Goodness knows there’s an ample number of weighty subjects — the economy, health care, unemployment, funding for public education, to name but a few — worthy of public discussion at the moment, but they’ve been pushed aside, it seems, by talk about the NCAA basketball tournaments. That’s OK. A brief respite from major topics of the day isn’t harmful and it could help clear the air. Besides, there are many reasons — beyond the ubiquitous office pools — for the sports spectacle known as the ‘Big Dance’ to prompt conversation here and in the surrounding region.
There is a strong hometown connection. The Lady Mocs, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s team, will appear in the tournament for the eighth time in the last 10 years. Coach Wes Moore’s team will play Oklahoma State in Tempe, Ariz., on Saturday. The nationally televised game should attract lots of viewers.
State and regional connections spur attention in the tournaments, as well. The University of Tennessee’s Lady Vols are a No. 1 seed and the men a sixth seed in their respective tournaments. Neither are strangers to the ‘Big Dance,’ though Coach Pat Summitt’s Lady Vols have enjoyed much more success in the national showcase than the men’s team. The men begin their quest for a a title today, the women on Saturday.
UT and UTC aren’t the only Tennessee teams in the women’s tournament. Four others — Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee State, East Tennessee State and Austin Peay — join them in NCAA showcase. Austin Peay, a 16th seed, in fact, must play the Lady Vols in the opening round. In the men’s brackets, Vanderbilt and East Tennessee State join the Vols in search of victory.
Georgia is represented in the tournament, as well. Both men’s and women’s teams from the University of Georgia and the men’s team from Georgia Tech earned berths. Their presence is sure to be another area audience-builder.
Individual connections promote interest, too. Ashley Houts, from Dade County, is the starting point guard from Georgia. Her appearance in the women’s tournament should increase local interest and the TV viewing audience. Ditto for Kentucky’s Carly Morrow, a graduate of Girls Preparatory School, and Middle Tennessee’s Jackie Pickel, a Bradley Central High graduate.
Finally, there are personal ties that raise interest in the “Big Dance.’ Many if not most of the more than 100 schools in the tournaments have alums living in the area. Even usually blasé graduates proclaim their loyalty publicly when their team makes the tournament. That, too, prompts water cooler talk and high interest in the tournament.
The NCAA tournament won’t change the course of history, but it can provide a temporary reprieve from the cares of the moment for many individuals. That, in this day and age, is a welcome possibility.