There's just something magical about March Madness. These athletes have worked tirelessly for months and it can all end with one bad game. There are no million dollar contracts, at least not for the players. The same players that are heroes in March are normal kids, just college scholars looking to thrive like everyone else in college. This hunger and passion is what is translated to the court in every game. This is a platform for players who have gone without notice all year to show up and show out. For some, the lights are too bright, while others have made the most of the moment and will forever be considered as the darlings of March.
Watching an NBA game right after a NCAA tournament game is almost torture. The stakes are not nearly as high, and the game play is nowhere near as intense. Where are the players slapping the floor on defense? Where are the screams of jubilation and raw emotion after clutch plays? Granted, some NBA players do bring it every night (Russell Westbrook comes to mind). However, an NBA game looks like another day at the office compared to the gladiator-like battles of March. Maybe it's the million dollar guaranteed contracts, the chartered jets and the five star hotels. Whatever it may be, it is clear that somewhere along the line, most NBA basketball players lose their edge after college. While the talent level is higher in the pros, the desire to compete is not. Look no further then a college team after a loss in March. These grown men shamelessly cry their eyes out on National TV. Although it's sad to see, it goes to show that these guys put everything on the line for the sake of the team. That alone is what makes March a beautiful thing and a spectacle of pure entertainment.
With that being said, expect the unexpected this year. Like most years, the David's will bring their slingshots and aim them right at Goliath. Game winning shots will go in, and heroes will be made. Benches will erupt, some in joy and others in heart breaking defeat. After the first day of Madness, most brackets will be ripped up, as they usually are every year. This is simply because you can analyze and measure a teams three point percentage and assist to turnover ratio. You can stack a team with All Americans and Hall of Fame coaches. You cannot however, measure a teams heart and desire to seize the moment and accomplish what no one believed they could. Sixty-eight teams in neutral locations with everything to lose and gain. Let the madness begin.
