It makes the regular season essentially a 12 week playoff. Lose once and you're on the bubble. Lose twice - welcome to the weedeater bowl. Every game, every week from the start of the season to the end is very important. More eyes on TV games every week, not just for some diluted end of season tournament where first round games would suck. Seriously now, if UFC made the playoff as a hypothetical 8 seed and played Bama in the first round, most people would watch for the first quarter/half out of curiosity until Bama got up 42-0 then go do something else. If there were more teams, the regular season would go the way of NCAA basketball - there is little interest until March Madness. I only wish they could enforce some rule about OOC game scheduling to have to meet some minimum standard to be eligible for the final 4. (Bama and Georgia should have to play outside their own zipcode). I have no inside knowledge but it's hard to believe schedules can't be altered only a year in advance where next year's schedules can be put together now.
Just some thoughts - GO IRISH! BEAT TIGERS!