The Madness Of March...

It’s that time of the year again. Brackets have been busted, buzzers have been beaten and the tournament has its 2010 Cinderella team, the Butler Bulldogs. I have long since reduced my bracket to packing material, thanks Northern Iowa and Saint Marys, but have enjoyed the tournament just like every year none the less. This truly is the best time of the year for any sports fan. 

 I remember in 1992 as Christian Laettner turned a fired a dagger breaking the Kentucky Wildcats hearts as time expired and Duke advanced to the Final Four, eventually winning the National Championship. Who could ever forget Steph Curry and Davidson’s run to the Elite Eight where the gritty Wildcats eventually fell to Bill Self’s Kansas Jayhawks. There was also Hakim Warrick’s block of Michael Lee’s game winning attempt to give Jim Boeheim his first ring.

March brings the Spring and warm weather back to the Carolina’s but for me it’s all about basketball. Everything goes on hold for those three wonderful weeks as I sit on the edge of my seat waiting for the next VCU or George Mason. It doesn’t matter that my beloved USC Trojans aren’t in the tournament this year. That only makes it easier to root for the Butlers and Cornell’s of the college basketball world. 

  March Madness has produced some of the most memorable moments of sporting history and it continues to add to the list every year. The image of Jim Valvano running out on the court looking for anyone to hug as his Wolfpack had just stolen the title from the “five slamma jamma” of Houston. There was also Roy Williams breaking down to tears when he finally captured the national title that had been elusive for so long. 

  Yes the madness of March brings the most raw emotion you can see in sports and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Knowing that any team is one shot away from realizing their dream or crashing back to reality is something that no other sport can duplicate. As one favorite after another drops you can’t help but to be drawn in more. 

  Soon the calendar will turn to April and the tournament will end. Although opening day is just around the corner for my Dodgers part of my “sports soul” will be empty without the madness. Oh well, at least its only four more months till football season…