is it a waste of time and money
Nope. I often min-cash in the same events you speak of. Min-cash is not something that makes me happy at all. Final Table is the goal, and ultimately top prize.
If you play to min-cash I don't think any player will be happy playing micro MTTs.
If your goal is to make the final table and win the event, when you realize those goals, you will come to see how much worth playing in those events are.
It is also VERY gratifying to have the endurance and run the gauntlet of all the spots a player finds themselves in during a long event like that. Out lasting all the spots for 3, 5, or even 8 hours.
Having to deal with very aggressive players, who you bust out and then they rebuy and come back to your table. Dealing with bigger stacks trying to play table bully, all the LP vs blind play. Making it past late registration, where the hyper aggressive players loose there crutch to rebuy, then busting out several short stacks trying to double up just prior to the money, or directly after the min-cash bubble pops.
Folding strong
hands preflop - to conserve chips and find better spots to chip up, folding and folding and folding some more and then finding prime pressure points - to push on smaller stacks when ICM becomes a strong influence.
Making solid calls vs overly aggressive players who shove any pair or any marginal Ace. Sucking out once or twice - and feeling strongly that you knew your hand would hit!!
Calling down when your sure you are beat - but have a strong draw - only to make the best hand on the river to be compelled onto the final table, folding folding and folding some more - finally getting a solid hand enough to defend, or steal with - and getting a double up at the right time just when you needed it. Then doubling up again with a premium hand.
Making final table and placing in the top 3 - SOOO WORTH IT!
Disclaimer - I very much love the MTT structure and events, even when card dead and getting sucked out on by a shoved 44 on the river to beat my KK. F that guy!
Good thing I'll see him tomorrow, and have taken advantage of his loose play numerous times in the past.
I pretty much agree with OP. I prefer smaller tourneys, say 500 players or less. Spending forever battling 15 000 opponents, the prize money need to be better than micro tourneys can offer. Sure, bigger tourneys = bigger prize pools, but as a recreational player there is a limit to how much time I can spend on poker. Which is why in general I prefer cash games, where I can quit whenever I want to or need to.
Hey Monkey - what's your handle on SwC - I play the Daily Crumb - almost daily and Tiny Turbos every once in a while. same name as here on the forum.