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There's A Reason They Call It Madness

NPR

By Frank Deford

Published March 19, 2014 at 5:00 AM EDT

More than any other nation, America is awash in teams. There are the pro teams, the college team, the high school team, the fantasy teams.

Well, at a certain point, something has to give — and apparently, the team sport that's given way the most is men's college basketball.

Yes, college hoops has its fleeting moment in the vernal equinox. It's fun. You make out brackets — but it's not like other sports where you're familiar with the principals.

Take fantasy football. Fans make up their own teams, yes, but they know who the players are. It's their fantasy, but it's real, knowledgeable fantasy.

By contrast, March Madness is like phantom basketball. It's more like a lottery. Who are these teams? Where did they come from? It's upside-down.

Click on the audio link above to hear Deford's take on March Madness.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Frank Deford

Frank Deford died on Sunday, May 28, at his home in Florida. Remembrances of Frank's life and work can be found in All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and on NPR.org.

See stories by Frank Deford

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