And then there were four. Though the month of March is now over, the madness that consumes March isn't over yet. With only four of the original 64 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament it's nearly finished, and the victor crowned. But this years tournament hasn't passed without a few defining moments. In the beginning there was the upset of New Mexico by Harvard. Then, it was the unexpected rise to fame by Florida Gulf Coast. And most recently, Louisville's Kevin Ware's horrific leg break. No one knows what the future holds for the last three games, but it is surly going to be a good show. But when the dust finally settles and the last baskets are scored many of us will be left looking at our brackets and wonder what just happened?
For all the hoopla that surrounds March Madness I can't quite understand it. To me, a non-sports fan, the month of March actually looks like a month where people actually go mad. I can hardly walk past a TV, laptop, or iPad screen on my college campus that isn't streaming one of the games. It could be that I am just not that into it, but I have a hard time believe so many people are into it just for the sake of being into it. Maybe it's the lure of winning of the big office pool that draws people to college basketball craze. But maybe it is deeper than that. Could it be that March Madness is the one time a year to let your inner-fan free, to join in a celebration that reminds you of your days at a particular college, with the excitement of your friends, joys a new relationship, remembrance of classes, and aspirations for the future? I certainly think that is a possibility...and if it's not, maybe it is just a bunch of people acting crazy, for no reason, during the month of March.
I think you are on to something here. I think it is not unlike what Adam Smith says about the invisible hand: that what people want is not so much the return associated with the game itself, but they want to experience the entire social experience and all the memories of such past experiences.
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