March Happiness. March Sadness. March Madness.
March is the best time of the year for two reasons: First is my birthday and second, the most important, March Madness.
You could say I was born directly into basketball fandom. While my mom was in labor my entire family was watching the 1996 SEC Championship game. After I was born the first outfit I ever had on was a University of Kentucky onesie.
Most people think of the basketball as the main event of March Madness and rightfully so. The tournament consistently has some of the best basketball of any league. People watch athletes make spectacular plays in hopes of willing their team to a win. I would argue that the emotions of March Madness is just as fun and entertaining as the basketball. To prove my point let me tell you about my trip to Bowling Green last week.
On March 13th I decided to go to the first round of the National Invitation Tournament first round game at Western Kentucky University. The NIT was originally the more prestigious tournament until the NCAA tournament grew in popularity. The NIT is now seen as the little brother to the NCAA tournament. WKU is a good team despite not making the tourney. They hold a 25-10 record and only lost by one point in the C-USA Championship game. Their opponent was a formidable Boston College team who held a 19-16 record and who had knocked off nationally ranked Duke and Miami in conference play.
E.A. Diddle Arena was rocking from an hour before the tip to well after the game ended. Fans were on their feet cheering on their WKU Hilltoppers in their first home postseason contest since 2005. They were engaged in the game and always standing. Most D-1 schools *cough cough Kentucky cough cough* struggle to maintain an atmosphere like that but not WKU. The players took advantage of it too. After big plays they would encourage the fans to cheer louder and oh did they. That cheering led to my favorite basketball moment I have ever witnessed in person.
With around 3:00 to play it was clear WKU had won the game and was going to advance to the next round. Senior forward Justin Johnson, pictured above, had grabbed a defensive rebound and jogged up the court. He crossed the timeline and handed the ball off to the guard and stopped in his tracks. Everyone in the arena was on their feet clapping for the Tops. Johnson looked around the full circle of the stands taking it all in. You could see the joy in his face. He got to play one more game. He had an entire city and school behind him. For everyone in that moment it felt like time stopped. It was overwhelming for him and for many of us in the stands.
The emotions of March Madness make it second to none. I’ve been to several sporting events and have never witnessed anything like it. There are lots of other stories other than Johnson’s. Take the 16 seed UMBC Retrievers defeating the 1 overall seed Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the NCAA tournament and the jubilation of their bench. Look at 98 year old nun Sister Jean who travels with the 11th seeded Loyola Chicago team who has two upsets under their belt and are looking for another in the Sweet 16.
So the next time you watch a tournament game take a second to look to the bench or the stands. What you see there might be even more entertaining then what you see on the court.
