March Madness 2012: Cinderella Stories, Upsets and What We Love Most

With the madness of March upon us, it’s time to sort through the teams and figure out which has the talent to be 2012’s show-stealer.

The NCAA tournament offers thousands of storylines, but there are three main reasons we actually watch the event: Cinderella stories, upsets and the atmosphere.

All of the following aspects will be huge selling points for fans, and each will offer a great chance for fun for the college basketball fan in all of us.

Cinderella Stories

Just like VCU last season, when a low-ranked team shocks the tournament and makes a huge run at the NCAA title, the true fans of college basketball can’t help but get excited.

Everyone is trying to find the next Butler Bulldogs program on their brackets, but nailing down which mid-major has the power and talent to make a deep run worthy of Cinderella consideration is easier said than done.

Look for the teams that have to win to get in, just like VCU last year, to use that extra game as a head start on the action. NC State is my Cinderella pick of the year.

Upsets

Another amazing aspect of the tournament is the upsets that catch everyone off-guard and shock the sport. Nothing feels quite like watching a No. 1 seed lose in the first round.

This has to do with the Cinderellas as well because most of the teams that go on the unlikely runs start that momentum with a huge upset win. While talent gets you to the dance, confidence wins national titles.

Just like UConn last year ran the table and shocked plenty of top seeds along the way, Jimmy V and the NC State Wolfpack shocked the world and won the title in 1983. The fans want that moment again.

Final Four / NCAA Championship

While the entire tournament is amazing, there is nothing like going to a venue and seeing the Final Four and the NCAA championship in one building. This year’s event is in one of the wildest buildings in the USA—the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The home of the NFL's Saints is renowned for its volume and its capacity. So add a college basketball atmosphere to that and the noise from the event may register on the Richter scale.

There will be no doubt that the product on the court will be the best of the best, but the atmosphere surrounding the game is just as intriguing as the surroundings. The only location as cool as the Superdome would be an aircraft carrier.

Check back for more on the NCAA men's basketball as it comes, and visit Bleacher Report’s College Basketball Page to get your fill of college basketball.

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