In addition to CBS’s college basketball anthem, annual host Greg Gumbel, and the shots of mid-majors celebrating NCAA tournament berths one other thing has become a constant recently during each selection Sunday.

Each of the last three years, Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg has appeared on ESPN and other sports outlets whining, complaining and griping about being left out of the 65-team field. Though his team’s credentials have been arguable, Greenberg’s antics represent one of the many reasons the tournament field will likely be expanded to 96 teams in 2011.

Of course, Greenberg is not the only one who has complained about the selection committee’s decisions.

Proponents of expansion argue that it will allow for more student-athletes to experience the games’ greatest feeling: to play on CBS during the Road to the Final Four. Presidents of universities and other administrators are also in support of expansion, as it allows more schools the opportunity to receive the bonus money that comes with being selected in the field.

Money also speaks for the NCAA, who sees expansion as a means of more money through the increased amount of games that will be broadcast on television. The ultimate decision will come April 29 when the NCAA board meets in Indianapolis.

It is great that more kids will be involved. Great that more schools could make money. Great that the NCAA could cash in even more on their already lucrative television contract. But, in reality, expanding the tournament will essentially negate the regular season and could even force the elimination of tradition-rich conference tournaments. Currently, the NCAA tournament is one of the most entertaining sports events of the year, with 65 teams playing all-out for a chance to make it to the Final Four.

Buzzer beaters are common, and tears are often shed for those who fall short in these big games. The honor of playing in the tournament is well deserved through a complete body of work viewed across the whole season.

Ninety-six teams in the field will decrease the importance of the regular season, and could eliminate drama from the tournament itself. 65 should compete for the right to claim their One Shining Moment, not 96. Not only that, but how could a 96 team bracket fit on a single piece of paper for office pools?