2008 Woodie Awards
Inside the Lines: Holy Madness: Why this year's tournament will
J. Andrew Horvath
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: Sports
The Catholic Liturgical Calendar is about to reach its pinnacle with the largest feast of the year. This Easter season began on February 6th with Ash Wednesday and ends on Pentecost (as always), which is May 11th.
So why is this worth mentioning?
For one, anyone reading this is almost certainly currently enrolled at or working for a Catholic university. For another thing, it just so happens to be coinciding with another climactic event, although the other one isn't quite as sanctifying.
The NCAA Men's Basketball season is also about to reach its pinnacle as the biggest sporting event in America. The run for the championship began on November 5th and culminates on April 7th in San Antonio, Texas. Selection Sunday is rapidly approaching.
Move over Super Bowl, the Big Dog's coming through. The American work force loses an estimated billion dollars in productivity every March due to betting in bracket pools and sneaking peeks at games…while at work. Of course, all of the planning, research, and studying that is done in preparation of bracketology doesn't matter a lick, because we all know that someone's girlfriend is going to end up winning by picking her favorite mascots.
It never fails. It's like death, taxes, and Jim Boeheim: clockwork.
Incidentally, it has been a pretty good year for catholic schools in Division I.
Some familiar names are making yet another appearance in the dance, including Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Georgetown, Marquette and Xavier. Wednesday night's NEC Championship provided the opportunity for another catholic school to make a trip to the show when our Pioneers faced off against Mount Saint Mary.
Unfortunately, a blend of very questionable calls and some cold shooting hands prevented Sacred Heart from being able to claim its first invitation to the NCAA tournament.
However, there is always some silver lining to every cloud: the Mountaineers have only really earned an opportunity to get spanked by the University of North Carolina Tarheels or some other top program.
So why is this worth mentioning?
For one, anyone reading this is almost certainly currently enrolled at or working for a Catholic university. For another thing, it just so happens to be coinciding with another climactic event, although the other one isn't quite as sanctifying.
The NCAA Men's Basketball season is also about to reach its pinnacle as the biggest sporting event in America. The run for the championship began on November 5th and culminates on April 7th in San Antonio, Texas. Selection Sunday is rapidly approaching.
Move over Super Bowl, the Big Dog's coming through. The American work force loses an estimated billion dollars in productivity every March due to betting in bracket pools and sneaking peeks at games…while at work. Of course, all of the planning, research, and studying that is done in preparation of bracketology doesn't matter a lick, because we all know that someone's girlfriend is going to end up winning by picking her favorite mascots.
It never fails. It's like death, taxes, and Jim Boeheim: clockwork.
Incidentally, it has been a pretty good year for catholic schools in Division I.
Some familiar names are making yet another appearance in the dance, including Notre Dame, Gonzaga, Georgetown, Marquette and Xavier. Wednesday night's NEC Championship provided the opportunity for another catholic school to make a trip to the show when our Pioneers faced off against Mount Saint Mary.
Unfortunately, a blend of very questionable calls and some cold shooting hands prevented Sacred Heart from being able to claim its first invitation to the NCAA tournament.
However, there is always some silver lining to every cloud: the Mountaineers have only really earned an opportunity to get spanked by the University of North Carolina Tarheels or some other top program.
Be the first to comment on this story