March Madness and the Culture Around It

March Madness 

It’s march 7th. For most people, this date doesn’t mean anything, but for me, it means that the best time of the year is less then a week away. The selection show for the 2018 NCAA bracket comes out on Sunday. The 68 team field will be revealed and immediately after, thousands of brackets will be made to try to predict the games and the upsets. Most people will fail, but it’s still fun for everyone.

This tournament is special because there is room for cinderella stories. For instance in the NBA playoffs, there’s no room for that because of the 7 game series. I’m sure that Middle Tennessee State, a college of about 22 thousand students, couldn’t beat Michigan State in a 7 game series, but it only takes one game and they did that in 2016, knocked off the #2 seeded Spartans, 90-81. This is what makes March Madness great. I had never even heard of Middle Tennessee State, but for that 2 hour period, I was a huge Blue Raiders fan.

The upsets aren’t the only good thing about this tournament. It’s also just the culture. Last year, tons of the people in my class got computers and at any spare time in the day, we would have our eyes trained to the games. And everyone was super engaged and hyped. I pride myself on following college basketball all year, but honestly, it doesn’t matter that much. Anyone can enjoy march madness. Last year, Harrison won our ESPN Tounerment Challenge. I 100% know more about college basketball then him, but it didn’t end up matter which I actually like, even though it hurts a hardcore fan.

Another great thing about march madness is all the teams that haven’t been there before and are just getting their first experience for them and their fans. You have your Duke, your, Kansas, your Kentucky, your North Carolina and sure, those teams are cool to watch with multiple NBA prospects, but I think the more entertaining games are the first timers. 2 years ago, I remember watching a first round matchup between Kentucky, a team that has been to the tournament 57 times and won 8 championships, and Stony Brook. It was Stony Brook’s first time in March Madness. With about 30 seconds left in the game and Kentucky up by 25, the Stony Brook fans begin to chant “Let’s go Seawolves”. They knew they weren’t going to win, but they didn't care. They were just happy to be there.
Part of the reason I like March Madness is that they play basketball. I
think basketball is the best sport to watch on TV. If March Madness was

34 games of baseball, I wouldn’t like it as much. Now that’s not a knock on baseball, I love that sport, but basketball is more entertaining on TV. Also, I love playing basketball. I remember when I was 3, I would play basketball at 24 Hour Fitness and it was super fun. My team was called the Layups, even though we couldn’t even make them. Basketball is just fun to play and watch, there’s not much else to say.

Even though March Madness is amazing every year, this year it is surrounded with controversy. In the fall, a report came out about many colleges paying high school athletes so they would come to their school, which is illegal in the NCAA. This lead to repercussions for major schools, such as Louisville, who lost their Hall of Fame head coach Rick Pitino and was stripped from their 2013 National Championship. Also, the projected #1 overall pick in this years NBA draft, Deandre Ayton from Arizona was reportedly paid $100,000 to play for Arizona. Now this scandal won’t have a huge effect on this year's tournament, but it could in the future. Even with these dark clouds above this year and the years to come, I’m sure it will still be just as awesome.

New Sport, New Challenges

         This year, I started playing basketball for my School. I decided to play because so many of my friends were trying out for the Middle School teams and it would be a fun experience. Much to my surprise, I made the “A team”! Although I play basketball at lunch and I’m okay at it, I had never played in an actual basketball game with a referee and a timer. A couple of practices in, my coach started talking about zone defense, the full court presses, and complicated offensive plays. I was so confused! Thankfully, my friends who play club basketball came to the rescue and explained the strategies of team basketball. Even now, halfway through the season, I sometimes need to rely on my friends if I have a question about a play. (rules of basketball HERE)

          Another challenge in basketball is my size. I am one of the smallest kids in my 7th grade class. It is super frustrating for me to be so much smaller because it is hard to defend the big guys. They can just run me over and there is nothing I can do to stop them. Even when I put up arms over my head, they can just shoot the ball right over me. In games, I have been playing the point or shooting guard position, which works for a small person since I defend all small guys. Also, if I shoot, I’m afraid that my shot will get blocked. I’ve already been stuffed once and it was not a good feeling. I’m having fun playing basketball while learning the game with the help of my friends.

Basketball, More Than Just a Game

James Naismith

James Naismith is the man who, in 1891, started the incredible game of basketball. All of the plays, from perfect pick 'n' rolls, to breathtaking crosscourt passes, to blocks and posterizing dunks that leave the crowd with chills down their spine, it all started from a single peach basket. The NBA (National Basketball Association), now has 30 official teams, a sixteen team playoff, and seven game series. This was not the case in years past. 

 January 20th, 1892. The first official basketball game is played in Albany, New York, with an end score of 1-0. February 14, 2017. Cavaliers 116, Timberwolves 108. How did this happen, might ask. How did 125 years and 23 days change the sport of basketball? That is what I'm gonna tell you about. The first recorded college game was in 18953 Hamline University played Minnesota A&M. Minnesota won 9-3. The following are some of the major rule changes and other events that affected basketball. 

• 1954-54 season. The 24-second shot clock is introduced
• 1979-80 season. Three-point line is established
• 1947-48 season. Foul out limit is increased from 5 to 6. Roster size reduced from 12-10
• 1972-73 season. The bonus, double bonus is invented
• 1977-78 season. During the last two minutes of regulation or overtime, if teams call a timeout right after getting possession of the ball, they get the choice of where they inbound the ball, midcourt of spot of possession. 
• 1980-81 season. Coach on opposing team chooses who shoots free throw after flagrant. 

Basketball means a lot to me. I went from the kid who couldn't make a layup, who was worst on his b team, to leading the B team as the youngest kid, to being on the A team as a young kid. It isn't great, but that improvement has meant a lot to me. I went from not knowing who Lebron James was, to taking NBA quizzes for fun to test my knowledge. When I needed someplace to go, outside to my basketball hoop is where I go. Playing basketball at lunch. Basketball after school. Watching the Blazers in the evening. Basketball has become a daily routine that I love. This year I've been trying to focus on my defense and physicality, getting one foot in front of the ball handler and stopping his drive. I've been known as the sharpshooter, the guy who is great at threes. While I like that, I want to be more. This season I worked on ramming into the defender in the key, right after I make a sweet shot fake and drive in. I want to get rebounds, and that has worked given that my leading stat is in fact rebounds. Basketball has become part of me, and I love it in every different way. 

CJ McCollum is my favorite player. Shooting Gaurd, just like me. Not the tallest guy, just like me. I admire his athleticism, going from averaging 5 points a game, to Most Improved Player, averaging over twenty points. He's extremely physical, and is also a sharpshooter, like me. He goes to the small name schools. Catlin Gabel. Lehigh. He is what I'd love to be. Basketball player, yet part-time journalist. I would love to be a sports writer. It is my dream job, going to major sports events, front row seats, writing about sports. Perfect for me. If I ever meet CJ, I'd be incredibly honored, knowing that he is my living dream.

I don't know if I could live without basketball. What would I do? How would I procrastinate :)? Going outside to shoot a sphere into the 18-inch diameter circle, going straight through the orange lining and creating the perfect "swoosh" sound as it ripples through the net. My favorite part about basketball though, is away games. I love away games. They are way better than home. The crowd cheering loudly fuels me, players who's faces I just look at and I want to cross up and drain a three in their face, they fuel me. Team's pregame chants and loud clapping, the rowdy parents who yell at the ref, that used to scare me. Now it just brings a smile to my face, thinking, 'wow, this is gonna be a fun night'. 

Your Loss is my Game

I love playing basketball. I love the freedom. The opportunity. The teamwork. All of these are key for a game of basketball. When the game of basketball was originally invented it was to be a game for men. I’m glad today that the women's game has changed to be much more than it originally was. Today the game is much more aggressive for women then it was back in the 1890's and the women's and men's games are becoming more similar. And even though on the professional end of things the number of fans and the pay may still have a drastic difference I think the games are becoming more equal.

Defense important to a game of basketball. To win a game you only need to score one more point than the other team. So even if your team only scored one basket the whole game, you can still win as long as you play good defense and don't let the other team make a shot. Sure offense is fun, but I almost like the defensive game better. You never know what's going to happen and in my opinion hardly anything is more satisfying than blocking a shot.

When I’m out on the court all I’m thinking about is the game, the play we are running, the next shot and who I should pass to. I love the team element of the game; it makes the game easier and more interesting. I think the best players aren't the ones who score ten-million points a season, yes they are good players don’t get me wrong. I think the best players are the ones who are good payers physically and leaders. That's how I try to play balancing taking shots and dribbling with passing to teammates. I try to keep my team motivated even when we are losing by a lot. That's the type of player that I aspire to be and I know I can always get better.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_basketball

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/basketball/a/timeline.htm

      Images 

Huddle

Dunking

Block 

Basketball - The Game About Buckets

Swish!!!!

Basketball - The Game About Buckets

I have always loved many sports such as soccer, tennis, and free swimming. But as I have grown older, and taller, I have come to like one sport more than most; this sport is basketball. I have always liked playing the game, even if I just started on a team last year. My dad installed a basketball hoop at the the top of our steep driveway when our house was built in 2004. Since I then, I have practiced for hours with my dad. I remember when I was little my grandma came to Portland and I spent lots of my time outside with her learning how to dribble. At first I could only keep the ball bouncing for short periods of time, maybe only twenty dribbles, and slowly I began to get better. Since then I have become a much better dribbler.

Basketball is a great a great way to take my mind off of homework for a while. This is helpful when I have a lot of homework. The only problem with playing basketball when I still have homework to do is that I might never come back in to finish it. Sometimes I play computer games too much on the weekends, and basketball offers a fun way to stop and go outside to practice. I also like going to the gym to practice with friends; this is a good pastime for me.

I believe I can fly

Lately I have been watching more NBA games and keeping up with the scores. These games show me new ways to play my game. There are many players that I admire, some of them include: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, LaMarcus Aldridge, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant. All of these players devote themselves to practicing and getting better every day. I do this too. I have been able to do many new moves every week this season. With my height, I can become a very good player and a force on the court. I continue to practice because I can always improve. Every game, whether my team wins or loses, I feel proud to to be playing my sport: basketball.