There must be 15,000,000 other bloggers and legit media writers commenting on the basketball tournament but it worth a few words here on The Clermont.
64 teams get to participate in the “big dance” as it is called. These teams are from large universities, small colleges, urban and rural settings, private and public. The chosen make the tournament by virtue of winning their own conference championships or are invited by the Selection Committee based on a winning record and playing against strong opponents. In theory, any team has a chance. We are half way through this week and from the original 64 only the “sweet 16” remain. You win and you advance ~ you lose and you go home. Tennis anyone?
The sweet 16 have mostly big boys (example ~ the University of Texas = 49,500 students) but a few cinderella hopefuls (example ~Davidson = 1,700 students). This is what makes the competition so compelling. Davidson? with a student body of only 1,700?
Basketball aficionado's engage in what's called bracketology ~ trying to figure out whose going to make it to the sweet 16 ~ the elite 8 ~ the final 4 ~ and then ~ the champion! The 64 teams are placed into four brackets and move up or out.
Here are two good books I recommend on this remarkable event:
A March to Madness: A View from the Floor in the Atlantic Coast Conference ... and... Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four... both by John Feinstein
How March Became Madness by Eddie Einhorn
Please don't phone on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Thanks.
