A few days ago, I was sitting on a plane trying to decide which domestic beer would help me get through my flight to Connecticut the fastest. All of a sudden, the seat next to me was filled with Rebecca Lobo, former UConn basketball great. Now I'm not a short man, but she could have used me for a foot stool. As it turns out, she's a very nice girl. I explained that I was flying all over the country, looking over the latest contenders and pretenders for the NCAA basketball tournament...you know, March Madness.
Rebecca fancied the chances of her Alma Matter, and who am I to argue? The Huskies have to be the favorites with Jim Calhoun coaching and Rudy Gay doing everything else. Still, there's some serious competition from all the usual suspects like Duke, Texas and UCLA. Some of the mighty have fallen, like Syracuse and North Carolina, but my feeling is that March Madness will bring out the best in both teams.
Meanwhile, there are a few real surprises this year. Memphis, once known only for having great BBQ ribs, is having a great basketball season. Most people think George Washington is just another name for a dollar bill, but their team is also viable contender.
Like the aforementioned Rebecca Lobo, most fans profess their loyalty to their old schools. If you went to West Podunk University like me, though, you're unlikely to see your team in the NCAA tournament. Who should you root for? I'll do you a big favor and point you toward five teams that you can adopt as your own as you follow this season's action.
1. Gonzaga - The small university with the strange name somehow turns out great basketball teams with astonishing regularity. Alumni of Gonzaga include John Stockton, Dan Dickau, and Blake Stepp. With Adam Morrison emerging as this year's star turn, the Bulldogs look set to make a splash come tournament time.
2. North Carolina State - Constantly in the shadow of its more illustrious in-state rivals Duke and North Carolina, the Wolfpack have managed to claw their way to the Big Dance on a regular basis. Plenty of people want to see the underdog have its day, and plenty more want to see anyone beat Duke. If that's you, NC State is a fine choice.
3. Wisconsin - What better way to thank the Cheese State for their contribution to American life than rooting for their best basketball team? As a bonus, UW is represented by one of the greatest mascots in sports: a cantankerous gopher in a dapper red sweater.
4. LSU - It's been a difficult year for the Tigers as natural disasters and some tough losses have taken their toll on the team. Still, they've managed to put themselves in a strong position over the course of the season, claiming great wins over Tennessee and West Virginia. Their football team surprisingly claimed a national championship a few years ago. Can their basketball team do the same?
5. Creighton - Boasting the avian equivalent of Wisconsin's mascot with a bad-tempered bird in a white sweater, the Bluejays have dominated the Missouri Valley Conference for the past several years. They have also reached the NCAA tournament in six of the last seven years. This could be the year they make a Cinderella run.
"Bracketology" is starting early this year as fans are already penciling in their picks for the tourney. Many people participate in office pools or make bets with their friends as they try to predict all the games correctly. The setup of the tournament provides some pretty interesting mathematical situations, which some people might try to take advantage of. For instance, there are 64 games in the tournament, since it starts with 65 teams and every game has a loser. Since there's only 1 winner, there must be 64 losers, and thus 64 games.
