The way the game was meant to be played

For years I have been a die-hard NBA fan, watching every game I could, playing fantasy basketball, and rooting on my beloved Pistons, but this year I am turning a cold shoulder to the NBA. The Tim Donaghy scandal was the last straw for me. During the NHL lockout ESPN replaced their scheduled NHL games with college basketball. I fell in love with the college game. It is much purer basketball. The players play for the name on the front of their jersey not the back. In college there is actual fundamental basketball being played, something that is missing in the NBA outside of Tim Duncan. I think we all love March Madness, but if you watch college basketball you would know that there is madness all season long. The regular season doesn't matter in the NBA, it's 82 games long and everyone knows who will make the playoffs before the season. No on can predict the college season, no one would pick the Oakland golden Grizzles to make the tournament, or George Mason to advance to the Final Four. Anything can happen any game. In fact, I happened to catch and exciting game between Michigan Tech and Michigan State the other day. MSU pulled away in the last 2 minutes, but that game could have ruined their season. That is why I love the NCAA, every game counts. The emotion in the players and fans is something that can be found nowhere else but college basketball. No where else will Adam Morrison be crying at half court after a huge loss and the student sections are unrivaled, the IZZONE, Maize Rage, Cameron Crazies all add excitement and emotion to every game. So while you drag yourself through the long, meaningless season of one-on-one isolation basketball and then watch the playoffs that are stretched out so long by the Final you forgot about the first round, I'll be hanging on the edge of my seat watching bubble teams fight for their lives, mid-majors knock off perennial powerhouses, and see another Cinderella story in the big dance, and enjoy basketball the way it was meant to be played.