For three week-ends at the end of March and the start of April we can be transported to a world where all that matters is heart. Where you have to play every second of every game with such effort and determination. It's moments like this that turn boys into men.
For all the pageantry and excitement the tournament can also be cruel. Half the teams will not win a game each year. Three quarters are done by the end of the first week-end. Failure is not rewarded in any way. The only way to keep playing is to keep winning. I think that finality is part of what makes this even so special.
This year there have been a lot of upsets. I have been watching a lot of basketball. There is such an energy to games in the tournament. There has to be. One loss and you have no chance to come back. With the nature of basketball, you just have to stay close and you have a real chance to win at the end.
The folks at the NCAA have got it right for this one. I like the tournament just the way it is and I hope they never change a thing.
