March Madness
This is the first men's NCAA basketball tournament I've been able to watch in years (the coverage wasn't so great in the UK, pre-empted by the cricket), and it hasn't disappointed. Great games, close finishes, and a little bit of controversy always makes for an interesting tourny.Aside from the basketball, this year's tournament has had some pretty noticeable differences from the last one I watched:
1) Body bumping - apparently this has taken the place of a high five. After a big play (offensive or defensive), two players literally bump each other. The bumping is quite variable. It can be chest to chest, side to side, or chest to side. It can also be on the ground, or in the air (a kind of 'high bump').
2) Chest beating - not sure when this started, but a lot of players now beat their chest after making a big shot. This is usually one-handed (i.e., right hand beating the left part of the chest). It can be as a fist or with an open hand. Normally 2-3 beats. Interestingly, sometimes it's not just the shooter who does the beating, but the teammates on the bench. Can you say 'tribal'?
3) Tatoos - words, pictures, Chinese characters... all of these can be seen on the shoulders, arms, and even necks of players in the college tournament. When I came home from college with an earring, my father told me it was the dumbest thing I had ever done (after I got my second, he told me THAT was the dumbest thing I had ever done). I no longer wear an earring, and most people don't know I've ever had one, but what are these kids going to do in 10 years when they're not playing ball and they're interviewing for a job?
None of these new additions change the fact that the college basketball tournament is still an amazing couple of weeks in March, and is the pinnacle of most of the players' careers. I have no doubt they will remember those body bump moments forever.
posted by Aron @ 8:08 AM
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