Complete Madness

Tis the season for basketball lovers. March madness is a time for upsets, buzzer beaters, and all out hustle. My eyes clued to the television while multiple college games are shown. Watching player's dreams come true and others become what could of been. There is a special feeling when every player gives 100 percent. They aren't getting paid billions of dollars, or have 12 Ferraris, all in different colors with rims bigger than my body, but they all have heart and a love for the game.

Basketball pools bring the madness in March to a whole other level. Almost everybody is in one, even though they are illegal. A whole years allowance relies on such risky picks, but the reward is oh so sweet. Yelling at the television. Shoving handfuls of over butterd popcorn down my throat because of the suspense. It's all part of this beautiful culture called college basketball.

Every year there is a Cinderella story. Some no name college players become national superstars. They pick up more and more fans as there miraculous story begins to unfold however, they can totally screw up one's pool multiple times. You never know when you should circle that no name college that just beat the number one seed last game. It brings even more fun to March. A story that these players will tell there children and grandchildren over and over again.

Every game seems to be close to. Flip the channel or fetch a soda and you come back and the team that was down ten just tied it up. The players are making shots they didn't even know they could. Players are dunking from further and further out. After watching the games i can't help but go outside, lower my hoop to a good 8 feet, and mimic their gravity defying dunks. "And the crowd goes wild, Christian Baker dunks over Tyreke Evans to give them a one point lead with time expired" . I could only imagine what it feels like.

Exhaustion isn't an option for these players. Every game could be their last and if you want your season to stay alive you have to give one hundred percent. Round after round each player gets closer and closer to what will be the highlight of most of their lives. College basketball is better than the NBA. The kids would give a limb to see their team win. They cry after reaching their goals. Who would ever think a 6 foot 8, 270 pound, tattooed covered big man could shed a tear? Only in March Madness.

Word Count: 430

Love the Game

Ask a teenage boy's basketball team from the Bronx what the capital of Tuvalu(a small 9 square mile country) is. Chances are the boys will shake their head and ask you to repeat the question. Now ask another teenage boy's team from Madrid the same question. Chances are they won't have a damn clue. (The capital of Tuvalu is Funafuti in case you were wondering.) Now ask both teams who scored the most points in a single basketball game. Almost a no brainer. Basketball is a language. It can bring kids from all around together. It can unite the world.Anybody who plays basketball knows what a bounce pass is or what a 3 point shot is. They know and understand the rules of the game. Someday I wish to travel the world and play world wide. I love the feeling basketball brings. When I am out on the court it is like I zone out. That impossible chemistry crap gets flushed out of my head. My math test first period the next day is put on hold. If I am playing with kids I have never met before it feels like we have a special bond. Basketball is my antidote to problems. There is no drama. There is no stress. When I am out on the court I am free.

Syracuse vs. Uconn. Just thinking about the game that happened last week gives me chills. I don’t care for either Syracuse or Uconn however, my eyes were glued to the screen. I had one of my friends sleepover and we were up until 2 30 watching the game. Every so often we would scream waking up my parents. It was worth it. Six frigen overtimes. You gotta love this game. The excitement and the upsets. The buzzer beaters and the long bomb threes. The next morning everybody I saw I asked them if they saw the game. First thing I brought up in my conversations.

My favorite basketball player is Brandon Jennings. Some people have never heard of him, but he is easily one of the greatest to ever play the game. You may think if he is so good why doesn’t anybody in the United States know of him? Well, if you don’t watch too much basketball and don’t know where Oak Hill is you are probably lost. Brandon skipped college but was not allowed to go to the NBA. He is currently playing on a team in Rome and is absolutely owning. Europe basketball is now on a whole other level. Many American players dream about playing in Europe which is just another example of basketball uniting the world.

If you watched the NBA dunk contest this year you would have seen yet another example of how basketball brings the world together. High flying Rudy Fernandez from the Portland Trailblazers was born and raised in Spain. Pao Gasol and his brother Marc are also from Spain and are currently playing in America. Nobody cares what ethnicity they are. It is only about skill and their love for the game. Without basketball and other sports the world would be distant.

Word Count: 525