Madness is for March

Zach Hannigan, Staff Writer

It’s that time of year again, the ides of March are upon us. A month where average men become heroes and heroes become legends.

No, it’s not “The Hunger Games,” which admittedly I have no idea what month that takes place, the competition I am referring to may even be more entertaining than the latter spectacle.

It’s the annual NCAA Division I men’s college basketball tournament that we have fondly coined March Madness that is being referred to of course.

Along with the tournament comes bracket mania, the Cinderella story and at the end of it all, a champion.

This year’s Cinderella? Stanford. A team that found the glass slipper, kept it and seemed to have forced their foot into it, as they have danced their way all the way to the Sweet 16.

By the way, their opponent is 11-seed Dayton, who may not be wearing the glass slipper, but could be riding that “dark horse” that everyone likes to try and pick before the tournament.

These two bracket busters will battle it out Thursday night to see who will advance to the Elite 8.

Speaking of brackets, how is yours doing? Probably about as well as NFL running backs in free agency, not so hot.

By the way, the odds of filling out a perfect bracket are 9.2 quintillion to one, according to CNN Money. That’s 18 zeroes, but who’s counting? In fact, as of last weekend, Warren Buffet will be keeping that $1 billion he promised to a person that fills out a perfect bracket.

Just for fun, here is a list of everything you have better odds of accomplishing:

You’re more likely to have identical quadruplets (1 in 15 million).

You’re more likely to be attacked by a shark (1 in 11.5 million).

You’re more likely to be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft out of high school (1 in 22,000).

I think we can all collectively conclude those ridiculous numbers with one statement, “So you’re saying there’s a chance?”

Yes, there is always a chance, but as my bearded statistics professor would probably say to me, “don’t waste your time.”

While I admit I do not have that perfect bracket; I will say I picked the correct winner.

The Florida Gators will win the tournament this year. I say that because my 2-year-old niece picked their logo out of the 16 presented in front of her.

In the end, that method may be just as effective as any other.