Why I like March
Wherein I don't know much about this lion and lamb stuff, other than I'm pretty sure I'm against it and I'm in favor of a constititional amendment banning it. Lions with lions, lambs with lambs, I say
March is the month of rebirth. Winter is about survival - trudging through day after day - dark weather, heavy food, dark and heavy clothes. Then March hits and we're on the fast track for Spring. Sure, there's the possibility of a snow storm or another cold day, but it stands by itself and has to give way to the onslaught of the sun.
March is also the month of victors and the second greatest competition on the planet - the NCAA basketball tournament. For the record, the greatest competition is the World Cup but as that's filled with a bunch of dirty Europeans and a bunch of tiny, shifty guys from south of the border, and takes place in summer, we will not now speak of it. So let's amend the list: 1) NCAA basketball tournament 2) Minnesota state hockey tournament 3) Oscars.
And for me, the start of March, regardless of the date on the calendar, is the ACC tournament. I'm a huge ACC fan, always have been. Back in grade school (Charlotte, NC) we had a little poem: God's favorite color may be Carolina blue / But you gotta get to heaven in a red canoe. Red, of course, referring to the NC State of David Thompson, Monte Towe, and Tom Burlinson, coached by Norm Sloan. Then in high school (Minnesota), I was allowed to stay home on Friday to watch the first day's games. I've not been to an ACC tournament, but did see the 1977 Final Four. We actually won lottery tickets and then two (2!) North Carolina teams made it in - UNC and UNCC. UNCC lost to Marquette in one of the worst games I've ever seen; I don't think it's possible for two teams to play worse than these guys did. UNC beat UNLV in the exact opposite type of game. Amazing contest, setting up what should have been any easy UNC win over Marquette. But Marquette played well, and then, after UNC pulled even and gained the momentum, Dean Smith pulled back into a 4 corners delay and lost the game with 12 minutes left. Yes, I'm bitter. UNC should have been national Champions, instead we get the elevation of whiny, crybaby Al McGuire. I don't care how many wins Coach Smith has, ever since 1977, I've considered him overrated. His only two championships occurred because players on the other teams screwed up.
Unfortunately, I don't watch much ACC basketball, anymore. ESPN carries the ACC and Dick Vitale is the main announcer and I hate Dickie V more than I hate Tim McCarver. Great game the other night - UNC and Duke - don't think I was able to watch more than 30 seconds.
Then there's the Minnesota hockey tournament, which I no longer see, not living in Minnesota. Portions of the state literally shut down and every single game is broadcast. If you're not a member of a competing school, it's probably harder to get a ticket to this than to the Superbowl. Just great competition.
And finally, the Oscars, the Academy Awards. The recognition of the best films of the past year. Now, due to family obligations I've missed the last couple years, but I'm hoping to see this year's show. What I like is that it's a brilliant cap to the end of March and part of one of the greatest weekends of the year. It always falls on Final Four weekend, and at one time actually aired on Monday opposite the Championship game. Awhile back, this was changed, so we get the semi-finals on Saturday (great party), then, Oscars on Sunday (great party), then the championship game on Monday (great party). Tuesday is a mandatory vacation day to catch some sleep.
So here it is, March 6, the ACC tournament starts this week and the first round of the NCAA start next week. I also have at least three weeks to get caught up on the nominated films before the Oscar telecast. So March, bring it on, I am ready.
March is the month of rebirth. Winter is about survival - trudging through day after day - dark weather, heavy food, dark and heavy clothes. Then March hits and we're on the fast track for Spring. Sure, there's the possibility of a snow storm or another cold day, but it stands by itself and has to give way to the onslaught of the sun.
March is also the month of victors and the second greatest competition on the planet - the NCAA basketball tournament. For the record, the greatest competition is the World Cup but as that's filled with a bunch of dirty Europeans and a bunch of tiny, shifty guys from south of the border, and takes place in summer, we will not now speak of it. So let's amend the list: 1) NCAA basketball tournament 2) Minnesota state hockey tournament 3) Oscars.
And for me, the start of March, regardless of the date on the calendar, is the ACC tournament. I'm a huge ACC fan, always have been. Back in grade school (Charlotte, NC) we had a little poem: God's favorite color may be Carolina blue / But you gotta get to heaven in a red canoe. Red, of course, referring to the NC State of David Thompson, Monte Towe, and Tom Burlinson, coached by Norm Sloan. Then in high school (Minnesota), I was allowed to stay home on Friday to watch the first day's games. I've not been to an ACC tournament, but did see the 1977 Final Four. We actually won lottery tickets and then two (2!) North Carolina teams made it in - UNC and UNCC. UNCC lost to Marquette in one of the worst games I've ever seen; I don't think it's possible for two teams to play worse than these guys did. UNC beat UNLV in the exact opposite type of game. Amazing contest, setting up what should have been any easy UNC win over Marquette. But Marquette played well, and then, after UNC pulled even and gained the momentum, Dean Smith pulled back into a 4 corners delay and lost the game with 12 minutes left. Yes, I'm bitter. UNC should have been national Champions, instead we get the elevation of whiny, crybaby Al McGuire. I don't care how many wins Coach Smith has, ever since 1977, I've considered him overrated. His only two championships occurred because players on the other teams screwed up.
Unfortunately, I don't watch much ACC basketball, anymore. ESPN carries the ACC and Dick Vitale is the main announcer and I hate Dickie V more than I hate Tim McCarver. Great game the other night - UNC and Duke - don't think I was able to watch more than 30 seconds.
Then there's the Minnesota hockey tournament, which I no longer see, not living in Minnesota. Portions of the state literally shut down and every single game is broadcast. If you're not a member of a competing school, it's probably harder to get a ticket to this than to the Superbowl. Just great competition.
And finally, the Oscars, the Academy Awards. The recognition of the best films of the past year. Now, due to family obligations I've missed the last couple years, but I'm hoping to see this year's show. What I like is that it's a brilliant cap to the end of March and part of one of the greatest weekends of the year. It always falls on Final Four weekend, and at one time actually aired on Monday opposite the Championship game. Awhile back, this was changed, so we get the semi-finals on Saturday (great party), then, Oscars on Sunday (great party), then the championship game on Monday (great party). Tuesday is a mandatory vacation day to catch some sleep.
So here it is, March 6, the ACC tournament starts this week and the first round of the NCAA start next week. I also have at least three weeks to get caught up on the nominated films before the Oscar telecast. So March, bring it on, I am ready.
posted by bill at 7:54 AM
1 Comments:
I've already told my boss that I'll not be at work next Thursday, and that I don't have a good excuse. (I have a great excuse, but not one which The Man is likely to respect).
Final 4 picks, at this stage: UCONN, TEXAS, VILLANOVA and....Michigan State (3 possible lotto picks could just get hot...)
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