March Madness. These are soothing words to a sports fan like me who wades through the nothingness of February (except for during an Olympic year!). The Big 12 tourney is in full swing here in Kansas City. KU fans are talking about making another run for a title. K-State fans are hoping to make the final four. All these hopes and aspirations crammed into 3 weeks of what many call the greatest single sporting event of the year. I love this time of year.
As I sit here on a Friday afternoon anticipating the bracket that I’ll be filling out Sunday night, I’m wondering what’s it’s like to be on the outside looking in. And I’m not talking about the Nebraska Cornhuskers or Creighton Bluejays (my 2 favorite teams…neither of who will be playing in March Madness) of the world. Rather, I’m pondering what “March Madness” appears to a child in Africa who just lost his mother to HIV. What about the persecuted Missionary in Asia or the young woman who thought she was being sent to America for a good job but instead finds herself trapped in sexual slavery? Or even the homeless man who wanders around downtown while fans go in and out of the Big 12 Tournament basketball games? As a nation, we are in an economic crisis that is very real to many, many people. Yet, I wonder how many bets will be placed on this 65 team tournament. How much of that money could be used for something else?
I’m not saying March Madness or sports in general are a bad thing. Not at all. I think there are many, many benefits to sporting events. It helps stimulate the economy, provides a physical and emotional outlet for both participants and fans, and can do a lot to lift the spirits of a community in difficult times.
Someone once told me that if a stranger had a 15 minute conversation with me, he’d be able to know what I really care about in life. If I had to guess, I’d be talking a lot about sports in that 15 minutes. This is a sobering thought for me and makes me ask the question, what do I really care about? Where do I invest my time & my money? It’s something to think about…