What's Wrong with "March Madness"?
It's not really madness! It's the sanest thing in America right now.
I’m still thrilled about last Monday night’s men’s final in the NCAA annual tournament called “March Madness”. I loved watching the amazing energy and skill of our nation’s youth in a televised college basketball game.
Since then, I’ve been thinking about the lightness of spirit I felt during the game. It was a sense of escape or relief. Today, from a few days’ distance, I figured it out.
That basketball game was a display of democracy working well.
A note: I didn’t see all of the NCAA women’s final, so I’m focusing on the men’s. But my observations apply to both.
The event was so ordinary, and yet remarkable in today’s political context.
For example, the teams took turns without dispute. All players were ok with the rules. They agreed on the goal and how to measure the achievement of it. Some of them got knocked down but they weren’t hurt, and teammates gave them a hand up. Race was not an issue.
There were no game-stopping threats, insults or lies. Nobody held anyone down on the floor until they died. There were no hidden groups off to the side plotting how their team could cheat. Nobody raised or lowered the baskets during the game, hacked the score board, or shortened a playing period.
Team players cooperated with each other. None of them broke off to form a third team by becoming independent or unaffiliated. They took a stand and stuck with it.
And no one put on the other team’s uniform in order to influence the outcome of the game.
The coaches were in full view, advocating for their teams. I never felt they were in danger for doing it.
No referee was hiding a team uniform under his striped shirt, and none of them changed the rules under pressure.
Some of the audience sat way up out of sight but they seemed ok with that. They cared enough to get any ticket they could afford.
I didn’t see anyone wearing a mask at what a couple years ago would have been a super spreader. But a few of the commercials were for Paxlovid and for the Covid vaccine.
Teens got to paint their faces and jump, wave, shake a fist, and yell. No one was arrested or threatened for expressing their opinion.
There were breaks for humor. In one commercial a homeowner with a basketball took down part of his garage wall by hanging on the basket, and his shirt was pulled off in the contest with his neighbor.
In the Army ad there were no enemies, everyone was smiling and safe, and the shrubbery camouflage outfits were funny. Most of the commercials celebrated our economic success as a nation, showing cars and trucks, fast food, movies, cell phones and insurance.
At halftime sports elders shared their memories and wisdom.
At the end of the game, men hugged other men. I even saw the coach of team A briefly console a member of team B.
It was clear who won and who lost. People acted honestly, showing real feelings on each side.
No fans of the losing team formed an armed gang with flags and costumes, storming the court, hitting the referees and chasing the winning players into the basement.
Nobody argued over the final score or delayed the formalities. No one had to restrain the captain of the losing team from strangling his driver on the way home. The next day there were no fake headlines about who won.
In a way, this game was a national debate between opposing loyalties. It included all generations as well as both players and spectators. Ray Allen, who once led the Huskies to three Sweet 16s and an Elite Eight at the University of Connecticut, said about the win,
We have entered the conversation. There is no question about it.
The men and women basketball players I saw this week are among our best and most fit youth. The crowd was passionately engaged, each side cheering for how they wanted it to turn out.
We love a close score. We like having two teams, each with fair, equal opportunity.
It was wonderful. It was so American. Everybody knows that this year UConn gets to be champion, and next year the Aztecs will get another chance.
So clever 😁💙
So well said, Deda. Thanks.