Thoughts about the NCAA Tournament

What a tournament this year!!!! I've been religiously watching the NCAA tournament for about 25 years now and I think I can honestly say this was maybe the best tournament I have seen. From opening round upsets to buzzer beating game winning shots, from teams playing with strong traditions to improbable rises of the new kids on the block, 2010 demonstrated why this time of year has become known as March Madness.

This year was full of bracket busting games. Only .003 percent of the people who filled out brackets had Butler and Duke playing in the finals. Most experts predicted at least three number one seeds making it to the Final Four, with Duke being the only number one team not to advance. But along the way, Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse all fell, throwing the race for the National Championship wide open.

Then there was the Butler story. The team that captured America's hearts. They were labeled as the Cinderella team. But there was nothing fairy tale about Butler. They were a legitimate condider all along, spending much of the year ranked in the top 10 and were riding a 25 game winning streak - best in the nation.

Yes, this was the best overall tournament I have seen. And I am just not saying that because my favorite team, the Duke Blue Devils won it. Had Butler hit that half court shot to win the final game, I would have even said with more conviction that it was the best tournament I have ever seen.

More thoughts on what it took to succeed in this years tournament coming later.