So, as promised, I would talk about the beloved NCAA Tournament some more this week. The first thing to be said here is that I am running a bracket pool, so I am incredibly connected to all of the games. Not only do I watch because I love basketball, and because I made a bracket, but because I am watching 55 other brackets, to see which of my friends will take home some cake.

I want to talk about two things, one is the incredible story that cannot be ignored of the tournament thus far, and the quality of the basketball overall.

First, who could possibly root against Florida Gulf Coast University? FGCU is on a tear, knocking off two teams they had no business beating, and doing it in style. They aren’t afraid to go after anyone, attacking Georgetown on offense and on the glass, skying for alley-oop dunks and pushing the tempo against a high powered team from the mighty big east. These Eagles fear none, and it has translated into great basketball, and an even greater story.

The rise to power of this program may be even more impressive. Every single player on the Gulf Coast roster was born before the university was founded, and were well into school before the young college established athletic programs. They haven’t even celebrated their tenth anniversary of having an NCAA basketball team, and they are now one of the final 16 teams in the Division I tournament? It’s an outstanding and unheard of ascension.

The second thing to mention is the quality of the basketball in this year’s tournament. There has been so much parody in the league all season long, it comes as no surprise that all of the games thus far have been very competitive. However, there have been some edge-of-your-seat competitions. Indiana-Temple, Ohio State-Iowa State, Marquette-Butler, and Harvard-New Mexico to name a few. Games that never had a lead of more than ten points either direction, and maintained a high level of excitement and play throughout. It makes for an tournament matched by no other.

And while we are on the topic of basketball, I’d like to mention that the Heat lost tonight, ending their second-best-of-all-time win streak at 27 games. They lost at the hands of the Bulls 101-97. It was an incredibly physical game. At one point LeBron James was literally tackled. Wrapped up and taken down. Later on, he got a technical foul for trying to atom bomb his way through a Carlos Boozer screen (read brick wall).

It’s a good time of the year to enjoy basketball.

GO ORANGE!