March Madness isn’t great basketball

This Thursday and Friday most people will have a crumpled up bracket in their pocket or one open on a computer screen. Everybody loves the NCAA Tournament, the madness. The first four days are the best days in sports according to some.

There is no denying the excitement created by the buzzer beaters, upsets and emotion of college students putting it all on the line.

There is one major misconception about March Madness that isn’t brought up enough. Quality of play is mistaken for entertainment.

March Madness is exciting, but it isn’t the highest level basketball.

Most true college basketball fans and not someone who is a “bracket fan” will tell you they appreciate Championship Week more than the first four days of the NCAA Tournament.

I like to compare Championship Week and the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament to the NFL’s Conference Championship Week and Super Bowl.

The first two are about substance, the games and the people who really care. The latter two are for the show, gambling and the masses.

There is nothing more annoying during the Super Bowl and the NCAA Tournament than getting bothered by people who are completely clueless asking stupid questions about what is going on.

During Super Bowl parties it becomes quieter during the commercials than during the games and comments like, “What’s a touchdown?” get blurted out. During March Madness screaming and yelling for a Duke win gets followed by, “Who is Coach K?”

The overall appeal of events like the Super Bowl and March Madness give them an overhyped value in the grand scheme of American culture.

I ask everyone to appreciate March Madness for what it is, poorly played basketball with a riveting twist.

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