This is definitely my favorite time of year in sports. There truly is nothing like March Madness!! The beauty of sports is reveled in this 64 team, winner-takes-all tournament. It doesn’t matter what school is on the front of your jersey or what your record was before you got there, everyone has the same chance to win.

What makes it so special?

-amateurism- these kids don’t get paid, there are no bonuses for making the tournament, the simplistic beauty of competition is demonstrated by the unity and passion that they play with.

-equality- once you make the tournament, every team has the same dream—to win. . . and every team has a shot at that dream.

-story lines – Each team has a story of what got them there, and every story is uniquely scripted by the different characters (players/coaches). We love the tales of players overcoming insurmountable obstacles to achieve greatness—because these stories give us hope in our own lives.

-involvement- the NCAA tournament is a time in sports where fans feel like they are truly involved in the action. Part of it is because they get to fill out brackets with their favorite teams and follow the action with the friends. Everyone has their favorite team and the team or teams that they love to hate!! So when filling out your bracket, do you put that team that you absolutely despise in the winner’s bracket, knowing you have a better shot at getting the pick right, or do you credit that unheard of 13 seed team with the upset—just so you can cheer even harder against your arch rival?

Whether you are a die hard fan or simply looking for a dramatic tale to unfold, I hope you enjoy this year’s tournament as much as I do!!