Athlete
On Wednesday, I boarded a plane from San Francisco to Las Vegas for the sole purpose of watching college basketball.
Remember not to participate in an actual basketball game. These flights were certain for Omaha, Nebraska and Charlotte, North Carolina. In my case, I spend several hundred dollars for the privilege of sitting (or standing) at various sportsbooks and watching events to observe NCAA tournament games that are available on the TV in my front room.
If overpriced hotels and $250 tickets for reserved seats are any indication, a whole bunch of 1000’s of other sports fans are doing the same.
Sports betting is probably an attraction for lots of them, but as of late you do not have to fly to Vegas to position a sports bet. Another could also be alcohol consumption, but this too is available for much lower than a plane ticket.
The allure of Vegas during March Madness is the same draw of hundreds of thousands of people that fill the brackets and root for schools and players they’d never heard of two hours earlier. That’s because the NCAA tournament is one among the increasingly rare social events in our country.
New sound!
Special guest @rodger replaces Bruce. We’re mostly talking about football, but this man is also an authority at picking upsets at the NCAA Tournament.https://t.co/HE5HbUqnf
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) March 20, 2024
In these polarizing times, when even the most innocent topic can turn out to be a cause for outrage, people from all parts of the country still enjoy one thing equally: rooting for the underdog. There are not any two sides to this if No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson eliminates No. 1 seed Purdue (unless you are a Purdue fan). There is no political agenda behind St. Peter’s upset in Kentucky.
It’s nothing in need of pure, unadulterated joy to spend two hours watching a team of complete unknowns, who play most of their games in front of 800 people, tackle a bunch of future pros from an influence conference and are available out victorious. Or when the team’s season hangs in the balance, 19-year-old sophomores drain a three-run hitter to cement a lifetime of “One Shining Moment” lore.
No other sporting event delivers so many unforgettable moments 12 months after 12 months. Sure, there are “upsets” in skilled sports. But ultimately, the New York Giants beating the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl is ultimately one team made up of multi-millionaires beating one other. Not exactly Oral Roberts beating Ohio State.
College football has had its Cinderella moments, like Michigan State stunning Appalachian State and toppling Boise State Oklahoma. But with regards to the most significant end-of-season games, it’s almost at all times Alabama, Georgia or Michigan beating one other Alabama, Georgia or Michigan.
There are LeBron, Giannis and Jokic in the NBA. But Sister Jean is not in it.
But above all, in all these sports there are not any teams that are inferior to the entire country. People don’t suddenly turn into Philadelphia Eagles fans once the NFL playoffs start. But for those who’ve ever been to an arena where a No. 13 seed was still hanging around in the second half, you are accustomed to the confusion that followed when 20,000 people suddenly became rabid Furman fans for the remainder of the game.
This can only be in comparison with events equivalent to the World Cup or the Olympic Games by which an American team or athlete competes. But even the women’s national soccer team has turn out to be politicized, with men mostly causing collective anxiety due to their mediocrity. And you most likely don’t even remember the names of most of the gold medalists at the last Olympics.
While every college basketball fan will ceaselessly remember players like Bryce Drew, Tyus Edney, and Kris Jenkins.
Which brings me back to Vegas. Although it doesn’t must be Vegas. It is likely to be your local restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings. Or a dive bar near you. Or close enough to a sports bar that you’ll be able to sneak out to in your lunch break.
March Madness is the only sporting event that is best enjoyed in the company of others. Ride a rollercoaster of scoring and dynamic swings in a room stuffed with other captivated viewers as your Final Four pick tries to survive a first-round scare. High-five random people around you if Vermont makes a three-pointer and goes up by nine on Duke.
Or run around the room screaming and hugging strangers if some kid from Long Beach State puts one at the buzzer to beat Arizona.
Enjoy your flight – wherever it takes you.
Get ready for March Madness: