If you’ve ever taken a history class, you might know a thing or two about Black Tuesday. You know, that day in October 1929 that marked the beginning of the Great Depression and set America on a spiraling course downward.
I’m sorry to say it, but welcome to the modern version.
Today, we stand further away from next year’s March Madness than we will ever be. Talk about depressing. I’d rather watch 11 months of those commercials with the kids with the cleft lips than go that long without Tournament action.
We’ve just spent an amazing four weeks with college basketball; we shared laughs and tears, thrills and spills. You knew it wouldn’t last, but who could’ve thought it would’ve ended like this?
And now, without so much as a note on the fridge, it’s gone.
At least until this time next year.
So take a moment, collect your thoughts and wipe the tears off your face. It’s going to be OK. Although college basketball is gone for now, this past month reaffirmed that everything is still right in the sports world.
You see, every year at this time March Madness lets us believe again. We all imagine our teams putting together a miracle run deep into the Tournament, pulling upsets that no one saw coming.
Even the schools with the funny names and anonymous players picture themselves wearing that glass slipper. It’s not a delusion or false hope, just an opportunity to live out the dream.
When that bracket comes out, on what should be called Sweet, Sweet Sunday, every team in the field has a chance. From the schools that are just happy to have their name on TV to the blue bloods of college basketball, win six games and you’re the champ. No polls, no debates ”“ just you versus whoever’s standing in your way.
Every year the upsets surprise us like late-movie twists from M. Night Shyamalan. We know they’re coming, but we jump anyway. George Mason’s Final Four run in 2006 was about the sports equivalent of finding out Bruce Willis was a ghost the whole time. Should’ve seen it coming.
This past month has been no exception.
We saw the nobodies from Cleveland State turn away ACC powerhouse Wake Forest at the door. We witnessed CSU Northridge give Memphis a run for its money in the first round. Then watched as Villanova, a Big-East afterthought in November, sliced and diced its way into the Final Four.
Even though none of these teams went home with the hardware in the end, it’s these moments that reaffirm why it’s so easy to love college basketball.
It’s like ordering delivery from that sketchy Thai place ““ you never know what you’re going to get. But that’s just part of the charm because it’s all very tasty.
Forgetting the queasy feeling that accompanies an early loss ““ comparable to throwing back a liter of cottage cheese and heading to Six Flags ““ the Tournament makes a believer out of everyone.
It’s that feeling you get when you fill out your bracket for the first time and knock off all the top teams in your school’s region. Nobody said getting to the Final Four would be easy, but you can lighten the load. You just want to believe.
And on today ““ Sport’s Black Tuesday ““ believing is all we got.
Because, after all, there’s always next year.