The MOST wonderful time of the year!!

MARCH MADNESS!!!!

I am pumped. I love this time of the year when basketball is basically on ALL THE TIME. It's like heaven.

It all begins on Sunday, March 13th with selection Sunday. Which I rarely watch, but it's the beginning and a very important part. I guess technically it begins with all the conference tournaments to decide who will get their automatic bid into the tournament but the first part of the actual tournament is selection Sunday.

This year is a little different. In the past, 64 teams made it. There were four brackets with 16 teams each. The final four was the team that made it through each bracket. Then a few years back, they added a 65th team. So two teams competed before the actual tournament started (technically it was the start of the tournament, but the winner became a 16th seeded team and had to play one of the top 4 ranked teams in the country the next game).

This year there are even more teams in the tournament. The tournament will start with 68 teams. Eight teams will play first-round games on March 15 and 16, before serious action begins March 17, and the last four at-large teams selected will be matched in two of those four games.

I'm not sure how I feel about there being more teams in the tournament. I guess we'll have to see how this plays out.

After those games (on March 15th and 16th), then we are down to 64 teams and the tournament that I remember growing up will begin. The (second) round begins on March 17th and games go ALL DAY LONG. I don't know how I'm going to focus...I'll already be antsy that I'm ONE measly week away from my c-section, but then with basketball on all day...I don't think I'll get anything done at all.

Not only do we get to watch basketball, but my family bets on basketball! We have 6 people in our immediate family, Mom, Dad, Angela, Andrew, Nick and myself. You only need to make sure you don't come in last place. Last place buys dinner (or makes it) for EVERYONE. First place gets immunity the next season. So it's nice to come in first, but just don't come in last. We all have a blast picking and heckling each other's picks. Since you only worry about not coming in last, you can pick more with your heart and not worry about picking all the favorites. Even if you KNOW your favorite team won't win a game, you can still pick them for a few rounds. :) I like picking with my heart over my head sometimes anyway.

Ahhh, I love March. Annabelle is SO lucky to get to have her birthday in such an amazing month. I anticipate basketball themed birthday parties in her future.... :)