The Big Dance

Gawd, I hate this trope and probably even more since every local news reporter reader pounds it into the dirt during the Summit Tournament. I suppose this will intensify since SDSU men's and women's basketball teams have earned berths in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. But have you ever wondered why it is called the Big Dance?

The backstory is that Marquette University head coach Al Maguire used the term in 1977 when Marquette won the tournament. Evidently Maguire had worn a blue blazer all season for good luck. At the end of the season, a reporter asked him if he'd keep wearing it during the tournament. McGuire responded, “Absolutely. You gotta wear the blue blazer when you go to the big dance.”

And so now you know.

Thanks Cliff

I've always wondered why they call it March Madness. Any insight on that?

Well, as chance would have it, Cliff sent me an email on that very subject.

The phrase "March Madness" comes from the Illinois' high-school basketball tournament, which had it's beginnings in 1908. In 1939, some official with the Illinois High School Association wrote an article called "March Madness" for the IHSA newsletter. "A little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel". In 1982, CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger (arguably one of the worst sports broadcasters) used it during his network's NCAA tournament coverage.

Myself, I like the story that links it to the mating habits of the European hare in March when they act a bit strange. "Then they begin to swerve and to stare, And be as brainless as a March hare".