right now that Herd fans will be talking about how 2020-21 was an amazing season for decades and we'll hang a big banner in the the CAM. Is anybody on here apologizing about our high football ranking is, since we only got a jump start because App State was ranked because only half the teams were playing and then when we beat them we jumped in because only half the teams were playing? No, we are all happy about it and quite prepared to say why we deserve it.
Same thing will happen in basketball. The winners will cheer and the losers will complain. And in five years no one will care.