March Madness? More like March Sadness
March Madness? More like March sadness with no Colorado teams still alive and brackets being busted every day.
If you’re like me, your bracket is busted, your favorite college basketball team has already lost and you begin to wonder why you watch this silly NCAA Tournament every spring.
March Madness quickly becomes March sadness.
In Colorado, the two big dance participants slipped on the hardwood and fell out of the competition quickly.
The CU Buffs were beaten by Illinois in their first game, and while the CSU Rams beat Missouri, they drew the unlucky matchup of Louisville and were blown out by the possible soon-to-be champions. The DU Pioneers didn’t make the big tourney, and lost in the semifinals of the NIT last week to Maryland.
While we’ve seen a college basketball renaissance in recent years here in the Centennial State, we’re left with no dog in the fight, as Michael Vick might say.
March sadness indeed.
When it comes to so-called “bracketology,” even the experts have come up looking like imbeciles this year.
For me, a newbie when it comes to college basketball, filling out a bracket is nothing more than a bit of fun with friends, and an opportunity to cheer for teams I couldn’t usually care less about. It’s similar to fantasy football for lukewarm NFL fans, a way to get involved with the game and root for people you might otherwise not know from Adam.
When I fill out a bracket, it takes no longer than 30 minutes and is best done while enjoying a liquid libation. Too much thinking, too much deliberation and analyzing of the bracket will do nothing but make you more upset when your bracket ultimately blows up in front of your eyes.
Duke? They’ll probably do well. Louisville, yep, them too. Kansas (well, they lost tonight) is always good, and Indiana sounds like a great choice for champion (whoops)!
Last year, it all started terribly and finished worse for me.
This year, though, I had the leading bracket out of 35 through the first four days of the tournament. I was riding high. There was no ego stroke, because, as I said, I took a mere half and hour to complete it. Still, I was in line to land a good chunk of change, especially when you understand how little a journalist makes, and the rest of the tournament couldn’t finish quick enough.
That’s when it happened.
I went from No. 1 to No. 6 in the matter of a night, and dropped to No. 11 after Friday’s games.
What a dumb ass.
Well, can’t be too hard on myself for picking losers either, since, it was a half-in-the-bag 30 minutes of fury picking them all.
So, when that March Sadness has you crying in your beer, remember why this is supposed to be fun.
Crack another cold one and fire up the grill – it has been beautiful the last few days in Colorado – make some munchies and enjoy the sport for what it is; college athletes doing their damnedest to become immortals. These are kids, unrefined athletes trying to perform amazing acts.
Sometimes they come through; it’s exhilarating.
Now that your bracket is busted like mine, go for the underdog, cheer for the lower seed and for the amazing to happen.
If you’re like me, No. 9 seed Wichita State is your new team.
The Shockers – whose name is too funny to be true – have already shocked opponents to make it to the Elite Eight. Wichita State beat Pitt, No. 1 seeded Gonzaga and La Salle to match up against college sports powerhouse “The” Ohio State University.
If you’re a fan of sports, you’re a fan of underdogs, and cheering for the Shockers to upset the Buckeyes today is like going for David versus Goliath.
Only true college fans have even heard of Wichita State, while Ohio State spends more money than any other athletic department in the country.
So, go for the underdog, enjoy the competition and don’t let March sadness bring you down.
