If I told you that there was a college basketball game today that pitted two conference rivals, both ranked in the top 10, would that be something you’d be interested in? Sure you would, probably because you’d assume it meant a Duke vs North Carolina matchup (wrong). Ohio St vs Michigan St (wrong again). Syracuse vs Georgetown (not quite). In actuality, the game was #6 San Diego St and #7 BYU. Nope, that’s wasn’t a typo. San Diego St and BYU (quick, what the San Diego St nickname)?
I know what you’re thinking: how are San Diego St and BYU ranked so high? Where are the traditional power teams? What in the name of Bobby Hurley does all of this mean? Well, it means that this year, perhaps more than in recent years, the college basketball landscape is ripe with parody. So is this a good thing? Well I guess it depends on who you ask. The talking heads at ESPN seem to be on the fence, as do most sports pundits. Really the only common argument out there right now is that the NBA’s “one and done” rule is watering down the college basketball product - thus creating the aforementioned parody. However we here at JPQ really only have one question.
Who cares?
The main reason why college basketball is so successful, and popular, is because of March Madness. And the reason March Madness is so popular is because of the upsets, you know, when a major power program gets bounced by a relative unknown. In fact, only 2 times in NCAA history, 1980 and 2006, have all 4 number 1 seeds made the Final Four. Isn’t that the definition of parody? Isn’t that why we are glued to the TV for three weeks in March? So then why all the fuss right now? Yeah, we get that there isn’t a true powerhouse team like the UNLV squads of the early 90s, or the Duke teams in early 2000, but even those teams failed to win championships when they were favored to do so. In reality, the NCAA tournament creates the ultimate environment of parody, where at any given moment, anything is possible.
So we say: relax. Enjoy the next 2 weeks of conference tournaments, then settle in for another March of Madness.
Oh, by the way, BYU beat San Diego St 80 -67. And the SDSU nickname is the Aztecs
Original Story:
http://joshqpublic.com/2011/02/26/par...
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