Spreading the bubble bug infection

By Jonathan Lowe Sports Central Columnist

Overall, college basketball has its great moments, but there is one thing wrong with the sport: its schedule runs hand-in-hand with the dead of winter. And along with the cold, snow, and bitter winds, come the illness that never seems to leave.

You know the feeling. You can still go to work and grind out an eight-hour day, but the sniffling, sneezing, coughing, and headache that your Dayquil couldn't cure hangs around.

Well, it looks as though the bug that's been going through your office has found its way to large colleges throughout the U.S., but in a different form. This ailment, known as the Mid-Major Flu or "Bubble Bug," is an annual occurrence that zaps some of the strength from a power conference or two. This year, however, the cases seem to be spreading further than normal.

Let's face it, the Big 10, Big 12, and Pac-10 ain't what they used to be. Oh sure, there are still some key names at the top of those leagues. Michigan State had one of the country's toughest schedules and is gelling at a good time. Kansas and Texas made it to the Final Four last season. Then we have that team from Palo Alto (or Treeville, USA) that just lost its first game Saturday.

But looking at the conferences as wholes, there are a lot of disappointments. Purdue started off hot, including a win over Duke in Alaska. The Boilers faded, though, losing eight of their last 11 games. Missouri went, as Busta Rhymes would put it, in a "flipmode direction." They've been pretty solid as of late, but struggled early (including a loss at home to Belmont and close wins over Oakland and Coppin State).

Oregon had a good chance to knock off Stanford, but gave back a 19-point cushion in the second half. The Ducks season went pretty much like that, bobbing their heads in and out of the waters of consistency.

With so many "bubble" teams coming from these powerhouses, it is conceivable that when the field is selected this Sunday, only 11 teams will come out of these three leagues. The "ten's" are looking at sending only three teams a piece, while the Big 12 will only send five out of its conference.

So does this mean that the mid-majors will finally get more respect? Can the Pacifics, Richmonds, and UTEPs of the nation be pulled into the mix by brethren locks such as Southern Illinois, Manhattan, Utah State, and, of course, Gonzaga?

In short... no. While the bug spread quickly throughout the West Coast and Heartland, the East Coast was well-stocked with vaccine. Because of that, the ACC, Big East, SEC, and Conference USA are playing strong despite the weakened state of their peers.

The next step for the Mid-Major Bug? Head back to the campus science lab and concoct stronger venom to cripple the power of the mighty. Either that, or take the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach. You know that Big 32 conference tourney is just around the corner.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.