The Calm Before the Storm: March Madness

Selection Sunday is a little over a month away. It’s by far my favorite event of the year since I really enjoy watching college basketball. The atmosphere is crazy in the arenas, it’s fun seeing the upsets, and of course the most important thing for a lot of people during this time is the bracket. We all want to be expert bracketologists but March Madness is one of the best sporting events of the year. There are always different storylines and just like any other year, this year is no different. Who will be the Cinderella this year? Well we all know what the first storyline will be. Kentucky’s pursuit of perfection. They are filled with McDonalds All-American players so it will be interesting to see who takes the last shot in crunch time. Besides Kentucky’s pursuit of perfection here are some other teams to keep an eye on.

I'm Happy it is April because March was Mad!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, the weather is getting nicer, and everyone's calendar has turned from March to April.  These do not only signify the changing of the seasons, but the end of college basketball.  Once again, March was pure madness as seventh seeded UConn squeaked by eighth seeded Kentucky to claim their first championship in the post-Jim Calhoun era.  What a start to Kevin Ollie's tenure as head coach!  Shabazz Napier's performance and leadership this past month brings back memories of the last time UConn took home the title:  Kemba Walker led the underdog Huskies straight to the championship as one of the greatest runs from the conference tournament to the big show.  While this tournament may have been the most exciting in a long long time, not every fan was able to view it.

The Madness is Over

                                                                                             CHARLIE NEIBERGALL/AP

What a tournament it was. The University of Connecticut made an improbable run and defeated the University of Kentucky in the 2014 National Championship Game. Funny to think how Saint Joe’s was just one rebound away from sending UConn home in the first round and now UConn is the national champion. Kevin Ollie did a remarkable job coaching this team to a championship. What was the highlight of this tournament? You probably can’t pick just one. March Madness, to me, is without question the best sporting event of the year. There were so many things that happened throughout the tournament so here are three topics that may have gotten lost through the madness.

The Sports Complex: The Insane Trends in March Madness

Amongst the madness of March each year (as fellow contributor Kevin Murray discussed yesterday), it’s easy for the big business of the Big Dance to go unnoticed. High-level sponsors and multibillion dollar broadcast deals make the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament one of the biggest draws in sport. Here are some trends that affect the future of the Big Dance:

The Closer: The Tournament Effect...

The "madness" has struck, and man, has it been wild.

Everyone knows how much money is earned by the conferences that compete in the NCAA tournament, but what is rarely spoken about is the other things it can bring to the schools and conferences that succeed.

Water Cooler Talk: March Madness Money

Today is one of the best days of the year, the first day of the NCAA Tournament.  This has become a huge stable for the month of March.  Millions of people will fill out brackets including the Barak Obama.  All of this leads to so much money for many different people.  The people that benefit the most are the NCAA, the teams and the conference the team is from, and bookmakers.

The Man Advantage: Our First Look at March Madness

Lately I’ve been hearing a sound. It’s been quiet, but there’s no question what it is. It’s about that time of year again. Have you heard it too?

What am I talking about, you ask?

One Shining Moment.