Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Why I love March Madness

For any kind of college basketball fan out there, March is an amazing month.  It brings the casual and hardcore basketball fan together for a few weeks. While reading this I hope you get a sense of why I love march.

1-Championship Week

Yes championship week is a week created by ESPN but it is still exciting nonetheless. It shows all the ups and downs from the power conferences to the smaller conferences. I do not feel as bad when big teams from power conferences get eliminated. I do however feel for the smaller conferences that will get only one team in. Watching the games in the smaller conferences seems so much more exciting for some reason. These guys play so hard only to know their season is likely done after a loss. Even though I feel bad, it does not mean I endorse expanding the tournament. sixty-five teams is plenty enough. Having ninety-six teams in the tournament would kill the excitement of the tournament. It also would allow a lot of bad teams in.

2-Bracketolotgy

Bracketology is Joe Lunardi using some crazy science Lunardu knows, which somehow allows him to accurately figure out which teams are in the tournament. Each of the last couple of years I believe he has only missed out on two teams, which is outrageous. It really only matters however in March. Even if your team is in, you are constantly looking to see what seed they are unless you know they will be a one seed.  It is exciting to see where your team might go and who they might play and predict how far they might go. Its hard to have a team that is considered a bubble team and not be in his bracket. If your team is not in his bracket, good luck getting in.

3-Filling out a bracket(s)

This is self-explanatory.  It is equally frustrating and exciting watching games with bracket(s) in hand trying to figure out where you stand in your pool. Its crazy to find yourself rooting for teams that you may have never even seen before. In your head you someone how think that random team from the MAAC will come down from fifteen points and upset that five seed. March does crazy things to people who will out brackets, but it also makes the tournament so exciting.

4-The tournament itself

It is a fun filled couple of weeks for all involved even if your favorite team is not involved. Who does not love hearing Gus Johnson yell, "RISE AND FIRE..... BANG!"  Everything is ratcheted up for these two weeks. Every game is like watching a game seven of the NHL playoffs that is in OT. Every team playing knows whats a stake.

5-One shining moment

Such a great song. I just heard today that Jennifer Hudson is the new voice of one shining moment. I will not be happy if she ruins it. Luther Vandross is the version I have known and loved for my whole life.

-Mike Moreau