This is the week that sports fans have been waiting for all year long. Well before we had fantasy sports to disrupt the typical workday for sports enthusiast, “March Madness” captured the essence of competition among desk jockies and retired Polk High All-Stars alike. In fact, the science of bracketology could be considered a non-degree course at any corporate university or non-profit college (can’t forget the state employees). I’ll even go so far as to say that the “sheet of integrity”1 was the original fantasy sport.
Just think about it for one second. Similar to the point scoring differences in fantasy leagues (i.e. rotisserie, head to head etc.); the bracket game can be played in a wide variety of ways. There are wagers for monetary gain or simple bets for bragging rights. An entrant can earn more points because his “Cinderella team” [see George Mason] went deeper in the tournament. No matter how you slice up the office pool, one thing is for certain, Madness is definitely an appropriate description.
At times, the NCAA tournament represents all that is psychotic about the fanaticism surrounding sports and gambling in this country. For all of the complaints about overpaid and underperforming NBA players [insert Denver Nuggets or your team here], college basketball also represents a tradition of amateur sports that still gives the “little guy” a chance. It’s a sport that displays hustle, emotion and most of all, pride.
But I will submit to you that these are not the only appealing factors. Maybe we are the hopeless sports traditionalists or simply the opportunist looking to win a quick buck. Perhaps we’re bored employees trying to distinguish ourselves from our cubical neighbors with the matching key fob.
No matter how you slice it, employees spend precious company time doing research and completing brackets. Experts are saying that this year’s “March Madness” may cost employers $1.2 billion in lost work. Both women and men, young and old, will proudly display their winning bracket by the water cooler or discard losers in the shredder. Some are united by the bonds of the brackets and abide by the unwritten rules of integrity. Others alter multiple sheets every hour leading up to that 12pm deadline on Thursday. We are confused, happy and yes, truly mad! Isn’t it wonderful?
1. Reference to completing one bracket rather than multiple brackets in hopes that you will get lucky. ESPN’s radio hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic coined the term.
My Picks:
Final Four - Florida, Kansas, Georgetown and Memphis
Bracket Busters - Davidson, Albany and Wright State
Bracket Busts - Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Oregon
Final Four MVP - Jeff Green
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