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by Randy OoneyMy Nickel’s Worth by Randy Ooney
Madness
Every year, around the first day of Spring, a basketball tournament like none other consumes hours and hours of TV time on four different channels, hours of employee work time discussing upsets and results, and millions of dollars changing hands between the TV networks and the NCAA. So what is it that keeps our eyes glued to the tube when Wofford is playing Butler? I don’t think Bryce in Minnesota is watching to see the Domino’s commercials. Could it be….. Brackets?
The NCAA put the tournament together in 1939, starting with 8 teams. By the time I noticed in the 60’s, it had been gradually increased to 16, then 22-25 teams. Back then it was a 15-24 team contest to see who could get pummeled by UCLA in the final. Maybe NBC showed the final game or two on a network telecast. By the 70s, the field was increased to 32 teams, and our Gophers made their first appearance in 1972. But as the NCAA continued to expand the field, the National Invitation Tournament, a competitive tournament with finals in New Yuk, had a pool if less significant teams from which to pick. Thus, the term Nitpickers was born.
Meanwhile, ESPN was also born on cable TV, and after a couple of years showing calf roping, pro beach volleyball, surfing, and an occasional rugby match from Liverpool, they finally decided to see if they could televise a sport that more than 5 people wanted to watch. Opening rounds of the NCAA on TV were born, which led to the tournament being expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Let the madness begin! Somewhere around that time the brackets crept into the workplace, the local tavern, the bowling league, the Twins clubhouse, and even the Whitehouse, and for a small wager, maybe $2.00-$10.00, you could ignore your job for three weeks and haggle over who still had a chance to win the big bucks. The “Madness” came along when the number 2 seed you picked to go all the way got beat by Coppin State in the opening round.
Now starting with 68 teams, the final four turns March Madness into April Aggravation before a champion is crowned. But it really is amazing how a $5.00 bet can turn a decent but ordinary tournament into a huge attraction nationwide for three weeks. I have no idea what the total handle might be, but I’m sure the local offices have a pool, and the big books in Nevada have been busy. Is there any question why the USBC holds their tournament in Nevada half the time now, where gambling is legal and twice as many bowlers show up? Would you go to Canterbury Downs to watch Mine That Bird run against Old Dabber if you couldn’t make a small wager? I’m sure you wouldn’t. Wanna bet?
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