I'M NOT MAD

This will be the first year in forever I haven't filled out a bracket for March Madness and it feels good to know I have no horse in the race and neither do you. This will be one of the most wide open tournaments we'll see in a long time because parity and lack of "jersey fear" from years past.

While Kansas who consistently disappoints and North Carolina whose coach promotes tradition over strategy are the favorites, so many other teams have the formula to cut the nets at the end. From the second seeds to the 12th seeds don't be shocked if they advance. You can certainly be surprised but know that when Michigan and Vanderbilt from power conferences are playing in the "Play-in game" you can see how wide open things are.

I hope Xavier makes a deep run; not because I'm from Cincinnati but because it's good for all mid-majors to know they can assemble a cast of champions without a one and done player. Several other teams fit that category as well so seeing them advance like George Mason did a few years ago actually makes the tournament even more memorable.

The game has changed and the players have different ideas on what college means to them. I don't blame them because too much money is made off March Madness, conference tournaments and TV to know you get none of it. Please don't lecture me about the scholarship because the computer science major is on scholarship too and can work and make money without penalty.

I will also enjoy watching a no name player elevate his stock and a senior with decent numbers show he's a prime time player; all the while having scouts and pro teams search for unfound data to justify their performances and come up empty. All it takes is one helluva' tournament run and you become a possibility for the next level. I'm okay with that as I share exhibit A, Steph Curry. It can happen, has happen and will happen again so just enjoy.

If you have a bracket and it ends up in the trash can after the first weekend you'll more than likely be in the majority. There will be surprises and if you want to call them upsets you can, but rest assured some teams will be back on campus sooner than they imagined wondering aloud what happened.

Let me save you the trouble of searching for answers; what happened is college basketball is parity at its best. It's senior guards agains one and dones. It's big name coaches matching wits against coaches with nothing to lose. And it's the name on the front of the jersey playing against those who were happy to have one.

A hot hand, a bad game; foul trouble or a short bench can decimate the dreams of the contenders. Reality and fear and wipe out the dreams of the pretenders. Either way it's going to be fun because I don't care who wins; and I'm going green by not filling out a bracket so thank you very much.

That's the way I see it sitting in The Box Seat; I'm Wayne Box Miller.