I love the NCAA Tournament.  Know that I don’t watch much college basketball during the regular season.  I do, however get fired up when it is time for March Madness that 64 team college basketball-palooza that eventually decides the National Champ.  This is fun.

There is always hope that a Cinderella team gets into the Elite 8….or dare I say the Final Four.

One reason I don’t watch much college basketball is that by the end of football season on television I am suffering from severe eye strain.  I give it a rest.

Now, when the daily paper out of Louisville was still worth its weight, as there is not much to it anymore in either content or quality, I could keep up with the National college basketball scene to a decent degree.  I knew which teams were good and which teams might have a chance.  Back then my brackets were better than they are these days.  My affinity for a North Carolina team not wearing blue making a run cost me today.  NC State was my team to make a sneaky stride.  Not to be.

During spring break my dear wife, Carrie, and I go from one basketball nation to another…Indiana to North Carolina.  It is a good time.  The newspapers are fun to read in North Carolina.  That is why my Mother gives me a pot of quarters to gather them up and bring them back home to her after I read them.

I still have memories of particular tourney games.  The day Bryce Drew hit a three in 1998 to beat Ole Miss comes to mind.  The miracle shot by U.S. Reed of Arkansas that beat Louisville in 1981…a half court shot at the buzzer.

The 1979-80 Louisville Cardinal team coached by Denny Crum was fun to watch.  Darrell Griffith was special.  That whole team was.  Indiana’s 1987 win over Syracuse in Superdome was great.  Steve Alford always looked good in red…I think he still would.

I remember watching Indiana State playing against Michigan State in 1979.  Larry Bird v. Magic Johnson was a portent of things to come in the NBA.

Watching Brad Stevens’ Butler teams make it to the finals was great.

Enough of this.  I got basketball to watch.

Speaking the Rights…

Danny Johnson