Challenger

The time has finally come. Eager fans have waited and anticipated this month all year long.Work production is at a standstill. Sick days increase. Fans go wild at the polls guessing who will be cut first round or make it to the final four.These are all common symptoms of the biggest sporting event of the year, March Madness.
March is perhaps the most exciting time for basketball fans. A recent study showed that work production decreases 30% during the month of March due to the NCAA tournament.

The brackets have been set for the 2005 NCAA tournament. Opening round games were scheduled for March 15. Seated first for the men’s tournament are Illinois, Washington, North Carolina, and Duke. The men’s teams will play in Chicago, Syracuse, Albuquerque, and Austin. St. Louis will host the Final Four on April 2.

Seated first for the women’s tournament are LSU, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Michigan. The Final Four will meet in Indianapolis to determine the champion of the NCAA tournament.

UK fans will be watching as the second-seated Wildcats play Eastern Kentucky during the first round. Many hopeful die-hard fans are anticipating another championship for the Cats. The last time UK won an NCAA championship was 1998. Last year, UConn swept up the championship for both the men and women’s tournament.
Like years past, 2005 will bring many upsets and shocking wins. Almost all of America will take time out of their busy schedules to watch the NCAA tournament. This has become a part of American culture. March Madness has officially begun, so all you obsessive fans need to get to the polls and root on your favorite team.