Where is the magic?

March madness. Many call it the best time on the sports calendar. Three weekends of incredible games where we see schools we never even heard before, get thrust into spotlight. Where an unlikely hero takes his team farther than anyone expected. Where the last team standing may not be the best team of the season, but the team that was able to win six games in a row.

Except, it just doesn’t have that same feeling this year.

I know, you’re probably saying

“Matt you are just bitter that you did so bad on your bracket.”

Well yes that is true, and I’m going to get to that in another blog later this week.

But this is not about that. It is about the magic that march madness brings, something that is lacking in this year’s tournament.

Let’s take a look at some facts.

Only five double-digit seeds won in the first round. Only one was a twelve seed, and honestly when you are a twelve seed like Middle Tennessee where you are the favorite and everybody is picking you to win, it’s not an incredible upset.

There have been a very scarce amount of buzzer beaters. Now I will give you something, there have been a fair amount of close games, there have also been a fair amount of blowouts as well and not just when a One seededd Goliath plays the winner of the South by Southwest Middle Earth American Conference. (I bet you have to look that up to make sure if I am making that one up or not)

But back to the buzzer beaters. Usually we see incredible shots with everything on the line. In the first round where we typically see a couple, there were a big goose egg. None. Zilch. Zippo.

Where is the magic?

In the game that just ended as I write this. Michigan and Oregon went toe to toe the entire forty minutes. Down one, Michigan took a shot with about 30 seconds left, missing a three pointer.

The Ducks brought it back down and missed their own shot, only to get an offensive rebound and get a chance to extend their lead. They missed the front end of a one and one.

The wolverines grabbed the board this time. They brought the ball down, and as the seconds wound down the anticipation rose.

I thought to myself, is this where the Magic happens?

The shot went up. No good. Buzzer sounded. Game over.

So once again, I ask.

Where is the Magic?