10 Ways March Madness Brings Out The Basketball Lover In All Of Us
With March Madness getting closer to the finals, I'm left to reflect back on what the season was like -- the way it made me cry, the way it had me glued to my TV and computer screens, and the drama it brought to my life.
Thinking back before the finals, I love to remember what a crazy year it has been. Some people just don’t understand what it’s like to follow March Madness.
Every year, March Madness steals my heart (and my time) in the following ways:
1. It’s more dramatic than regular basketball
I mean, seriously, a regular basketball game isn’t all that dramatic until it becomes March Madness.
There are a few games out there in which players have some crazy skills, but nothing compares to when they are all put in the spotlight.
March Madness brings out the crazy in the game, and I love it. I love how I get so tied to every second on the clock.
2. There’s a personal challenge: the bracket
I can’t lie: I’m probably the worst bracket maker because I don’t watch college basketball religiously from the beginning of the season.
But, that’s what I love about March Madness: It challenges me to make an incredible bracket. I love a challenge, but I don’t love when that challenge is over.
3. There’s basketball all of the time
I literally can’t even when it comes to March Madness because I hear about basketball 24/7. I love the fact that every time I turn on ESPN, there’s something to watch or a highlight being covered.
Since basketball is one of my favorite sports, being able to watch on high volume for a month is one of the best things to ever happen to ESPN.
4. It really does bring April showers
The end of March Madness is always an emotional time. The team I usually want to head to the finals has a 50/50 shot of getting there and the entire journey is mind-numbingly intense.
For the entire month of March, I am dying to find out what April will bring, and whether my team loses or wins, I’m crying once it comes.
5. I can bet my way to the finals
Just like the bracket challenge, I love to be able to bet my way around anyone’s guesses about who’s going to make it.
I’m not a huge bettor, but this is the one time of the year I am more than willing to place a bet on sports. And, each time I do, it makes me even more thrilled to watch basketball.
6. All of my favorite teams play under one massive tournament
There isn’t any other sport in which I can watch all of my favorite teams compete for an entire month straight. There’s the NFL, which is great, but it’s only every Sunday.
This is a whole month when I can just veg out and watch basketball. I honestly don’t know what could be greater than that.
7. It’s a constant month of sports bonding with friends
Literally, every day of the month, I can go to the bar and watch basketball with my friends. It’s the one time of the year where I can justify drinking every day of the week.
It’s also a great time to get to know what my friends' brackets are so I can bet against them. But, in all seriousness, it really is the best time of the year to get all my sports-minded friends together in the same place.
8. There are always surprises
I love surprises in sports, and every single March Madness season, there is always a team that impresses me or depresses me. I never know which one it will be, and it keeps me on my toes. And, it’s a whole month of surprises!
What else in sports can possibly be better than watching teams switch up their game for an entire month?
9. It reminds me of college
Sometimes, I forget college wasn’t all that bad. I can’t say it was my favorite four years of my life, but watching March Madness reminds me of the spirit in school, cheering for the school teams, going to games and seeing friends at those games.
This time of the year allows me to relive those four years of my life I won’t get back again.
10. It is truly the best time of the year for sports.
I can’t think of any other time of the year I am willing to dedicate an entire month to watching basketball. It’s the time that reminds me how great the sport is, how great college basketball can be and how it brings together an entire nation.
I don’t think any other sport can capture an audience the way March Madness does.
