Most of the middle-aged European basketball fans do follow the Euroleague, their domestic league and probably the NCAA. Why not the NBA, you ask? Probably because it’s too much of an entertainment then a real basketball game. It’s nice to watch sometimes, but it’s more like really sweet chocolate…you just can have only one bite at a time.

I favor college basketball because it looks way more pure to me.

Well it isn’t that pure anymore.

It’s a huge business, that’s why agents, shoe companies and other business-related people are involved nowadays and the athletes are by far no real amateurs in the game. Still, it’s the hustle for the NCAA Championship, the hustle for a chance to make it to the NBA, and a little bit of regional and national stardom that makes the college basketball season so exciting.

These players are young and upcoming. Not already fed with a big-time contract and with all the stuff that comes with all the money. You can see smaller colleges beating out the big ones during the “Big Dance” to make it to the next round and the national news.

Honestly, who does not love to watch David beating Goliath? It’s the typical “American Dream”, right?
The first round is going to start on Thursday and I am going to try to see most of the games this year. I hope there going to be some upsets, and I did my bracket (Pick the winners of each game) on ESPN already.

Here are some interesting notes before the start of the unpredictable tournament .
If you need an overview which teams are in and when are they playing, you may print out this one here.

The participating 65 teams were chosen by these cool cats here…
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Last year, the Jayhawks from Kansas won it all the way against Derrick Rose’s Tigers from Memphis.
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For a basketball purist, there will be a lot to watch and sometimes you get lost during all the games because you don’t know who is actually playing (after watching game after game after game…).

The fridge, the pizza express, the college basketball yearbook (already marked with greasy spots) and the toilet are your best friends and your girl is getting mad at you because you are not taking care of the garbage that is surrounding you on the couch…

So now it’s up to you if you going to spend the nights (in Europe) in front of the TV…I definitely will!

I’m out like hitting the clubs while the March Madness is on.

PS: My feeling tells me, that UConn is going to win it all the way, although my bracket tells me UNC…but without a healthy Ty, they won’t.
What’s your prediction ?