Why I Love March Madness

Bella Breakdown

If you hail from a University or College that has a good basketball team, chances are that you get roped into the thrill of March Madness every year, whether you are a current student, a recent graduate, or an alum of 50 years.

Before I went to Gonzaga University, I couldn’t have cared less about basketball. In my mind (and out loud for everyone to hear) I would wonder, “What’s the appeal? The men aren’t particularly hot. In fact they are all pretty gangly. And the teams score so many points that it doesn’t even seem like the points matter that much.” (Yes, in case you are wondering, I was an imbecile.)

Then, I got to Gonzaga and I started to catch basketball fever. Although I never became a die hard fan, I kept up with the team and as a five year graduate I still follow them. I would venture to guess that most alums whose Universities have basketball teams love March Madness for a number of reasons, and it’s not necessarily because they absolutely worship college basketball.

For me, partaking in March Madness is a way to reconnect with my friends from college and other zags across the world. No matter how spread across the world we may be, every March we all join hands over the inter webs to make our brackets and exclaim about the game that is currently on.

And, if (and when!) Gonzaga continues from sweet 16 to elite 8 to final 4, and (please, please, please!) to the championships, we all freak out together and feel so incredibly connected to one another and our school. As it gets closer to the wire, alums will even buy spontaneous tickets to have a reunion and go watch the games live. There is no better excuse to see each other!

The tournament also gives you a chance to connect with other alum that you never knew before. Wherever you live, if you go to a sports bar that is hosting the game, then you are sure to find a fellow alum that you can reminisce with.

In fact, when I was in New Zealand two years ago and the Zags had made it to the final four, I walked into a bar at 10 am to watch the game, and who did I see but another zag! All the way across the world, I had the opportunity to watch the game with someone who shared my love for Gonzaga. For me, this is what college basketball is really about.