Friday, March 19, 2010

MAC Madness

My Ohio team is the Buckeyes, not the Bobcats, but last night the kids in green-and-white did me proud, reminding me why The Big Dance is so compelling.

Check out that photo -- D.J. Cooper of 14th-seeded Ohio U looks like a scrawny junior-high benchwarmer walking up the court next to gazelle Greg Monroe of Georgetown, which was seeded third.

Obviously, the boys from the small Midwestern party school would be no match for the bigger, stronger, pro-style Hoyas. In the end, as expected, the game wasn't even close.

Final score: Ohio U 97, Georgetown 83. Wait -- say what?

In the NCAA basketball tournament, a team that couldn't even rise to .500 in its own conference can catch fire at season's end, sweep through the MAC field and send an iconic East Coast program packing after one round of dancing.

That's why I watch. That's why they play the games.