The 'Mazin Madness

When it comes to sports, is there anything better than March Madness? Absolutely not.

65 teams battling for one title. More than 60 games in a span of three weeks. The best of college basketball on the grandest stage.

It is without a doubt the most wonderful time of the year. (My apologies to Andy Williams and Harry Connick Jr.).

So as this annual sports spectacular inches oh so close, it is time to recognize sports media, who have made March Madness what it is today.

Sure, the basketball is exciting. But sports media has made this event into so much more.

In just a matter of days the madness begins, sure to bring surprising upsets, newborn heroes, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows… not just for the athletes, but for the fans as well.

Thanks to a few marketing geniuses, the NCAA Tournament is just as much a competition for the fans as it is for the players. Come Thursday, the adrenaline will be pumping, the nerves flowing, the mind racing, and the bodies sweating for every fan watching.

Bracket pools, scoreboard watching, wall-to-wall basketball coverage, and a chance to witness some of the most exciting moments and improbable upsets in the history of sports. Just thinking about it is sure to make even the halfhearted sports fan tingle.

The mere setup of the tournament gives college basketball the most ingenious playoff in all of sports.

65 teams from all over the country getting a fair chance to play for the national championship. Each one deserving that chance. Take notes college football.

In no other sport can a fan be as much a part of the action as in college basketball. No matter who is playing, fans pay attention to each game and each team.

How did they get them to care so much? Bracket pools. A chance to compete against peers, not for a national championship, but the ever-important bragging rights. Basketball players compete to show which of them has jump-shot or left-handed dribble, fans compete to prove which of them is the most knowledgeable about sports. This is there chance.

In the days between selection Sunday and the first tip the bracket frenzy takes over. Fans all over the country filling out multiple brackets, changing their selections, second-guessing their picks, flooding sports websites to read and take notes on the expert opinions. As each second passes, college basketball remains deeply engrained in their thoughts.

Then comes Thursday and Friday. Round One.

The action begins with action packed days filled to the brim with college basketball. Multiple games occurring all over the country.

CBS Sports (buying the NCAA Tourney rights was the smartest move they ever made) televises every game, every shot, every rebound, every buzzer=beater. Talk about must-see-TV.

But the great coverage doesn’t stop there. Fans can watch every single game on cbssportsline.com for free. Free!

At work? At school? No problem. Not only can you watch the games with great quality picture and sound but the program also comes equipped with a boss button. Feel the boss or teacher creeping up over your shoulder? Click the button and the game turns into an Excel spreadsheet.

So while you are having the best time of your life watching, following, eating, and breathing this year’s NCAA Tournament don’t forget to give thanks to those who made such an experience possible.

Sports media has come a long way and this tournament is a celebration of not only basketball, but everything sports media has accomplished. A yearning to bring the fans the ultimate experience.

That’s exactly what the NCAA Tournament is… the ultimate experience.

So be sure to join in on the celebration because it’s sure to be filled with heart-pounding excitement, adrenaline packed games, cheers, tears, and most of all… fun.

They don’t call it the Big Dance for nothing.