After months and months of waiting, the drought is finally over… college basketball season is here. No more baseball on our television screens. No more speculation as to how the season will go -- it’s finally here. I was raised to be a fan of college basketball -- more specifically, a University of Kentucky Wildcats fan. My parents would give me t-shirts signed by players and would always have the game on in the living room. Soon enough I began to pick up a basketball and started dribbling around the house, leading to a basketball career that lasted at least 11 years. This love of basketball I had when I was a child has only grown since, and now is a full-fledged passion. Very few things in this world make me happier than watching college basketball. I love it so much and people may think its odd for a girl to be so obsessed with a sport, but I honestly could care less. It’s an incredible sport full of intensity and passion, how could you not fall in love?
One reason I love basketball so much is the feeling you get when you walk into a packed gym. I’ve been on both sides of this fence actually; I’ve played in packed gyms and I’ve watched them as well. Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to the energy of a packed gym. The fans are at the edge of their seats, waiting for the team they love to enter the court and dominate the game. There’s cheering, screaming, singing, dancing, and much more involved. Calling it entertaining would be an understatement.
Similarly to the previous point, another reason I love basketball so much is the passion you get from the fans, not just the players. When there’s a tight game going on, especially during March Madness, everyone is at their television screens, cell phones, radios, anything that can give them updates. It’s crucial that they are aware of every point, turnover, foul, and free throw that’s happening during this game. They are the passionate, driven, dedicated fans that love the game. Which is something that you don’t always see in other sports. Also when a big game is coming up, dedicated fans can’t stop talking about it. In fact, it’s all we talk about. Which may get annoying to people that don’t feel the same way about your team but they can just deal with it.
March Madness gets it’s own section because in my opinion, it’s like Christmas in March. I have a very unhealthy obsession with March Madness, filling out multiple brackets and planning upsets weeks before the games even happen. For anyone that has never heard of March Madness, it’s also known as the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament. It’s a full month full of competitive and down to the wire basketball, where upsets always happen and the underdog gets their time in the spotlight. It’s a month where one team takes the glorious championship, and where teams are devastated at the ending of their season. If you’ve never watch "One Shining Moment," which is basically a video dedicated to everything about March Madness, I highly suggest you do. It will seriously bring tears to your eyes and give you a small taste of the beauty that is college basketball.
Honestly, there is nothing better in this entire world than the sport of basketball. It’s a sport full of comebacks, insane dunks, beautiful three pointers, and legendary buzzer beaters. Where a defensive stop or a block can win an entire game. Where players begin as amazing college freshman and grow up to become NBA super stars (looking at you Anthony Davis). All in all, basketball is a beautiful sport that's changed my life for the better, I couldn’t be more excited at its return.
