March Madness

This is totally the best time of year. Well. It's not. But it's the best part of the springtime, that's for sure! And by far the best sporting event out there. Even if you don't watch basketball any other time of year, you should pay attention now. About eight years ago, I stopped watching pro ball with any regularity or even excitement. The NBA had become a show of overpaid, overgrown selfish children. It was hard to separate off-court antics from on-court professionalism (and even some on-court antics, thanks Latrell Sprewell and Ron Artest).

But the NCAA! Man! Overgrown children playing for pride, glory, and the love of the game. Cinderella stories. Shattered backboards. The Fab Five. Cheers. Tears. And of course, the best theme song in sports. "One Shining Moment" is a song that transcends sports! And it's sung by both Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross. I mean, COME ON! It just doesn't get much better.

I remember realizing my childhood was really over in the 8th grade when our teacher let the class watch the first round all afternoon one day (it was Catholic school. We just skipped religion probably). It was so much fun. Someone said, "I can't wait to do this next year." And we all realized we wouldn't be together next year, not in the same classroom, or even same school. But we had that last March Madness. I'll never forget that moment.

Then there was the year my Terps won the whole thing. And the stars of the team came back to campus without chips on their shoulders. And we cheered for Lonnie and Cox and Drew and Byron (who happened to be my fave). And we cried for Juan Dixon, the MVP of the game and our hearts. And for Gary. And for Steve Blake. And for Cole Field House. And each other. We knew that would be the best time of their basketball careers. One of them might go on to win a professional championship. But it wouldn't be like 2002. Nope. Not at all.

And there was grad school, rooting for the Ivy League champs, the Quakers. We knew they'd lose, but it was still kinda cool, sitting in a Philly sports bar, rooting for the underdog in a town of underdogs. It just doesn't get better. It really doesn't.

So I did my brackets. I have two for the guys and one for the girls (yes, there's a bracket for the ladies too. Get with it).

President Obama picked UNC to win the whole thing for the guys (he didn't do a girls' bracket, at least not on ESPN...sigh...can't win 'em all), so I picked UNC, too. I'm a patriot, and I don't want the president to fail (unlike the GOP in Congress and on the radio, but I digress). But darnit, this is really the first time I've EVER wished anything positive for the Tar Heels. It feels pretty gross actually.

I grew up a Blue Devils fan. I loved them. The Team, the Players, the School. Grant Hill. Christian Laettner. Trajen Langdon. Shane Battier. I still remember opening my acceptance letter with my dad. I hated the crosstown, Tobacco Road rival. Chapel Hill might as well have been a trash heap to me. But I decided to go to Maryland for school. I would have been run out of College Park if I ever wore my Duke sweatshirt. It didn't matter. My school pride transformed my love for the Durham team into a bitter relationship, much like a divorced woman who longed for the innocent days of love shared between two young lovers, but who never again wanted to see her ex happy. I rooted for their failure, but still had a soft spot if they won (and only if the Terps' standing wasn't harmed). But through it all, staying in ACC country, my hatred for UNC only grew. Carolina Blue? Puh-leez. It's totally overrated and overused and pretty much just electric baby blue. ICK!

Yet, as a good follower, I've chosen (geez, it even hurts to say) UNC to win. But really, I think Pitt will take the whole thing, beating UNC in the final four and then Memphis in the end. Then again, I don't like sports towns that monopolize championships. So part of me hopes that Pitt doesn't win (and you can thank the Steelers for that). Maybe North Carolina deserves a little thank you for turning blue back in November (then again, how many of the players on the team voted for Obama in NC? Or at all?). That's the only way I can justify this in my head.

Back to March Madness. Every year there's a new story, a new team that will surprise the country, a new star shining and beating a buzzer. There's always a moment. Ladders, nets, and scissors. Enjoy every minute of it!

I wanted to post my brackets, but I couldn't find one that I could link to the blog until tonight on the NYT website. They won't let me fill it out now that the games have started. UGH! Anyway, my Final Four is Louisville/Memphis and Pitt/UNC with UNC winning (thanks to the pres) OR Louisville/UConn (thanks to the Maryland upset I'm predicting against Memphis) and Pitt/UNC with Pitt taking it all.
For the ladies, I have Connecticut/Stanford and Maryland/Rutger. Yes, the Lady Terps will bring it home to the Comcast Center one more time! (Go Kristi!)

M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D! Maryland Will Win! GO TERPS!