The Office Bracket Game

Every office has one... that someone who leads the March Madness charge of getting the Bracket Game underway. They collect all the NCAA tournament brackets by Wednesday, determine the cost of the buy in, collect the cash and then keeps track of the winners and losers.

I for one have never wanted to play that role. In fact, I'm one of those who no longer plays the bracket game. In the interest of full disclosure I am not a gambler. How do I know?

Because once I was asked to hold a 20-dollar bill out the window of a car moving down the interstate at 80 mph. Then I was asked to let go of the 20-dollar bill. That's not going to happen!

However for many years I did play the bracket game figuring my sports knowledge would allow me to make educated decisions and I was confident I'd be right there in the hunt when it came down to the Elite 8. In fact I was and just about every year I had a chance for the grand prize and even won the Bracket Game two years in a row at which time the office (news room) wanted to declare me ineligible.

So why did I stop playing when the pickings were easy? Because March Madness is really about happiness and that happens when big underdogs pull of huge upsets. We all know the big guys will be around when push comes to shove but who doesn't like to see the little guy get in a punch of two.

One year there were a ton of first and second round upsets. It should have been super exciting but there I was, no happiness and cheering for the underdog, just madness because my bracket was in ruins.

That's when I told myself "no more brackets".....What I love about sports is unpredictability and that's what the NCAA tournament is all about, always has been.

I don't know squat about Winthrop a 13 seed but if they whip Butler a 4 seed, now that's March Madness. Not so much if you've taken Butler to the Sweet 16. So for me just sitting back and watching game after game with no dog in the fight, hoping for an upset is what the post season is all about.

Besides who hasn't been frustrated when Sally in the front office wins the pool because she learned a guy named Calapari coached Kentucky and she liked baby squid.

March madness, nothing like it.