March Madness: "Why America Loves Me"

I am March Madness. 

I’m a college basketball bonanza, an advertising asset, a workplace distraction, a “calling in sick for the day “ rationalization, a money maker, a money taker, and all around sports spectacular for everyone to enjoy. All those things are obvious, but I ask you, “Do you know what it is about me that makes me so beloved?”

I'm reliable. 

You can bet on me. Each spring, like flowers blooming, warmer weather, and tax bills, I return without fail. There’s no labor strike, writer’s strike, player’s strike, or union hold-out here.

I'm original. 

I’m the grandfather of fantasy sports. Where do you think it all got started? Participants research teams, player stats, and conference records to make the right picks for each game. They also charge a fee to participate with the sum total going to the person who knows me best after it’s all over.

Does the almost addictive way people follow me through the course of events each year sound like anything else you know? Long before you fantasy folks were creating your draft boards down in your basements, my brackets were making the rounds through offices faster than promiscuous secretaries.

I'm not looking for a long-term commitment. 

Sure, you're passionate about me now, but by the end of the month we’ll have shared our last song at the big dance and you’ll be ready to move on.

I’ve accepted this fact and have come to the conclusion that this only makes our time together more special. You appreciated me more because you’re not locked into month after month of meaningless games. You fill out my brackets once and you're done for the year.There’s no updating your roster, no trading, no waivers, and no injury reports to be tied down to.

I’m short, sweet, and gone before I’ve over stayed my welcome—the MLB and the NBA could learn a lot from me.

I'm easy. 

I don’t require you to be a sports savant to score with me. In fact, in my pools, quite often the person who goes all the way with me is the person who knows the least about me. My brackets are appealing to almost everyone, and if handled well, I can make the biggest nerd in the pool look cool to all his sports-crazed co-workers.

I'm exciting and unpredictable. 

Does the term “Cinderella team” mean anything to you? Tiny schools that you’ve never heard of defeating national powerhouses make must-see-t.v. Not to mention all the gambling. I can cause more financial loss than today’s housing market. My brackets get more money spent on them than an NFL free agent.

For those that know what I’m about, the potential for disaster and success make me dangerous, intriguing, and irresistible.

I'm decisive. 

When it’s all said and done, I leave you with only one winner. On the court, your office pool, or your online fantasy hoops challenge, there’s nothing to debate. Once my brackets are set, the ultimate winner is decided by it’s participants. No high tech computer software or agenda driven voters decide who my champion is.

With all this being said, I know that over the course of the other eleven months you barely think of me, but make no mistake, I know at the beginning of March you’ll be longing for the next dance.