while I'm always ready to argue about Opening Day being the best sports day of the year, it really doesn't get any better than the first day of the NCAA basketball tournament. Actually it's really the first four days, as the tournament holds its first two rounds, aka 48 games, from Thursday to Sunday every year, giving very little time to reflect or catch one's breath. With the single-elimination format the games generally live up to the hype every year, which is why March Madness is pretty truthful, contrary to so many other overcooked sports marketing terms (okay for once with this year's Superbowl Super Sunday was an apt description, but usually it's flatter than a four-day old souffle).
Having to follow it from an ocean away does take away some of the excitement, what with litterally no one around here being aware of the event. I guess I could head over to one of the bigger sports bars, like the Sports Cafe, but with some many games going on I might as well enjoy the hoopla from the comfort of my home, beer, chips and other instruments of culinary depravity in hand. Official broadcaster has been showing the games live online for the past few years, and this time the coverage has been improved even more, with HD quality streaming for every single game. I remember the "old days" of insufferable buffering and their oh-so -fun virtual waiting lines, so all this added technological boost is a godsend.
But really anyone who's lived in the US knows that at the heart of this massive three-week affair is the opportunity for everyone and their third-cousin to make predictions on the games, no matter how little they know about the game. ESPECIALLY if they know little about it. Office pools get filled up, online banter heats up, and for once everyone is pretty much acting like a graduate of Michael Scott University, work ethics-wise. Even if the current economic climate will put a damper on some celebrations, the tradition of playing hooky to go watch some ballgames will be as tempting as always to many. Being 4 hours ahead will spare me this issue, but I guess the lack of sleep due to late games will be the karmic counterpoint to that. But hey, that's where my extensive experience will come in handy. Not to mention my affinity for late-night snacking.
