For some reason, it seems like spring is never going to come!! I don’t want to add another negative voice to the conversation because at least this winter brought us good things… like Frozen and the Sochi Olympics. And while we (impatiently) wait for warmer weather, we have March Madness for relief.
I’m not a big sports fan, but every year the anticipation of the NCAA once again hosting March Madness compels me to fill out a bracket. And if you don’t know basketball at all, “March Madness” is a tournament comprised of college basketball’s 64 best Divison I teams; the tournament begins after the regular basketball season at the end of March through the beginning of April. While for some teams it is an honor to make it to the tournament, all teams compete for the glory of making it to the “Elite Eight,” the “Final Four,” and finally the “National Championship.” Before the tournament begins, fans fill out brackets to predict the outcome of the tournament.
The excitement is national– President Obama filled out a bracket this year; according to “Barack-etology,” President Obama bet Michigan State to win the whole thing. Also, billionaire Warren Buffett offered a billion dollar reward to anyone who could fill out the winning bracket!
The games started last weekend, but if you haven’t started paying attention yet, it’s not too late. On March 26th and 27th, the remaining “Sweet Sixteen” teams will compete. Already in the tournament there have been several “upsets,” meaning teams that ranked lower beat teams ranked higher; notable upsets include No.7 Connecticut over No. 2 Villanova, No. 8 Kentucky over No. 1 Wichita State, No. 11 Dayton over No.3 Syracuse, and the biggest upset of all, No. 14 Mercer over No. 3 Duke.
You can watch games on TBS, CBS, TNT, truTV, and, most conveniently, on your computer. The tournament is sure to get even more exciting in the upcoming weeks. It’s still possible a Cinderella story could emerge from these teams.
On a final note, with the end of winter sports (and hopefully winter), I’d like to congratulate the Amherst men and women’s basketball teams for having great seasons and getting to the DIII tournament!