The Ides of March

Around this time last year I let it be known that I am a basketball enthusiast. My brand of choice is the NBA, with my favorite team hailing from a wonderful place below the Mason Dixon.  On the rare occasion I find myself watching television, I usually find myself watching them play.  My enthusiasm for the sport is so great that it compels me every so often to sneak into someone’s gym to showcase the reason why I went to law school rather than the NBA.

While millions share my enthusiasm for the NBA, the rest of the basketball world (some times it seems as though the rest of the world) becomes captivated by the college sport during this time of year.  I typically bide my time watching the remaining few games on the NBA regular schedule prior to the playoffs, and try my best to ignore college basketball beyond occasionally watching a NBA prospect in action.

Consequently, I rarely, if ever, complete a NCAA tournament bracket.   Last year represented the one of the few times I chose to deviate from that custom in recent memory.  I decided to change my policy last year, in part because I thought if the President can take a few moments out of his day to complete a bracket, surely I can take five minutes to do the same.  Because of I do not watch college basketball, I figured I should listen to the wisdom of supposed experts.

With the NCAA Final Four scheduled to begin this Saturday evening, I am reminded of how terribly wrong our prognostications often are.  We have little idea of how the next few minutes might unfold, let alone how sixty-five teams may fare over the span of three weeks.  Suffice to say, we know not what tomorrow brings.  “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”  I’ll let Saturday bring what it may, leave the predictions to the experts, and enjoy the games if I’m blessed with the opportunity.