George Vecsey of the NY Times today captures my feelings too, on why the NCAA basketball tournament is so special:
"I’ve got my team. That is to say, I know which outsider I’m supporting in the first round of the N.C.A.A. tournament — I want the 15th-seeded Belmont Bruins to give second-seeded Duke a good run on Thursday. This is why I love the first round much more than the Final Four, because of these fascinating outsiders with their unfamiliar school colors and nicknames, having their televised 15 minutes of fame in our finest national jamboree — no hanging chads, no super delegates, no sliming, just hoops."
