If you are anything like me, then there is no chance that you are reading this column (unless you're reading online, for which I thank you for your dedication, dear reader). That's because you haven't left your bed and couldn't get a Cav Daily because you are skipping all of your classes (I'm actually going to one, Mom and Dad) in honor of the beginning of the NCAA Tournament. Today and tomorrow should be national holidays (though many, myself included, already revere them as such) in observance of the great March Madness tradition.
My personal interest in this great institution could be blamed on my father, who used to give me and my brother a quarter for each game picked correctly when we were younger. It could also be attributed to the fact that I love college basketball in general, so the first couple rounds (and first two days especially) are like Christmas morning every 2 1/2 hours when a new batch of games begins. Each timeslot is practically guaranteed to come equipped with an upset or two, an incredible individual performance and a ridiculous finish.
The original intent of this column was to try to figure out what makes the tournament so alluring, but I think I just figured it out with the previous paragraph. The true beauty of March Madness lies in the sheer number of games and the fact that we have been led to expect the unexpected year after year. It's everything right and fun about sports.
Mid-major schools regularly defeatseemingly bigger, stronger conference powers. It's the Cinderella stories, the David and Goliath tales and the real-life miracles that draw people into these games. Everyone loves an underdog (except for Wahoo fans with Albany).
The one-and-done aspect is another key to the intrigue of the tournament. Each team has to fight for 40 minutes to survive and move on, just to do it all again in the next round. Games go back and forth, and there are ups and downs. When the final buzzer sounds, that's it for one of the two teams. No mulligan, no second chance, no do-over. Each team is given a chance to shine in the tournament and what it does with that opportunity lives on.
While that explanation probably covers both sports fans and non-sports fans alike, there is an added bonus for people who follow sports: The NCAA Tournament is basically the anti-BCS. Sure, there is always some controversy with seedings and teams left out (the only subjective aspects of the process), but nothing compared to that of the BCS backlash we go through every college football season. In an event like this, especially with so many teams in Division I and the many games they play (allowing many to reach the 20-win plateau), there will always be some debate about whether teams got fair deals. This one gripe, however, is not enough to discredit a championship that is truly decided on the court rather than in the minds of voters and hard drives of computers.
We have so many memories from the NCAA Tournament, another testament to why so many people love it when March rolls around. I can remember bringing a mini TV into school to try to watch games during class without getting caught. I can remember coming home from school and setting up shop in front of CBS all afternoon, breaking with the coverage for dinner, then getting back into the action with the two nightcap timeslots. I can remember great stories, like Valparaiso's miracle in 1998, Gonzaga's run in 1999 (and subsequently becoming a tournament mainstay), Kent State's surprise in 2002 and George Mason's amazing Final Four appearance just a year ago.
March Madness causes girls who have never seen a college basketball game in their lives to fill out brackets (and simultaneously end up winning pools against diehard fans). It's the reason George Mason is a household name in homes across the nation. March Madness is what ensures protection of democracy in our great country. (I may have gotten a little carried away there.)
Though there is sure to be a ton of excitement with the start of games today, another thrill has already passed with Selection Sunday. It was weird watching the show and wondering what seed Virginia would get, rather then wondering if the Cavaliers would get an invite or wishing they were good enough to be in the tourney as in years past. I can't even remember my experience with the 2001 Selection Show, sort of like that old saying about how you never remember your last kiss because you don't think it will be your last one.
Anyways, the four seed may have been a little bit generous, but I will take it. I can definitely remember Virginia's last game in the NCAA Tourney (an upset loss to Gonzaga) and will take every advantage afforded. To the basketball team: Beat Albany. To everyone else: Have a great holiday season.
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