One of the most feared venues in college basketball. Every inch of the arena crammed tight with faithful fans chanting and screaming like their future rides solely on the outcome of the game. No air-conditioning. A fatigued visiting team watches helplessly as their double-digit lead dwindles. In the end, the home team pulls it out and the Kodak moments go flying. Parents cry, students jump up and down as if on hot coals, and a graduating senior runs straight to his coach to embrace him like a long lost relative.
Don't tell me you aren't familiar with scenes like this. Well, maybe you haven't met... Maybe you have. This is my good friend March Madness. Yeah, he only comes around once a year, but man, do we sports fanatics love him.
This past Saturday, the madness began to creep onto the national scene. Duke vs. North Carolina. Number one versus number three. To make an epic story short, the sports world was treated to a classic game that clearly showed that the calm days of February are over. Not only was it Carolina vs. Duke, one of the greatest rivalries in college basketball, but it was a must-win revenge match for a Duke squad that got manhandled by the Tar Heels two weeks ago.
This is what you love to see if you're a basketball fan. Great college basketball that thrives on the three p's: passion, pride and pressure. Now, across the country each and every match-up is full of these three elements. What more can you ask for?!
Every night for the next couple of weeks check your local listings to see if there is a college basketball game on TV. If so, tune in to the second half of the game for just a little while. Make a checklist of the following items: a frustrated or distraught looking coach, a fired up or aggressive coach, players on the bench standing up or kneeling on the floor in front of the bench, players looking like zombies from Michael Jackson's Thriller, a band playing every chance they get, people with face paint and/or head ornaments, pictures of Moms and Dads flashing on the screen (crying or smiling is optional), announcers speaking very loudly and not remembering that they are miked, and an 'other' box to check if anything else excites you.
Even if it is Mount Little Hill State versus Portland State, chances are you will see each one of these things. Wait, I almost spoke too quickly and forgot one important piece of advice. In order to find any satisfaction during this experiment you must do the following. Right when you tune into a game, especially on ESPN, make sure Dick Vitale is not announcing. If he is, treat him like you did John Tesh during the Olympics. Put him on mute. Believe me, this simple action will save you from a world of unnecessary stress. Any man that loudly proclaims that 13 is nowhere near half of 25 needs to be muted. On a side note, for those of you taping games to watch later, do not fret. You may not realize it, but your VCR can tape things on mute too. For any questions on this, feel free to contact my father at Audio/Visual Incompetency Headquarters in Pennsylvania.
After taking care of the potential 'Vitale problem,' there is one other thing you can do to really enhance your viewing experience. It's a little exercise in comparison/contrast.
Right after watching the drama unfold in some small college game like the Big Sky Championship, try to find a big NBA game on TNT or TBS. Do not be alarmed, the emotion you will experience here is depression.
Folks, we're going from the inspired play of college athletes to the NBA. This isn't going to be pretty. On the college side we have an energetic crowd, loud band, and game overflowing with determination. In the NBA, we have game number 70 in a season that goes on forever. This game is usually marked by a low hum of talking as fans enjoy their wine and cheese and the loud squeaking of all the new sneaker contracts walking ... I mean running ... down the court.
Go ahead, indulge yourself. Flip back and forth and laugh at the fact that you used to watch NBA games. Fans of quality athletic competition, March is our month. Were you disappointed by the professionalism and fluff that dominated the Winter Olympics? Well sports fanatics, here is your answer. Gritty performances, last second heroics, and much more is just a push of a button away.
March is where the basketball fan gets to break free. Break free from watching players go through the motions or teams work through the kinks. Tournament time is anchored on quality basketball and this calls for fans to raise their game to the level of play.
My advice: prepare yourself. Get the fan's three p's: pretzels, potato chips and pop. Then, clear your schedule. Yeah, we're all busy. Do you think our friend March Madness cares? Nope. He's well aware that resistance is futile. One glimpse of last Saturday's game has millions of viewers saddling up for the ride. You know why? Because madness like this is dangerously contagious.
