NCAA: The Tourney Begins

I love March Madness.

I love every moment from the first tip of a mid-major conference playoff to the final buzzer of the National Championship game. I love every single moment of the underdogs trying to keep it close to create the "buzz" in the arena to the T.V. networks switching from game to game to appeal to the A.D.D. era of sports fans.

But most of all, I love the fact that its a true playoff, every team has a chance to make it when the season starts unlike the BCS. I love that its amateur athletes who care enough to play 6 OT's on Friday, after playing a game Thursday and they come back out and win another overtime game on Saturday (Syracuse deserves respect, especially Jonny Flynn who played 67 minutes in the marathon 6 OT game).

As I look back on the season and look forward to the tournament there are some astounding stats. The numbers players put up like Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin setting a school record for double-doubles when there was still 10 games left to play or Ben Woodside from North Dakota State scoring 60 points in one game and no one hearing a word about it. (He made 30 free throws, one shy of the all-time record).

I look forward to the tournament. It's a wide open field. If anyone can tell you there is a favorite, they are stupid, lying or both. University of North Carolina is the current number 1 in the nation. However, they have injury concerns, have lost games and are overall unimpressive compared to past champions.

Oklahoma was my favorite for a long time until they got knocked off early in their conference tourney. Louisville suffered losses early and Duke suffered them late. The Big East has Connecticut and Pittsburgh but my grandma pointed out the Big East struggles because of their brutal schedule (I'm serious, we had a lengthy conversation about it while watching the Big Ten tournament).

Then you have the surprise teams like Memphis, Kansas, Georgetown and Notre Dame. No one expected Memphis or Kansas to be back as tournament contenders but freshman standout Tyreke Evans (please let the Timberwolves draft him) has led Memphis to a top 5 ranking and Kansas center Cole Aldrich (should be playing for the Gophers, he left before Tubby came) is going to be a lottery pick but is an experience big man who can control the game on both ends. Georgetown and Notre Dame fell victim to the impossibly hard Big East and these preseason top 25's fail to make the tournament.

However, my favorite story is Kentucky who forced out Tubby Smith but is now on the outside looking in and will not make the tournament, ending a 17 year run. But Tubby and his Gophers are going to be in and everyone loves that the team who dismisses there hall of fame coach is on the way down.

I cannot tell you who will win it all, I cannot promise a 16 seed FINALLY wins a game and I cannot even come close to picking a perfect bracket. I might fill mine out based on mascots, conference affiliations or coolest player names (Cheif Kickingstallionsims is not in the tournament I don't think). But I can tell you I will be watching every possible game, having a half dozen gamecast open as my computer hums along into the wee hours of the night.

-The Kicker

P.S. If you're wondering we will be posting some picks, upsets and locks when the brackets are released so you will get the chance to not only mock me, but also Juice