March Madness Ruminations

I love this Round One of "March Madness" when all the teams are alive and have hopes!! .... And it only gets crazier from there though there's already been a few moments that will be difficult to top.

I read where everyone that entered is already eliminated in the Warren Buffet, billion dollar bracket challenge. Most likely due to Mercer beating Duke in round one. They ought to let anyone who picked that one but lost out on another pick, have a second chance starting with round two ..... at least for a million dollars.

By the way, Mercer beating Duke .... I guess that's what often happens when you have a bunch of seniors playing a bunch of freshman hyped up superstars. It's still 22 and 23 year olds against 17 and 18 year olds. Who among us ever thought that we couldn't handle the younger kids in the neighborhood?

Not sure sometimes if I enjoy it more in my car on the radio or on television?

I watch these games and feel the temptation to play again. Then I remember my age and how long it's been since I last played. And how my knees felt after shooting just a few baskets at the playground with my niece. My days may be numbered. Though I did pump up my basketball last weekend and place it in my car. And I did in fact, drive to a local vacant playground intending to shoot around ..... but before I could hit the court, or even climb out of my car, a van drove up and dropped off two twelve year old kids with their own hoops dreams, which had the net result of squashing mine. I departed with the local record store destination in mind.

Back when I was a kid, UCLA dominated this tourney for years. There was rarely a challenge (or faint hope) from anyone else. Though North Carolina State did rise up to overcome the dynasty. No hope then of some unknown "mid-major" knocking off the top seed. It was total domination from beginning to end. UCLA and their full court press! From the Lew Alcindor through the Bill Walton years .... and the year or two in between. They just don't form dynasties like that anymore!! Also there was no three point line, no dunking (at some point), no "one and done" players and no eligibility to play Varsity until one's Sophomore year in school. And I'm pretty sure that the concept of TV timeouts by the dozens had yet to be dreamed up. Those were the days as I recall ..... Or were they?