March Madness

Dear college basketball teams playing in the NCAA tourney,
I just wanted to take a moment out of my day to say thank you. Because of you all I have drastically adjusted my schedule for the past two days. Firstly, I spent all day Thursday driving to and from Birmingham. All the while glued to either the radio or watching the "auto-refresh" at espn.com on my BlackBerry (hazardous I know).
Then, I stayed up entirely too late on Thursday night to make sure my bracket didn't go too far down the toilet. Which was really a waste considering how badly Ohio State, Florida State and Wake Forest choked yesterday.
Speaking of yesterday, I had a hard time cleaning up my house for the showing because the tournament was on and I do not have the will power not to watch....or atleast listen, which is equally impairing. Considering, when I hear something exciting happen and rush out to the den in a perilous, sock feet dash to catch the instant replay! And it's not like I can run and do a few things during timeouts! CBS is kind enough to patch in another game during breaks!!
Ah, and then there was last night. I was forced to tell my husband that I appreciated his offer to take me to the nicest restaurant in town and on to the new Julia Roberts movie, but instead I would be picking up bad Mexican food and watching the tournament in my pjs at home. He, of course, was welcome to join me. My decision to forgo dinner and a movie turned out to be an excellent choice. Last night's games were incredibly exciting! A special shout-out to Siena and Wisconsin for bringing your A-game and providing simultaneous OTs for our viewing pleasure. I would also like to express my sheer disbelief in you, Coach Matta (head coach of OHST). If you could just clarify for me why, WHY, in the world would your team take a shot with 17.4 seconds left in OT when there were 17 seconds left on the shot clock and you were winning by 1???? Did you NOT know that half the free world was picking you to win? Did you have money on Siena? Or are you just trying to give Louisville the easiest road possible to the Final 4? You handed Siena that game tied up in a pretty little bow...using my bracket as wrapping paper....thanks to you that is about all it is good for anyway.
I've been camped out in this den, eating Sour Patch Kids and drinking Diet Cokes for the last several hours. I am currently watching North Carolina and LSU. My bracket desperately needs UNC to win. But the die hard Duke fan that lives inside me is jumping for joy that UNC is struggling. (Update: I typed too long. UNC won. A bittersweet moment for me.) My daughter has gone to her Nanny's for the night. She has had enough of this basketball business. My son, God love him, has been consumed by this disease that is March Madness. It is highly contagious! He has recently given up on playing outside with the neighbors and is now screaming at the tv. I need to pause to soak up this glorious moment.............................I'm back. That boy makes me proud. His bracket needs Purdue to win. There is only 13. 5 seconds to play and they are winning by 2. Make that 3. Now 4. The future looks bleak for my bracket. Washington, you are now dead to me. Along with Wake Forest. Well maybe not as dead as Wake Forest, I had you losing in the next round. I had Wake Forest in the Sweet Sixteen. I cannot continue to talk about that. My blood pressure is rising to an unsafe level.
In closing I just want to say that I appreciate your neglect of academics, and your blood, sweat and tears throughout the season, just so we can have these wonderfully ineffective, lazy couple of weeks that are a drain on production in an already struggling economy. We salute you, collegiate basketball players.
Fortunately for me, my family shares my love for March Madness. They understand that I will miraculously convert back into my normal fashion loving, home cooking, homework checking self as soon as the Championship Game is over. Until then, we will scream at the television together, while eating take out in our pajamas.
I have to let you go now. Duke and Texas are about to come on. Duke needs my help if we are gonna pull this one out........Go Blue Devils!

Hang on.......I'm coming Coach K..........