Upsets. Upsets. Upsets. March is the time for hearts to be broken as the underdogs come alive. There is nothing better than predicting an upset over one of America’s favorite teams... or laughing at the person next to you who’s March Madness bracket turns into shambles after a top-ranked team chokes early.
College campuses are transformed into jungles. When your team wins, there are riots, when your team looses, there are still riots. The atmosphere that surrounds March Madness is unlike any other season.
Bracket preparation is an event in its own. Students across the country gather what little money they have in attempts to turn it into an opportunity to win big, despite the near impossible odds of accurately predicting the results of tournament (1 in 9.2 quintillion to be exact).
Holiday cheers may not be present in March, however, the cheers inside legendary arenas such as Mckale, Rupp Arena, Allen Fieldhouse and the “Dean Dome” are absolutely absurd and wilder than ever. Even if you aren’t an avid college basketball fan or sports fan in general, you cannot help but to smile when songs such as “Jump” come on and entire arenas shake as rowdy students try to prove their student section to be the best in the nation.
'Tis the season for universities to discover an addicting chant to repeat until hoarse, for an individual to have their moment of stardom on the big screen while dancing uncontrollably, and finally, the opportunity to be “that guy” who cheers so loud that it makes everyone around him annoyed and uncomfortable. However, nothing is said because it is March Madness and that noise level is totally acceptable….even encouraged.
Just like Christmas time when your close friends and family come together to celebrate the holidays, March Madness has the ability to unite people. This unity however, extends far greater than just close friends and family. People from all over the country are united by their alma mater alone, while the country as a whole is united by their participation in the bracket challenge. Even the President fills out a bracket for March Madness (commonly known as Barack-etology) which is broadcasted all over the Internet and television.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas and everything it entails... but lets face it, gifts are more fun when they can be shared. Gifts such as the happiness your school shares when your rival gets defeated by a heart-wrenching buzzer-beater, an opportunity to storm the court at home, when the referee makes a clearly mistaken call in your favor that keeps your teams chances at the title alive, or even the celebrations that come after your team pulls off an upset. The celebrations that last until the early mornings. Those are the gifts that I prefer, the ones that evoke emotion that lasts longer than the clothes or toys wrapped under the Christmas tree and the Championship banners that hang high in arenas long after you’ve graduated.
