So it begins, what some sports fans call the best time of the year. Starting last week with Championship Week in college bball. A week this year that did not disappoint. Upsets, historic runs, buzzer beaters, overtime heartbreaks, the works. You name it, it happened. After teams finished their conference tournaments they awaited their fates on Selection Sunday. Waiting just to see where they're going to start their journey to the big stage. Despite a few disses from the selection committee, the new field of 68 was set and ready for the next 3 weeks.
For the first time in tournament history there were 4 play in games. Teams battled not to advance in tournament, but rather for a chance just to play. Not only play but potentially play against some of the best teams in the 64 team field. With those games finished we can look to the tournament. First round play begins today with 16 games. 16 2 hour games of pure bliss, that is unless the team(s) you're rooting for fail to do what is necessary to win. Players and coaches have been preparing themselves this entire season just for this month. It's what every team strives for and once you're there, there's no looking back. All you can do is put everything you got on the floor and hope it's enough to move onto the next round.
There are some interesting match ups in these first rounds, with some people talking about some serious potential upsets. Not only are these games about who has more talent, physically, but about who mentally can hang with the big dogs. There are teams who you can almost always count for at least a win or two in the tournament (Washington, Gonzaga, Xavier) because they know how to play on this level. They may not be the best team in the field but matched against another team with similar or better skill, these experienced teams still have the advantage. It's a different kind of game, different atmosphere and if you haven't played in it before, it can sometimes make the best of you. Not say that young inexperienced teams cant succeed in the tournament because they absolutely can, but in this kind of tournament, experience often trumps skills.
There is no other tournament that provides this much excitement in college fans across the country. Don't get me wrong I love the BCS and I love college football, but March Madness has a different effect on people. During BCS season you don't find random luke warm sports fans rushing to find pools to join and place bets on teams they haven't watched all season with hopes that they'll win the whole thing. People basing brackets of mascots and colors, which coach they think is cuter, flipping a coin, there is no other sporting event that does this to people. Everything about the tournament is exciting. Whether you're watching just to watch a good game, rooting for your alma mater (UCONN), praying that the team you bet on in Vegas wins it all so you come home with some $$$, it's exciting. Watching the 12 seed upset the 5 seed, even if it ruins your bracket, makes you rethink about what you're going to do the next year.
Tournament is underway, who's going to take the title this year? Can your team hang long enough to make it to the title game? Are they tough enough? Let the Madness begin... It's time to dance.
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