March Madness: Nobody Knows What They're Talking About

As sports fans throughout the country polish up their tournament brackets in anticipation for Thursday, I began to think about this ritual that accompanies March Madness.It’s remarkable how a simple bracket printed on a piece of paper motivates us to try to become the next Andy Katz or Digger Phelps. We analyze, dissect, study, and agonize over who will be the next surprise, the next disappointment, and ultimately, the next champion of the NCAA tournament. We read a few articles published on some of the popular websites or watch an hour-long special on ESPN and suddenly claim to be an expert on the field of 65. All of our friends must listen to us explain why VCU is going to defeat UCLA or how Boston College will fall to the red-hot Trojans from USC. The discussion over office pools and banter between college buddies is ubiquitous. And you know what? Nobody knows what they’re talking about. Not even a little bit. No one.And that’s what makes the magic of the NCAA tournament. The...