All you need is a team to root for

I once wrote that March Madness and the World Cup are my two favorite sporting events. The opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament only affirmed my affinity for watching post-season college basketball. However, one thing that the tourney has not affirmed is my commitment to my GPA. It’s interesting how the start of March Madness coincides with the widespread closing of textbooks on campuses across the country. Add that to the fact that the sun has started to make regular appearances in Morningside Heights, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more than a few people end up underachieving academically come May. Seriously, I don’t know when “sitting on the Steps” became a suitable excuse to eschew all responsibility in life, but people on this campus flock to the sun like San Franciscans to a Birkenstock sale.

If you have no team to root for, then March Madness can easily lose some of its appeal. Growing up, I was lucky to have the Bob Huggins-led Cincinnati Bearcats to root for every year. Although we always got bounced early, the tournament was exciting because we consistently had the talent to make a deep run. In fact, I think that being a fan of a slightly above-average program is way more rewarding than rooting for a perennial powerhouse. I guarantee you that fans of the No. 3-seeded Baylor Bears would enjoy a victory over the No. 1-seeded Duke Blue Devils infinitely more than Dook (spelling intentional) fans would relish a win on Friday night. That’s part of what makes Cornell’s run this year so enjoyable. I hesitate to call the Big Red a Cinderella team because this is their third consecutive trip to the Big Dance. Everyone is surprised with Cornell’s success, but no one can say that they’re a fluke. In fact, before the tournament, many analysts predicted that the Big Red would make some noise this month. Since they obviously have a great team, their fans (and their newfound fans—i.e. every Ivy League student or graduate in America) are enjoying not only how far they’ve come already, but also the process of speculating on how far they’re going to go. If you cheer for a team that’s making its first tournament appearance in ages, then you’re more likely to enjoy your first-round appearance and be satisfied with just making it to the dance, but if you’re affiliated with a team like Cornell, then your previous experiences make you cherish the victories you gain even more.

I’m glad to see that our campus has been injected with the spirit of March Madness. It’s become really chic to harp on our student body’s supposed lack of school spirit, but anybody who went to some of the Columbia basketball games this season clearly knows that we have fans who don’t hesitate to get their cheer on. Watching college basketball as a college student is a different experience than watching it as a kid or a grizzled adult. I have an appreciation for what it means to be a student-athlete and play on television in front of millions. The tournament truly is a special time of the year. If you get a chance to watch a little ball this weekend, then don’t hesitate—you can always raise your GPA next semester.

Jelani Johnson is a Columbia College senior majoring in history.
sportseditors@columbiaspectator.com