College basketball’s March Madness begins

On Sunday, March 15, the brackets will be announced, and soon after that, the fun begins. One of the best sporting events this country has to offer is about to commence.

The women’s and men’s basketball fields will be announced on Sunday. Then, almost immediately, “bracketologists” everywhere will be filling out their sheets trying to figure who will be the eventual champion.

So much fun, so much drama—a sporting event that almost never fails to entertain.

It has a winning recipe, for sure. Just take one big helping of talented college athletes, then add in some pressure-packed “one and done” (lose and you’re out) tension, a little bit of fan craziness, a small dab of coaches going crazy on the sidelines, a speck of cheerleader and band pageantry, and always a strong dose of last-minute game-winning shots and small-school shocking upsets— and what do you have?

March Madness. 

A three-week extravaganza of basketball greatness. A wild ride of ups, downs and all else in between. A basketball-bouncing roller coaster that can produce both tears of joy and cries of disappointment.

So, who might elevate and rise above the rest?  Who will be the last team standing from the 68-team field?

The favorites to win it all? On the men’s side, they’re Michigan, Arizona, Duke, and Florida.

For the women? Two stand above the rest: Connecticut and UCLA. 

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But, as always, there will be surprises and upsets along the way. Part of the fun, and part of the reason they call it “March Madness.”

My picks? Illinois to win the men’s side. (I still say if the coach doesn’t screw them up, they are the most talented team in the country). On the women’s side, as much as I would like to pick an upset, I have to go with UConn. Too good, too many talented and experienced players.

But… we shall see.

On March 15, the bracket pairings will be announced. And then? Let the “madness” commence.