Why we love this

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 20, 2009 12:36 PM PDT in College Basketball

I was going to just link to this, but I'm just going to go ahead and post the full text of it here because it's that awesome. I hope John Gasaway doesn't object to this little bit of copyright infringement:

Every November, when college football is once again twisting itself into noisy, bewildering, and futile BCS knots trying to determine who will play for the national championship, I thank the bracket gods for giving us such a beautifully Euclidean way of determining who will play for the national championship.

Every May and June, when the NBA inflicts upon us “playoffs” that occupy about as much time as the Crimean War (I especially appreciate the leisurely pauses between first-round games, drawing out the suspense of that tense Lakers-Nuggets series), I thank the bracket gods for giving us such a tidy three-week method of going from 340+ to 65 to one.

Every February, when the NFL presents a Super Bowl that feels so oddly disconnected from and unrelated to an actual football game, I thank the bracket gods for giving us tournament games that are the very epitome of college hoops (Laettner, Drew, et al.).

Every October, when baseball gives us its best games in indigestible four-hour slabs in the dark of late-night in game-altering 30-degree weather, I thank the bracket gods for selecting their champion in two-hour installments in precisely the right game-enhancing venues (neutral floors, opposing fans, opposing bands, etc.).

And every October 15, I thank the bracket gods for starting the cycle anew.

“Drama, magnitude and finality” has been lifted from those estimable wordsmiths at the Supreme Court, ruling against President Truman some 57 years ago. I think the Supremes of a previous century would happily concede that theirs is a better description of March than of what they thought they were describing (the presidency).

Starting today, each game is the most important game of the year. Each game eliminates one more team. And there will be one fewer game than there are teams.

This morning it’s all still in front of us.

Indeed.

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Comments

March Madness is absolutely my favorite post-season.

I’m glad it’s one of a kind, though. I really like the different sports I like having unique post seasons, and I like the post season of the NFL, MLB and college football (yes, not kidding). There are things I’d change about all of them, probably, they’re not perfect, but I do enjoy them. Even if it’s less than I enjoy this.

The one I hate is the NBA.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Mar 20, 2009 2:33 PM PDT reply actions

The NBA is like bowling in a league....

Does it ever end?

by SW WA Coug on Mar 20, 2009 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Why do they need such huge breaks? Why does more than half the league make it to the post season?

Why do they play 7 game series in every round?

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Mar 20, 2009 2:40 PM PDT up reply actions

Why do they allow people to take five steps on their way to rim?

Why do they reward the offensive player initiating contact? Why do they give teams 42 timeouts in the final minutes? Why do they set up their defensive rules to facilitate stagnant offense? Why do they have a shot-clock so short that if a team’s first set fails, they’re forced to simply put it on the floor or shoot an ill-advised jumper?

Why do they do so many of the things they do?

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 20, 2009 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions

David Stern

Arrogance. Tattoos. Palming. Just to add a few more.

by SW WA Coug on Mar 20, 2009 3:05 PM PDT up reply actions

And last but not least from me anyway....

Continuation and one.

by SW WA Coug on Mar 20, 2009 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Continuation has creeped into the college game

If you hadn’t noticed. It’s gotten really bad.

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 20, 2009 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm OK with limited continuation

For this reason. Offensive player beats defensive player on the dribble, defensive player knows he has no help in the middle and reaches to foul on purpose before offensive player can jump. If they aren’t in the bonus, offensive player isn’t rewarded for a good move. Give him a step to jump and finish. Does it overly reward the offensive player? Yes. Was I a guard in HS that was offensive focused? Yes.

by 02Coug on Mar 20, 2009 7:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Great point

by SW WA Coug on Mar 20, 2009 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Your reward is the man guarding you picking up a foul

CougCenter

by Jeff Nusser on Mar 20, 2009 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions

True

And I knew you would say that, almost put it in my comment. But as I put at the end, I was an offensive minded guard, and being rewarded with a foul on my opposition and being one foul closer to the bonus just isn’t enough for me. I’m biased, and I recognize that, but limited continuation is something I like. Not the NBA version, you need to be on the attack and clearly moving towards a shot with a max of one step.

by 02Coug on Mar 20, 2009 8:19 PM PDT up reply actions

MSU agrees with this post

Did you see that continuation call pondexter got? that was brutal.

by J.J. FeKl on Mar 21, 2009 1:33 AM PDT up reply actions

I hate the NBA

Superstars like Kobe get that ‘AND 1’ treatment and it’s so undeserved. IF you are in the same area code as a SUPERSTAR that’s shooting a layup or a dunk or within a couple steps of the basket, it’s ALWAYS ‘AND 1.’

by SW WA Coug on Mar 20, 2009 9:33 PM PDT reply actions