They call it March Madness.
One of college sports greatest spectacles begins Thursday as the NCAA men’s basketball tournament cranks up in earnest. (OK, I realize technically it started Tuesday night with the extra play-in game, but we won’t concern ourselves with that.)
Big-time college football continues to try and convince us that the BCS (always known here by it’s appropriate name – the “BS” series) is the way to determine a national champion. What a complete joke and sham that continues to be each season.
They’ve had it right for years in basketball, however. Big teams, small teams and teams in between take the court to determine a real national champion. In “big boy” college football, we are left with only a mythical title winner, but in basketball, the team who survives this 64-team bracket, has earned the right to be called No. 1.
Growing up a sports junkie like most of you, I remember anxiously awaiting the selection show on that magical Sunday afternoon in March when the field of 64 would be announced. I was usually a bit nervous as I hoped my favorites would make it in.
I still remember, although I was certainly young, the University of Georgia making the Final Four under the guidance of coaching great Hugh Durham. It was a true accomplishment considering the facilities the program had to work with (and is still contending with decades later).
A few years later, it was Georgia Tech’s turn as the “Lethal Weapon 3” team of the 1989-1990 season made it all the way to the Final Four before falling to UNLV in a game I still think the Yellow Jackets should have won.
Those were great teams from our state who both provided lasting sports memories. Tech is in the Big Dance again this season while UGA did not make it although the Bulldogs exceeded many expectations under first-year coach Mark Fox. (I will say they certainly did better than I thought they would.)
For me, March Madness has always been about Cinderella and pulling for upsets. That’ll be the case this season. We’ve still never had a No. 16 seed beat a No. 1 seed, but I always hope against hope that will change.
In football, we are told this team and that team does not have the right to compete on the big stage. In basketball, thankfully, the playing field is more even.
The smaller schools get their chance at glory and many times they make quite a run and go two or three rounds deep.
Regardless of who emerges as the champion this year, it will be fun to watch. It’s a tradition for me to stay up late and watch the first round games and then overdoes on second-round action during the first weekend of the tournament.
I have a feeling, even more special memories and more upsets await us this year. It is called March Madness afterall.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
