One tournament, 68 teams, hundreds of players, single elimination. That, my friends, is March Madness. Regardless if you're a basketball fan or not, you can't deny the beauty of March Madness. It's weeks and weeks of constant play where any team has the chance to win a National Championship. It's a tournament where dreams are either shattered or take flight. It's a moment players dream of from the moment they learn the game. March Madness is full of buzzer-beaters, underdogs, and upsets. It's full of so much passion that you feel the pain for whoever loses. There are just so many facets to March Madness and that's partially what makes it so incredible.
Part of what makes March Madness so stunning is the anticipation. Once the conference tournaments end, fans all across the nation crowd around the television to see what Selection Sunday has to offer. Seeding can be the vital difference between victory and defeat, making this day incredibly important. However, the best part of Selection Sunday is the bracket finally being released. Filling out brackets is one of the most fun aspects of March Madness, because it's almost impossible to get a perfect bracket. That doesn't stop people from trying though. In fact, people often participate in bracket tournaments and challenges just to see who has the best one. March Madness in itself is a mystery due to the amount of upsets; it's just a matter of predicting who it's going to be. Without the anticipation or the passion from the fan bases, it’s unclear whether March Madness would have the same effect.
Another part of what makes March Madness so exciting is the upsets. If every higher seed team in the tournament won their game, what fun would that be? Unpredictability leads to excitement and unease. If the audience knew which team would win every game, then what’s the point in watching? Upsets are incredible because it proves that anyone has the chance to win the championship, and it can completely change the expected pan of events. An example of this would be when Mercer defeated Duke in the 2014 NCAA tournament, completely throwing everyone’s brackets out of whack. Leaving Duke crushed, but on the flip-side, created a historic moment for Mercer. Everyone loves an underdog, and giving an unknown team such a spotlight is partially what makes the big dance so great.
Lastly, the hands down, best part of March Madness is the pure emotion. Part of what makes the tournament so intense is the single elimination factor. In other words, once you lose that’s it, season is over. It’s this season ending mentality that drives the players to perform to their greatest potential. Therefore, this makes the wins a passionate celebration, but also making the losses incredibly heartbreaking. The players use every ounce of effort they have to win, which is incredibly inspiring to watch and proves just how desperate they are for a victory. After the championship game is won, the NCAA makes a video called “One Shining Moment” which gives an overview of the entire tournament. We get clips of funny moments, celebrations, and sorrowful endings. This video is the perfect display at how emotional March Madness can be. All in all, March Madness is an incredible time for college athletics. If you’re not a basketball fan, I suggest you watch this tournament anyway because it is truly exceptional.
