It truly is the best time of the year. Flowers are blooming, allergies are back in season and the nation is once again infected with the March Madness.
Tournament time is honestly like Christmas to me. Nonstop, passion-driven basketball in its truest form? Yes, please. Since March Madness is such a staple in college sports, I’ve compiled the ABCs for the bracket busting phenomenon.
A is for apps. If any of you are staying in the dorms, I know how sub-par the cable situation is in the rooms. It’s no excuse with the official March Madness application, which live-streams all the games. The price tag of free is also worth mentioning, and being able to watch games on your phone keeps a low profile if you’re trying to slack off at work. Come on. We all know you do it, too.
Another notable app is March Madness Fan zone, which aggregates real-time scores, stats and media straight to your device. It also provides chat rooms for fans to openly discuss the wonderful sport of basketball.
B is for brackets. Sports analysts everywhere come together each year to research the secret to the perfect bracket. 90 percent of the time, their predictions are wrong anyway.
Office pools everywhere rely on the bracket to compare the predictions of fans. While some people simply make their bracket based on seed numbers, or even on which team has a better mascot, I treat this like a science.
March Madness is a showcase of the underdogs. Before you put that No. 1 seed over the lowly No. 15 seed, consider the element of surprise. Western Kentucky didn’t get blown out by Kansas by any means. They put up a good fight and it turned out to be a close game.
C is for criticism. While it is safe to say a lot more men watch tournaments, you’re still bound to see a few cat fights. Kentucky did not make the tournament this year and lost in the first round of the NIT.
If your favorite team is in the bracket, you’re most likely public enemy No. 1 to a typical Cats fan. You can sit through the lecture of how many tournaments they have won, their list of NBA stars and how they won last year. You know the drill.
I’m predicting bloodshed in the Michigan area upon discovering the Michigan State Spartans made the tournament and not the Michigan Wolverines. Whoever said the last civil war was in 1861 obviously didn’t watch NCAA basketball.
I’ve gotten quite a few jeers for predicting Louisville will win the championship, and I can openly admit that I will groan in boredom if Duke takes yet another trophy. Nobody is safe. Even the most humble, diplomatic sports fan can’t stop himself from a little trash talk. Madness is in the name for a reason.
In all seriousness, March Madness is simply a fun event. Before you try to make it a homework assignment and not a past time like I do, just remember that it only comes once a year. Try to enjoy it.
Column by Carly Besser, Assistant Sports Editor.