#MarchMadness

March Madness officially starts TODAY.

The NCAA Basketball tournament dominates the next few weeks for many people. I’m not a huge basketball fan, but it’s so much fun to see people get excited about watching their teams play out their dreams. Here are a few insights on why this time of the year is both magical and “mad:”

• It seems almost everyone joins the fun: Even if you don’t know a thing about basketball, many people jump on the bandwagon and complete a bracket in an attempt to claim the guessing-the-most-wins prize. Some pick by colors (ahem – that’s me), mascots, season records, and of course there are those who actually know what team could win based on solid criteria. Regardless, it’s a ton of fun!
• “Scratching your way to the top:” Watching teams come back from a 20-point deficit with five minutes left always leaves me thinking the refs must have their back. Anyone who is a KU fan remembers the 2008 series and Mario Chalmer’s infamous 3-point shot to win the game, after KU shocked the nation with overcoming a 9-point deficit with two minutes on the clock. It’s that kind of drama that makes someone who normally doesn’t care join in around the TV appreciate the ENERGY and VICTORY.
• EVERYONE HAS A CHANCE – CINDERELLA STORIES: This is the BEST. For a few weeks in March, any team can show up and show off. It’s fun to watch the magic Cinderella videos online, or SportsCenter.  We’ve seen names such as Butler, Wichita State and Davidson come from seemingly nowhere and make an amazing RUN FOR THE BIG WIN.

I hope you’ll spend some time over the next few weeks getting wrapped up in the “MADNESS,” all the while remembering that you also ALWAYS have a chance at achieving the CINDERELLA STORY of your own making! It takes GRIT, PASSION and HARD WORK, but the VICTORY is like none other! Enjoy your weekend!