Here we go, the first day of the NCAA tournament. As I mentioned two days ago, I am significantly more partial to the NBA due to its superior level of play, but nobody can deny that a sport packs as much high-paced entertainment as March Madness does in its first two weeks (sorry, once it gets to the Elite Eight, it sllllloooowwwwwsssss way down).
After the Superbowl, I wrote how irritated I was because the game has transformed into a spectacle rather than a sporting event. A few people found it to be a bit stuffy and pretentious. Well, frankly, I agree it was although I think the post conveyed that more than I meant to have it.
But what does that have to do with the NCAA Tournament? The bracket allows for the same experience as the Superbowl, as in the assembling of people to watch games, the inclusiveness of everyone, without the same gimmicky nonsense of the Superbowl. I'd be willing to bet good money that when I look around my classes today, I will see girls, guys, and probably even professors with games open on their computers and keeping track of their brackets.
And no matter how much you know about NCAA basketball, you just can't pick some of the upsets. I've been in tournaments pools with girls before where I was just SMASHED in picking correct teams after I spent probably hours pouring over the stats. At the end of the day, they just don't matter that much. Any team is capable of a miracle (except you four 16 seeds, you aren't), creating a feeling of unease in fan's stomachs concerning their brackets that is too similar to the feeling of the players before games. Talk about the ultimate experience of empathy.
So on a day when everyone is a little Irish (Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!), the NCAA Tournament is a chance for everyone to be a basketball expert with a little luck and clever picking. Enjoy the two greatest days of the year, the opening rounds!
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