March Madness is on its way. Even those who don’t know if a basketball is inflated or stuffed are aware of this round ball craziness. It is kind of like the flu, no one is really immune. Som
e folks will spend hours studying statistics and conference strength of schedule as they fill out their NCAA tournament bracket. Others will go with their sentimental favorites. Need a bracket? You can find one here.
e folks will spend hours studying statistics and conference strength of schedule as they fill out their NCAA tournament bracket. Others will go with their sentimental favorites. Need a bracket? You can find one here. Last year, my daughter and my wife filled out our bracket based on fashion and mascots. What color are the uniforms? Do the colors complement one another? What about the mascot? We like Huskies over things like Buckeyes and Bulldogs. As silly as it sounds, this isn’t a bad way to complete your bracket and may prove just as successful as inside information from Dick Vitale or Digger.
Strange, isn’t it how things can change over the years? There was a time when the NCAA tournament played second fiddle to the NIT in New York City. No longer has the case, like everything in life, change happens.
Harvard University is in this year. Automatic bid because they won the Ivy League. This will be their first trip to the Big Dance since 1946. Wow, that is a long time to be a wallflower. I’ll be pulling for them this year, even though I suspect they will be back studying after the first round. But you have to like a school that gets a chance every sixty -six years, plus you have to love their crimson colored uniforms. And when it comes to a mascot, they don’t really have one. They dress someone up like the founder, John Harvard to excite the crowd. Go Crimson!
A lot of folks root for underdogs. You know, those little schools, or “second tier” programs or mid conferences than don’t carry the glamour and shine of perennial contenders. Mine this year is Harvard. These matchups kind of remind me of David and Goliath. We seem to like those who come out of nowhere and show they can play with the big boys.
For all the schools, athletes, coaches, and students who never get invited to the dance, and to wallflowers everywhere, enjoy the ride. And don’t worry Princeton, there’s always next year!
