Three of the Championship Four races crowned generally deserving champions, but each proved why the format needs to be eradicated immediately.

The dramatic ending of the World Series on Saturday night, in which the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings in Game 7 to repeat as champions, was closely followed by pronouncements calling it the greatest ever.

The Fall Classic is a sight to behold. Baseball is played at its highest level. History is made. Champions are crowned. Opinions fly like fastballs. That last thing was especially true. The Dodgers won an all-time classic Game 7 to win the World Series ...

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said Thursday that his team’s ability to close gaps and use leverage on the perimeter wasn’t a strength of his team through its first eight games–in which it went 7-1–perhaps that didn’t hurt it much to that point. Saturday was different, though.