Hard to believe its been 10 and 20 years since these moments

It's hard for me to believe that its been 10 years since there were 3 overtime game in the Regional Finals: Illionis coming back to beat Arizona in Chicago in overtime. Louisville holding off West Virginia in Overtime and Michigan State getting by Kentucky in Double Overtime. It is also hard for me to believe that its been 20 years since His Airness came back. "I'm Back". MJ scored 55 points against the Knicks at MSG just 3 games later.

Going to be a awesome Final Four

Wow, Michigan State, Duke, Kentucky and Wisconsin. What a Final Four that is going to be. Plus its going to be in Indianapolis. Should be 2 great games.

My favorite time of the year: March Madness

This is my favorite team of the year being a sports fan. The thing I love the most about the Conference Tournaments is you have one team playing for a top seed in the NCAA Tournament and you have a team playing with house money and nothing to lose. Watching Michigan and Penn State play well in the Big Ten tournament was a joy to watch. Both teams had nothing to lose and as I was watching sportscenter this morning, I saw a kid from Penn State in tears as his career came to an end. Michigan, I am proud of how hard they competed during the course of the year, with all the injuries and everything going on with their program. March Madness is the time where legends are born, where basketball players make plays that become memories for a long time. Over the last twenty five years, we have seen some great moments during March Madness. Small Schools clinch their first ever Conference Championship and make it to their first NCAA Tournament. Duke’s 4 National Championships, The Fab Five of Michigan, The last Final Four Most Outstanding Player not to get drafted by the NBA, Donald Williams; North Carolina 1993, Dean Smith breaking Adolph Rupp’s record for most career wins, Mike Bibby becoming the first Freshmen point guard to lead his team to a National Championship; 1997. The legend that is George Mason University was born in 2006, when they beat three of the decades National Champions in their run to Indianapolis, including Michigan State and North Carolina at Dayton in 2006. 2006 was also the first year since 1980 ( I googled it) that featured a Final Four with out a #1 seed. The Big Ten Conference had Final Four teams in a four year stretch from 1999-2002, The Big East Conference won National Championships in 1999, 2003 and 2004, The ACC and Big Ten Conference would oppose one another in the title game in 1992, 1993, 2002, 2005, 2009, with the ACC coming out on top in all five games. The Southeastern Conference had two teams in the Final Four in 1996 and 2006 when Erik Dampier and Dante Jones led Mississippi State on a magical ride to the Final Four in 1996, beating the #1 seed UCONN in the regional semis and beating # 2 Seed Cincinnati in the elite eight, oh I forgot to mention that the Bulldogs shocked #1 ranked Kentucky in the SEC Championship game that season as well and Glen Davis and Tryus Thomas lead LSU to the Final Four beating # 1 seed Duke and ending the college career of perhaps the greatest college basketball player to never win a National Championship, JJ Redick and then beating #2 seed Texas. Xavier University would win four games in a four day span to win the Atlantic 10 tournament and reach the NCAA tournament in 2004 and 2006 as the legend of Stanley Burrell was born in 2006. Georgia winning three games in a 48 hour span to make the NCAA Tournament in 2008, giving Xavier all they can handle in the first round. Oh, who could forget Gerry McNamara leading Syracuse on a magical ride to the 2006 Big East Tournament Championship. The Duke Blue Devils and Florida Gator’s become the first teams since the John Wooden led UCLA Bruins in the 1970’s to win back to back championships. Michigan State would give a state and an economy something to cheer for in 2009 as they went on a magical ride to the National Championship Game, bowing out to North Carolina. Kemba Walker single handedly leading UCONN to the Big East Tournament Championship and National Championship in 2011 March Madness would feature some memorable games during the last 10 years: Illinois vs Arizona; 2005, Duke vs Xavier 2004; Gonzaga vs Arizona; 2003, Kentucky vs Tulsa; 2002 ( Teyshaun Prince, 41 points), Ohio State vs Tennessee (2007), Buckeyes overcome second half deficit, Michigan State vs Kentucky, 2005, Duke vs Maryland 2001, Duke overcomes 22 point 1st half deficit ( no lead was safe against the 2001 Blue Devils), Xavier vs West Virginia 2008 ( the legend of BJ Raymond was born), Kansas vs Davidson 2008 ( the legend of Stephen Curry was born), Kansas vs Memphis, 2008 National title game, Duke vs Butler 2010 National Title game, Xavier vs Kansas State 2010, Kansas Vs Arizona, 2003, Bucknell vs Kansas 2005, Vermont vs Syracuse 2005, West Virginia vs Wake Forest 2005; Mountaineers end College Career of Chris Paul, Ohio State vs Xavier 2007, Ohio State vs Siena 2009, Ohio Vs Georgetown; 2010 Murray State vs Vandy, 2010, Maryland vs UNC Wilmington (Drew Nicholas saves the defending champs), Michigan State vs Maryland 2010; Korie Lucious 3 propels Sparty to second straight Final Four, Ohio State vs Iowa State (Aaron Craft), Indiana vs Temple, Michigan vs Kansas ( Trey Burke), Florida Gulf Coast making tournament history being the first #15 seed to make it to the second weekend. Michigan making the title game in 2013, Dayton making the elite eight in 2014. UCONN winning the title as a #7 seed in 2014 This Tournament will mark the 10 year anniversary of Roy Williams last year at Kansas, leading the Jayhawks to the Title game, beating Arizona in a thriller in the West Regional. Not to mention the 20 year anniversary of Michigan and the Fab Five making it to their second straight title game, losing a thriller to North Carolina, which was the last time Ray Jackson, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose and Jimmy King would play in a game together. Missouri’s run to the Elite Eight as a 11 seed in 2002, West Virginia’s run to the Elite Eight in 2005, Northern Iowa’s surprising run to the sweet 16 in 2010, Temple’s exciting run to the Elite Eight in 2001 as a 11 seed. Marquette’s ride to the sweet 16 at a 11 seed beating Xavier and Syracuse along with way, Kentucky ending thirteen years of tournament frustration beating Ohio State and North Carolina in thrillers to advance to the Final Four. VCU beginning their magical run in Dayton to the Final Four, beating the likes of Purdue and Kansas along with the way and Butler making its second straight title game appearance this time as an eight seed. Louisville advancing to the Final four, beating Michigan State and Florida, before bowing out to Kentucky in 2012, Ohio State advancing to the Final Four beating Syracuse in the thriller in the East Regional before bowing out to Kansas in the National Semi. I can go on and on. March Madness has also seen its share of heroes as well: Scottie Reynold’s ( 2009 Villanova), Sean May, Raymond Felton ( 2005 North Carolina), Romain Soto, Dedrick Finn, Lionel Chalmers, Justin Doleman ( 2004 Xavier), Kallin Lucas, Raymar Morgan, Korie Lucious ( Michigan State 2009, 2010), Carmelo Anthony, Gerry McNamara, Josh Pace ( Syracuse 2003), Will Bynum, BJ Elder ( Georgia Tech, 2004), Gordon Heyward, Matt Howard ( Butler, 2010), Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith (Duke 2010), Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Lee Humphries ( Florida 2006-2007), Richard Jefferson, Loren Woods, Michael Wright ( Arizona 2001), Kyle Hornsby, Dane Fife, Jared Jeffries, (Indiana, 2002), Tyler Hanbourgh, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Danny Green ( 2009 North Carolina), Ohio State 2007 ( Greg Oden, Ron Lewis, Mike Conley, Dequan Cook), 2012 was the first time that 2 #15 seeds beat a # 2 seed: Leigh beating Duke and Norfolk State beating Missouri. #16 seed Holy Cross had #1 seed Kansas on the ropes in 2002, before the Jayhawks prevailed by 11. Holy Cross put a scare into Kentucky’s 2001 tournament as a #15 seed before the Cat’s prevailed by 5. Kentucky and Indiana would go head to head for 34 minutes before Kentucky prevails by 12 in the Sweet 16 in 2012. Kentucky would win their first National Championship since 1998 with a star studded starting five: Terrence Jones, Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrest, Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague, all went to the NBA. 2013 featured the first 15 seed to make the sweet 16 FGCU. 2014 had an 8 seed and 7 seed play for the National Championship. UCONN got by Atlantic 10 Champion St Joe's in there tournament opener. Dayton making it to the Elite Eight for the first time in 30 years. Led by Devin Oliver, Jordan Siebert, Deshawn Pierre. March Madness would also feature some of the best all around teams to win the National Championship: Kentucky 1996, four of the five starters were drafted by the NBA, (Point guard Anthony Epps was not), Duke 2001, One of three best starting five’s to win the Championship, All five were drafted by the NBA, North Carolina, 2005, Sean May, Raymond Felton, Rashad McCant’s, Jawad Williams, Marvin Williams, North Carolina, 2009, Tyler Hansbourgh, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, Ed Davis, all five on both teams were NBA draft picks and two outstanding teams to win National Championships. The Final Four has featured some memorable Cinderella story’s as well. 2006: LSU and George Mason, 2010, Butler, who was a half court heave from winning the National Championship, 1997 Arizona, a team many thought would not make it to the Final Four, let alone beat three #1 seeds. 2000 featured 2 #8 seeded teams, Wisconsin and North Carolina, both bowing out to ensuing National Champions. 2009, Villanova, thanks to Scottie Reynold’s runner in the lane in the Elite Eight, 2005, Louisville and Michigan State #4 and 5 seed’s, 2002 Indiana, a team that gave the Hoosier State something to be proud of once again. 2008 saw all four #1 seeds make it to the Final Four. Duke University, the last team to play in three National Championship Games in a four year span; 1991-94. University of Kentucky making it to five straight Elite Eight’s from 1995-99 and the last program to appear in three straight National Championship Game’s. March Madness would also feature some memorable sound bites, Jim Boehiem from 2006 and Roy Williams in 2003. This year marks the and the 20 year anniversary of UCLA's last Title. The 10 year Anniversary of Roy William's first title and the 15 year Anniversary of the Big Ten Conference's Last Basketball Championship. March Madness is a time when college basketball legends are born. It’s a time when basketball memories are etched into basketball lore and the record books. Its what makes sports fun and exciting to watch.