In no other sport do you get the complete randomness and parity en route to a title. In the NFL, the hottest team seems to win, in the NBA the team with the best player tends to win, in NCAA Football, only One of Two teams can win the title. In college basketball, it is a completely different story. Sixty-eight teams from all over the country have the chance to get hot, and make a title run. Additionally, with the one-and-done policy along with the fact that players are looking to jump to the pro's as soon as possible, parity is at its highest point ever. In present day, mid-majors are gaining a competitive advantage: their good players stay at least three years and most of the time four years because of the lack of exposure they get. On the flip side, Major Conference schools are constantly recruiting players that are known nationally before they even hit the college stage. Additionally, these players get national exposure every time they step on the floor for the top-tier schools. This accounts to players at the top-tier schools leaving pre-maturely, and rarely allows for these schools to actually have experienced players. Instead, a trending theme is for these top-tier schools to have inexperienced players that get upset by the more experienced, lower seeded mid-major schools who are gaining steam as each year passes. This is causing the tournament to become complete, and utter chaos, which makes watching the tournament to be so addicting to watch. This year alone we nearly experienced a 1 seed get upset by a 16 (Gonzaga pulled it out) who eventually lost to a 9th seeded Wichita State team. Along with this trend, several upsets ensued, and the tournament watched with excitement as the first 15-seed in history made the sweet 16. Most people would call this a fluke, however with the amount of talent across the country in basketball, the 15th seeded FGCU is no fluke whatsoever. In fact, they are one of the most exciting teams I have ever watched in my life. They are remarkable and in my opinion were better than Georgetown and San Diego St. In college this would translate a team like Oregon losing to Western Kentucky in a bowl game. This would never happen, one because the bowl system doesn't allow it to happen, and two, because players are required to stay longer than in college basketball. Until they change this rule in college basketball, continue to love the tourney, as teams you have never heard of are able to upset the alleged juggernauts in the sport. It is amazing to be able to watch a team like Lasalle or FGCU be able to have a shot at an NCAA title!
Reason 2: The Team Element
Next is the team element of NCAA men's basketball. In few if any sports, does team play matter as much as in Men's college basketball. In this sport a team can consist of one or two NBA quality players (some ridiculous squads like a Kentucky just load their team with NBA talent, but that is a minority). In most cases, the key to making a final four run depends on what your other starters can do or if your bench can "rise to the occasion." This is what makes this tournament so great, teams have to fire on all cylinders and include everybody on their roster if they want to make it to the final four. Granted, some teams have Pigs that can carry their team to the title (Kemba Walker and Carmello Anthony to name a couple), but most of the time, when a big shot is needed it is a clutch 6-man that hits it. This aspect is amazing and makes this sport as pure as any out there from a team standpoint. It is awesome to watch each player rise up and contribute and propel their team to the next level. This is a rare instance where players that nobody has ever heard about (unless you are a fan of that school) can rise up, hit big shot, after big shot, and make a name for themselves in the history book. The team aspect to this sport is yet another reason people around the country cannot stop watching!
Reason 3: Filling out a Bracket
Okay, so lets get real. This is probably the sole reason people everywhere watch the tournament, to see how their brackets are doing. Shit, even the president and most powerful man in the world takes time out of his schedule to fill out a bracket!!! However, this is a completely artificial and superficial reason to watch these amazing, young athletes compete, so it cannot trump the pureness of randomness and team-play exhibited during the tournament. Even more so, it has to be listed here because why else does the average joe, or even girlfriend/fiance/wife even allow themselves and significant other to watch the games? To win that cash-money and to have bragging rights for a year!
It is amazing how much March Madness has grown. Nearly every person, sports fan or not fills out a bracket during this time of the year. What other sport has more post-season participation than March Madness? The answer is none. Every office, every group of friends, aquantices, and relatives has a bracket challenge. Why? Simply because anybody can win. In my group of friends, girls that have never watched a game in their life have won our bracket. It is probably because we over-analyze everything and are super biased because we saw so-and-so lose to so-and-so or even beat so-and-so, conveying that our biases don't mean shit! How great of a sport is it when your significant other has no knowledge of it and can still demolish you in picking teams that will win?! Maybe it isn't so great, but at the very least they will allow you to watch every game without complaining! Have you ever watched football or checked your fantasy sports teams and not have your significant other complain?! NO WAY, but March Madness is a special time, that you can waste every ounce of energy, researching and watching your bracket crumble without having anybody complain that this is proposterous if not the biggest waste of time in your life!
Reason 4: The Crowd, The Fans, and The Atmosphere
In addition to these other amazing reasons people cannot stop watching the tournament is the fans, crowd, and atmosphere of every game. Fans travel around the country just to watch their team play. What make the fans and crowd even greater is when a team is on the verge of a major upset and the atmosphere rises exponentially. It is amazing to see, and I don't think I have ever seen fans get as into a game that they do not care about as much as when FGCU takes the floor. Georgetown fans, during the first round matchup probably outnumbered FGCU fans 10-1 on a conservative estimate. However, once FGCU displayed their talent and exciting up-tempo offense, fans around the world fell in love. Instantly, the crowd shifted and you would think FGCU had home-court advantage. The fans endured and piled in heavily for their 2nd round matchup when they dismantled SDS. It was incredible to watch thousands of fans cheer so hard for a team they never knew existed prior to last week. It is one of the best events I have ever witnessed, and shows even more, why the tourney is the greatest sporting event of all!!!
Reason 5: Playing for the game not the money, not too mention the future NBA Pigs!
One of the greatest reasons to watch the NCAA tourney, especially if you are a life-long fan, is you get to see NBA talent at its purest form. In college, these players are who they are, they aren't playing for money, they are doing one of two things: building their brand to be able to make the NBA or playing their hearts out for the name of their jersey (NOT the Last Name but the name of the school that recruited them!). It is remarkable, and us viewers, get to enjoy as NBA talent plays basketball during their purest form. The play for the love of the game and love of their university will only be taken over by compensation for their talent. It is pure, honorable, respectful, and the best, most selfless form of basketball you will ever see them play (unless they are one of the greats). Similarly, with some players that are going straight to the pros like they are in present day, you see players that will never play again, work their ass off, and beat those "Pre-Medonna" and "selfish" NBA talented player, into the ground. It is terrific to see and fortunately to us; we were privaledged enough to see this example this tournament. Shabazz Muhammed, top college basketball prospect, and top 5 NBA talent, put on a ridiculous display, when a teammate took the opportunity to make a game winning shot. He pouted and was stunned the kid didn't pass the ball to him. This is pathetic and I am glad to see them leave to the NBA. This is why some athletes like this make us hate the professional level. Luckily, we have the rest of college basketball to turn to and watch as kids, such as: Trey Burke, Ben Mclemore, Olidipo, Deshaun Thomas, Doug McDermot and others who make their case to be drafted, as well as become class-acts, and role-models at the professional level. College allows us to see, who will be good, as well as, who we will love and cheer for in the years after they leave our schools. It is not all about the player, it is always about the player and the person in which they strive to become!
Reason 6: Coach's Coach, not Manage
This is one of the greatest reasons to watch college basketball. The players actually listen to the legendary coaches they play for. Instead of playing for the contract, and feel they are above and beyond what the coaches say, they actually listen. In fact, look at the midwest (hall of fame region) considered this because of the legendary coaches. In the pro version of the game, all the coach does is manage, the college level, they actually coach. So, sit back and continue to enjoy the ride the players experience as well as the coaches!
This is one of the greatest reasons to watch college basketball. The players actually listen to the legendary coaches they play for. Instead of playing for the contract, and feel they are above and beyond what the coaches say, they actually listen. In fact, look at the midwest (hall of fame region) considered this because of the legendary coaches. In the pro version of the game, all the coach does is manage, the college level, they actually coach. So, sit back and continue to enjoy the ride the players experience as well as the coaches!
