Nathaniel

Shockey

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March 24, 2008

College Basketball Can Be Ridiculous, But March Madness Rules

For purebred sports fans, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is one of the best tournaments in sports. This is not just because of the enormous amount of gambling that takes place, but because of the unparalleled intensity of the games. It’s the Valparaisos, the George Masons, the incredible upsets, the buzzer-beaters that happen day after day. These are what make the last half of March so special for a sports fan.

I remember watching Christian Laettner’s 1992 buzzer beater against Kentucky. My mom was reading a book in a rocking chair while I watched the game with my dad and my brothers. I didn’t really understand what was going on, but there was so much jubilance, such an unusual excitement when the now-infamous Duke hero stretched out his arms to grab a pass that had just sailed 65 feet, then he faked right, turned to his left and swished a fade-away at the buzzer. I knew that I had just watched something special.

The thing is, I’m not a huge college sports fan. I prefer watching the pros. Why eat a burger when you could have a steak? But that’s the genius of March Madness. Even though it’s a cheaper brand, you’re still watching future hall-of-famers playing games within a preset bracket (no tedious re-seeding between rounds), most of whom seem to be playing more for the glory of their alma maters than a higher paycheck.

And by the way, I am completely unconvinced that there is any valid reason college football has not adopted a similar playoff system. Without the tournament, the only demographics watching are those who attended a college whose team is involved, those scouting for future pros and those who couldn’t find any more entertaining sports on television. But the excitement of a tournament captures a whole new demographic of sports fans, which is why TV ratings for March Madness consistently outdistance those of college bowl games by huge margins.

Of course, the tournament isn’t perfect. There are still too many no-name teams getting to play in the tournament because they won some random contest in a conference no one’s ever heard of, and as a result, teams like Virginia Tech, teams with good records in tough conferences, get shafted. There will always be controversy surrounding who gets in and who doesn’t, but at the very least, they could do away with some of the auto-tourney-bids from conference tournaments in crappy conferences.

On a more technical level, I think it’s time for the NCAA to recognize that the three-point line should be moved back. Philosophically, it’s the right thing to do, because even though college athletes are not necessarily mentally mature, they are physically mature and can obviously handle longer shots. And even practically speaking, there is way too much chucking going on. For those who might not know, a “chucker” in basketball is one who seems to be incessantly “chucking” the ball at the basket without much thought or, frequently, any skill whatsoever.

In college basketball, the three-point line is so close that practically every player on the court, whether they are centers or guards, are more than capable of hitting shots from behind the arc on a consistent enough basis. As a result, it’s not unusual, or even bad strategy, for a team to hoist up a three-pointer at least every other time they’re on offense.

College basketball should be much closer to professional basketball. Otherwise, coaches are left asking, “Should I let them shoot all of these three-pointers so we have a better chance of winning, or should I prepare them for the NBA, where only a few of my guys would have even a chance to make it as pure shooters?” Essentially, should they educate their players or try to win? Coaches should not have to choose between the two.

Also, college referees are way too soft on their charging/blocking calls. The ridiculous amount of jumping in front of players and flopping all over the place is completely destroying good defense, and glamorizing good acting. I am pretty convinced this has a lot to do with the melodrama of some five-foot-seven pipsqueak jumping in the path of a 260-pound giant and, as a result of his heroism (stupidity), being rewarded with possession of the ball. There should be fewer whistles in general, and the majority of the remaining ones should favor the offensive player, at least until good defense is finally re-learned. The problem has infested even the professional level, but it’s at its worst in college. There is no reason this can’t still be a game for tough guys as well as the graceful.

So yes, there are some elements of March Madness that live up to their title. But still, the tournament is one of the most exciting in all of sports. And if you have yet to get involved, don’t worry, there’s still time. It’s only going to get better. I guarantee you there will be many more buzzer beaters and upsets during the remainder of the tournament. There is plenty more history to be made, and if you call yourself a sports fan, you’re going to want to be watching.

© 2008 North Star Writers Group. May not be republished without permission.

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