The concept of March Madness is simple.
Start with 64 teams, end with one.
Losers go home, winners advance.
It’s by no means a foreign idea. After all, that’s the basic premise of every athletic postseason.
But there’s something distinctive about March, something that separates it from every other playoff battle.
The madness, the mayhem, the magic, it all adds up to create an event that cannot be found anywhere else.
It can’t be duplicated; it can’t be replicated.
Some teams fight their way in. They tirelessly and frantically search for victories at every corner, knowing it’s the only thing that can keep them alive. Other teams strut in with sly smiles, as if they know something the rest of the world doesn’t.
But once in, once their name is on that bracket, it doesn’t matter. Records, regular season play, none of it means anything come tournament time.
It’s the magic that inevitability comes with March, and it means anyone can win.
According to Duke math professor Jonathan Mattingly, the odds of picking a perfect bracket are one in 2.4 trillion. To put that in perspective, you have a better chance of getting crushed by a vending machine (one in 112 million) or winning a gold medal at the summer Olympics (one in 23.4 million) than you do predicting the outcome of a basketball tournament.
But that’s kind of the whole point.
Analysts and experts define every aspect of sports in terms of facts and statistics. Every team, every player, and every game can be broken down into numerical values that can then be used to predict outcomes.
Here’s the problem.
Odds and percents only play by the rules of logic.
And in March, logic takes a backseat to heart and passion.
The upsets and Cinderella teams, the No. 1 seeds underperforming and falling, it all happens in the most dramatic fashion come March.
The only thing that’s guaranteed is the utter unpredictability of it all.
What happened last season, last week, last game, is irrelevant. Everyone gets a clean slate come tournament time.
Mediocre teams lucky to still be playing and stellar teams looking to make history both know the simple secret to surviving in March: step up and win.
In the words of R.M. Drake, every magic moment will bring you closer to your dreams.
One bad game and you're out.
One bad game and your dreams die.
From the minute Selection Sunday begins all the way to end of the championship game, every team has to be better than their best. If not, another team will most definitely exploit those weak spots in their armor.
The magic of March comes in the fact that when the clock starts ticking, it’s anyone’s game.
There’s no way to predict or assign a value to the aching hunger each team will inevitability possess. The best record, the most talented team, the most successful coach by no means guarantees a win over anyone.
An immeasurable amount of pressure comes along with punching a ticket to the Big Dance, and it’s the reason some teams thrive and some teams crumble.
The stats that confirm this team will win over that team are useless, but the magic of March goes beyond the idea that underdogs can win.
March is where heroes are born; March is where legacies begin.
Remember the Baby-Faced Assassin?
Stephen Curry first displayed his remarkable skills during his days with Davidson in the tournament.
ICYMI, he’s kind of a big deal now.
While not all NBA superstars were standouts in college, and being one of the best in college doesn’t mean automatic success in the next level, March is the time when the next generation of players are inspired. Steph Curry was a no-name out of a school who wasn’t supposed to win. Now he’s a world champion and NBA MVP. On a national stage, he reminded everyone what March is about.
As you fill out your bracket this year, as you pour over analysis and game recaps, remember that on any given day, anyone is beatable. Remember that the Cinderella teams have the most to prove and they’ll play like it. Remember that busted brackets are what make this time of year great.
Embrace the magic and all that comes with it.
Cheers, and happy March Madness.
