Friday, March 29, 2013

Bandages n' Brackets: DUKAL's thoughts on March Madness


There are a lot of reasons to love the month of March. (The vernal equinox or the ushering in of a much needed change in weather comes to mind)  Spring training comes to a close and opening day (GO METS!) is right around the corner.  The NFL draft conversation and trades begin to pick up steam.  But these event pale in comparison to one of the most heavily watched spectacles in sports, March Madness.

March Madness is one of the biggest sporting events on the sports calendar.  From March 21st to finals on April 6th, college diehards and casual fans plan evenings and lunch breaks around games throughout day.  Everyone loves an underdog, and anything can happen in any given game.  But the underdogs shine brightest during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.  Records are wiped clean at the tipoff of every game.  Sure, the Duke’s and Syracuse’s are favored, but the Florida Gulf State’s and Butler College’s are on equal ground with the powerhouses of college sports. 

It also brings camaraderie amongst friends and co-workers.  Everyone’s got a pick to go deep into the tournament.  Whether you pick winners based on whose mascot looks cooler, use a secret statistical formula, or ride your alma mater all the way through the tournament, one’s picking is a big part of why March Madness grows in popularity from year to year.  It makes for good conversation while the coffee brew in the morning, or friendly banter over lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Who are we picking? 

Rich DeJoseph , Northeast Account Executive - “Now that my initial pick of Gonzaga was struck down by the unexpected Witchita State Shockers, I’d bet the farm on Kansas riding their record through the final four over Duke in the championship.”

Travis Torre, Director of Logistics – “Everyone loves Cinderella stories.  I think that’s one of the big reasons why the television ratings are at an all time high for the tournament.  Teams like LaSalle and FGSU (Florida Gulf State University) have gone out and usually dominant teams.  I have a lot of family that have graduated from Florida, so I’m picking them to win tonight against FGSU, and to win the whole tournament, beating Louisville in the Championship game.”

Eryn Marx, Marketing Assistant - Duke

Matt DiClemente, Project Coordinator – Kansas

Suzanne Carlino, Graphics Manager – FGCU

Connor Farrell, Project Coordinator - Michigan

Who do you think will win it all?!?  Tell us who you think will win and why in our comments section below, Facebook, and Twitter!!

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