Keyboard Quarterbacks

By Mark La Monica

Back in the day when responsibilities didn't interfere with life's great joys, DJ friend Blasmaster Scurvy Scurv and I would congregate at a designated location on the first day of March Madness with one thing in hand: the brackets!

He was guaranteed to have at least two brackets, with one of them having Kentucky winning the NCAA championship. I was guaranteed to bring at least three brackets, with one of them having North Carolina triumphing over those punks from Duke on that glorious first Monday night in April.

We wanted to be covered just in case our college basketball dreams came true that year. But, of course, money and pride were on the line, so multiple brackets were necessary.

Classes on this day - the second best sports day of the year - were simply not an option. Sorry, but there's simply no way a communication theory class is more important than the first day of March Madness.

Classes on the next day - also the second best sports day of the year - were simply not an option either. Sorry, but there's simply no way a business writing class is more important than the second day of March Madness.

What would we learn in 55 minutes that was more enlightening than that first time CBS goes to the four-game screen where we can everything and nothing at the same time? I mean, seriously.

There is only one sports day each year that is better than the start of March Madness. And I'll reveal the No. 1 spot on The Best Sports Days of the Year list when the calendar says it's time.

For now, let's revel in the beauty of watching 12 hours of basketball and stressing over how that 13-seed upsetting the 4-seed is great for us in two office pools, terrible for us in those four other online pools and of no consequence in our "practice" pool.

For now, let's soak in the majesty of underdogs runnin' with the big dogs for the first 36 minutes of the game and making us root for teams with three geographic directionals in their school's name.

For now, let's dance the perfect bracket dance as we cruise through the first set of games with eyes on 16-for-16 for the day.

For now, let's eat up those daytime minutes calling friends and discussing the latest mix of "Did you just see that?" and "How many brackets did you have that on" and "Your team stinks!"

Put homework or job stuff on hold. That term paper will still be there for you to write well after the first wave of games ends. And when Lumbergh strolls over to your desk and inquires about that TPS report, look him straight in the eye and ask them, "How's your bracket?"

For the love of Pete, this is the second best sports day of the year. Celebrate.