Filed Under » NCAAB

Democrats and Republicans are engaged in another round of high-stakes brinksmanship over a bipartisan NCAA Tournament pool proposed by President Obama. The president invited Congressional members of both parties to join his pool with a $50 buy-in, but Republicans are demanding cuts that would make the buy-in only $20.

White House spokesman Jay Carney says the Republicans' demands threaten the entire pool with the NCAA Tournament set to begin.

"This shouldn't be as difficult as they are making it," said Carney. "The buy-in is set by the person running the pool. That's how it always has been. But they want to hold the entire pool hostage. We have no idea how many people are in the pool now or what the pay-outs will be. It's irresponsible. Other nations are looking at this debate over our tournament pool and laughing at us. It's time to do what's right and join."

Speaker of the House John Boehner said he is not willing to budge on paying only $20 to join.

"Fifty dollars to join the pool is ridiculous," said Boehner. "If everyone joins at just twenty, the pay-outs to the winners will still be sufficient, plus people will have enough money to join other pools if they want to. We don't want to be beholden to the president's pool. We want tournament pool freedom."

Ticket sales for the 2013 NIT Tournament have skyrocketed following today's announcement that the entire 32-team, two-week tournament will be contested inside a delicious Doritos taco.

"We are very pleased about the public's reception to the new NIT Doritos Locos Tournament Supreme," said C.M. Newton, chair of the NIT Selection Committee. "Tickets were sold out for every game within five minutes and fans are already lined up outside of the venues to get some Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch basketball."

Newton says details are still being ironed out on exactly how the tournament will be wrapped in a Doritos taco, but said the primary goal of creating excitement about the tournament for the first time in decades has been achieved.

"Do we put a giant taco over each gym? Do we make the players wear Doritos taco uniforms? Is the ball coated with a taco shell?" said Newton. "Who knows. We have a few hours to decide."