March Madness

“How does your bracket look?” Since last Thursday, I have heard this question at places like Lowe’s, McDonalds, Publix, as well as on campus. The Men’s College Basketball NCAA Tournament has become such a popular time of year, even in Chattanooga, TN that men, women, and children are diligently watching, and more importantly, tracking the winners and losers.

The talking heads on ESPN are running day and night coverage and endless commentary. even the USA Today newspaper has had front page coverage of the event. Each game has more in depth analysis that is really deserved. Do I really care that Western Kentucky’s point guard enjoys ice cream and walks on the beach. Then of course, there’s Dickie V. That is, the irreverent Dick Vitale. Vitale is screaming from my screen. Does that guy talk to strangers that way? He looks he might spin right out of the screen at any time.

I was watching a very good LSU-North Carolina game last Saturday, when suddenly I was switched to another game, and then another. There is an endless crawl at the top of the screen, updating every game every minute or so. I am kicking myself for not going out to watch the game. “March Madness” has turned me into a mindless zombie in pajama pants, and a red ink pen.

Even our new President has a bracket. In case you missed it, President Obama actually took time to explain to an ESPN talking head on how he came up with his picks. For the record, Obama has done fairly well so far. You have to wonder if there was some sort of committee put together to enhance his chances.. It is well known that President Obama is a sports fan, and an decent pick-up basketball player. His “body man” is a former Duke hoopster, and is always on the President’s team. Like the rest of us, Obama understands that all of us need a distraction, especially with seemingly endless bad news about the economy and the war in Iraq.

The late March early April love affair with college basketball has been evolving and evolving. Historically, the tournament itself was born in 1939, with just 8 teams, and has been expanded numerous times, including a jump from 48 teams to 64 in 1985. Currently, there are 65 teams, with two teams competing in a “play-in” game. Our own UTC men’s team played valiantly to get into the field, but fell prey to a mighty UCONN team with several NBA caliber players.

Of course, if you have filled out a bracket, you might be complaining about a big upset that may have occurred, or your favorite team has been bounced. Don’t feel too bad. There are 18.4 quintillion possible outcomes, therefore the odds are less that great on you picking a perfect bracket, but you can still have fun with it. That being said, I have filled out three, and all of them are blown up. Stupid Wake Forest. I need a hobby.