I don't know about anyone else, but March is one of my favorite times of the year. Not only is it the end of winter and the return of warmer weather along with the celebration of me getting old; it's also the month when we herald in the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
There really isn't anything like the Tournament in Sports today and that may be what makes it so great. 65 teams and one month to determine the best of the best, what could be better than that?
Heck, even as a kid it was fun to watch. I still to this day can remember watching Bird vs. Magic and Bobby Knight Coaching Indiana with the hideous outfits, the tourney at that time, a field of 48. Now it's the best of 64 (technically 65 with the play-in game). One loss...you are out. And there are always...always upsets. That really is what makes it so great.
((Me on the floor at the ACC Basketball Tournament in 2006/Courtesy: ME))
There were always the Richmond teams of the 80's who would surprise people. Heck, I can remember back in 1987; my Georgia Southern Eagles made the tourney and drew the Number #1 seed, Syracuse...on their home court. Always, always there is an unheard of school that shocks the world.
We were having a party at the apartment I shared with Joe Davis and Ross Norton. Everyone came over...there was lots of music and beverage consumption and Ross' little TV which had the game on. I was watching it with a couple other people and we couldn't believe what we were seeing. At the half, Southern was down by 1. Those of us watching the game at that point had been cheering loudly and the party gradually gravitated towards the TV. By the time we hit the 10 minute mark in the 2nd half, Southern was still in the game...it had been a back and forth battle and we were screaming at each possession. Southern ended up losing to Syracuse by 1...the same Syracuse team that made it to the finals only to lose on a late shot by Indiana.
My point is this, there are few better bonding experiences than watching the Tournament. If you have a school in it, it's fun times. I've had the chance to work the Tournament a few times and it is a little less fun to cover. You can't shoot the games, basically you are stuck in a small cave/feed area where you plug in your recorder and record the clean CBS feed. If you are lucky, there is food and some folks that you know to talk to.
The Final Four is the same way. Lots of media, a slightly larger room to record and an adventure of a weekend. Trust me when I say that is better to watch on TV at home...or at your favorite Sports Bar with friends or fellow supporters.
Either way, it is a truly American event followed by millions. The NCAA is talking about possibly expanding the Tourney to 96 teams. It would be a Horrible, horrible mistake. They don't need any more than they have. You can't make all the people happy all of the time. Of course...really it isn't about that, it's actually about making more money from the rights partners by broadcasting another week of games...but that is a separate story for my Sports Blog.
For your entertainment, here is a mashup of Buzzer beaters from the Tourney. Thanks uncmann and the You Tube:
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