March 13
It's time to tip off the greatest sporting event there is, baby!

Now that all the discussions over seedings and who's in and out are over with, it's time to enjoy something truly special -- the NCAA Tournament.

No sporting event matches the enthusiasm and excitement of March Madness.

You can talk about the World Series, and certainly last season's Yankees-Diamondbacks matchup was a classic, filled with many dramatic moments. You can look at the spectacle of the Super Bowl, a special event with many parties and events off the field as well as the battle on the gridiron.

But those sporting events simply don't match the enthusiasm and excitement over a three-week period called March Madness.

When the tournament gets under way Thursday, nothing captures the nation more. It's a special time of year. There are Cinderella stories, underdogs who think they have a shot at pulling off shocking upsets. There are schools you hardly hear about most of the season shining in the spotlight, chasing a chance at glory.

You see signs from the little guys, saying "We Want Duke." Be careful what you wish for! Everyone thinks they have a chance to get in the headlines.

Players and coaches talk about their experiences of competing in the Big Dance for years and years. There are so many magical images that come out of the NCAA Tournament.

Who can forget Bryce Drew's magical shot to give Valparaiso the upset over Mississippi? What about Villanova's shocker over Georgetown to win the national title? Of course, Jimmy Valvano's celebration after Lorenzo Charles scored the title-winning hoop to shock Phi Slama Jama and Houston is near and dear to my heart.

There's the excitement of fans painting their faces and acting like wackos. There's the coaching strategy. There's the competition on the court, the pure emotion of collegiate athletes going at it to determine a true champion. It isn't like college football, where you don't always settle the argument. That debate can rage on and on, but not with March Madness.

It all goes in full force down to Atlanta, to the Final Four. Then we see which team gets to cut down the nets. Being crowned national champion is something special, culminating a dream that started almost six months earlier. This year's tournament will produce more stars, more great finishes, more upsets ... things we'll remember for years and years.

That's why I love this time of year, watching the greatest sporting event of them all, baby!