Each spring, Americans of every stripe partake in the national rite that is March Madness. They make their picks in the office pool, or with family or friends, and spend three weeks watching men’s and women’s collegiate basketball teams battle it out for the national championship.
I’ve been blessed with a front-row seat to this phenomenon for more than 40 years. From my early days as an assistant men’s basketball coach in the 1980s to coaching the Auburn Tigers in the Final Four last season, and now as a commentator on TNT and CBS Sports, I’ve seen it all.
This tournament transcends sports and has captured the country’s imagination, in the same way as the Super Bowl, The Masters, or the U.S. Open. And as the Final Four games approach on Friday and Saturday, I am compelled to reflect on the reason why. Every year, right in front of our eyes, we witness young men and women passing from youth to adulthood. We observe the discipline, accountability, teamwork, and sacrifice that forge champions. On display for all to see are the qualities our country is losing but desperately craves: honor, loyalty, passion, and valor.
