Bracket Madness

It’s that time of year when sports fans fill out their brackets and compete with their friends and colleagues. March Madness is the number one event in Las Vegas, where people around the country go crazy, rooting for their upsets and favorites. It doesn’t matter if you’re in school, work, church or daycare — you can always find someone peeking at their phone to check on the games. Teachers compete against each other and connect with their students on a personal level, based on a pure love of college basketball. Over the course of the tournament, barriers between adults and kids are hidden behind ties between fans.The social hierarchy of Samo staff is broken down and evolves into a free-for-all, where the best bracket prevails over any administrative title. In March Madness, the faculty entries range from principal to teacher to custodian, and allow a level playing field where every bracket has an opportunity to go all the way.“To me it’s weird because I don’t watch college basketball throughout the year at all. Something about March Madness makes me excited,” English teacher Randy Denis (Championship: Michigan St. vs. Arizona) said. “I get like a little kid and I can’t explain it — it’s irrational and yet I look forward to it. It might be the fact that an idiot can outdo an expert.”For those unfamiliar with the concept of March Madness brackets and the way they are scored, have no fear: it’s pretty straight forward. When creating a bracket, you pick the winner of each game, eventually leading up to the championship. Points are awarded for every win and as you get deeper into the bracket, and the more important games are worth more points.“The best part [about March Madness] is the unpredictability and the upsets. You never know what you’re going to get and it’s always filled with surprises,” Anderson Wille (’17) (Championship: Duke vs. Michigan State) said.In many ways, the imperfections that come with college-level basketball are what make the game so interesting and allow fans to be so emotionally invested.“I think the college players play with a lot more passion because they haven’t been compensated yet, whereas an NBA player signs a huge contract and then their drive or motivation diminishes because they are getting paid, regardless of what they do. But a college player, they’re playing for their school, for their future goals, so they want to excel because they could potentially be drafted,” math teacher Ramón Veral (Championship: Florida vs. Wichita State) said. “I think there is more camaraderie, because everybody is more equal in college. College is more intrinsic than pro basketball.”When most people talk about basketball, they usually have heated conversations about Kobe versus Lebron. However, college basketball offers fans an entirely new game and experience. It’s a world of ups and downs, with developing players given the opportunity to show off their hidden talents. Despite the young age of the teams, the tournament catches the eye of most of the United States. In March Madness, creating an entire bracket makes every game important. The viewers are invested in each and every team, which is why seeing people streaming live on their phones at any point in the day is not unusual.“There’s a lot more basketball in a short amount of time, the teams are more evenly matched, there are upsets [when the lower seeded team wins] and the fact that you get to make a bracket makes the experience that much better,” Ahmad Clayton (’16) (Championship: Louisville vs. Oklahoma State) said.To many fans, what is most enticing about March Madness in comparison to other tournaments is the close competition of the nerve-racking finishes. The championship title is up for grabs, upsets happen at every turn, buzzer beaters are not uncommon and the tournament is no stranger to overtime.“Every year, no matter how many games you watch or how well you know the teams, there are always upsets and unexpected outcomes. Personally I decide my bracket based on my heart, stats and sometimes the occasional guess, but it ultimately comes down to luck,” Kohl Buitenveld (’16) (Championship: Duke vs. Syracuse) said.Not all Samo staff and students are “bracket-mad.” Ironically, Basketball coach James Hecht never makes a bracket because he believes that it clouds his judgement toward games. However, this doesn’t stop him from investing himself in every game he watches.“The beautiful thing about the tournament is that you don’t have to be the best team; you just have to be the best team that day,” Hecht said. “I think what I like about college sports in general is the emotion that the fans from both teams bring: the excitement, the uncertainty. There is a little more edge of your seat excitement because there are no do-overs.”