March Madness

By Clifford C. Kuhn, M.D.

If you're not a fan of college basketball, this would be a good time to hibernate or take that trip to the Galapagos Islands you've been putting off for so long, because March Madness has arrived.

That's right. It's time for our annual tribute to Dr. Naismith's alternative use for a peach basket. For the first few weeks of March you will see otherwise normal friends and neighbors carrying on in a fashion that makes Robin Williams look like a wallflower. Welcome to March Madness.

All year long, as the Laugh Doctor, I do everything in my power to encourage others to let go and have more fun. During March Madness, I'm tempted to counsel restraint.

However, I can't complain, because for those few weeks I don't feel so far out. Usually when I don my red nose along with my white coat, my colleagues give me the raised eyebrows look of compassion and concern for my sanity. With March Madness in full swing, the red nose pales in comparison to entire faces painted with university colors and basketballs worn as hats. Suddenly I look normal.

What accounts for the fervor and passion of March Madness? Could it be the thrill of watching superb athletes defying gravity in a graceful ballet of symmetry and strength? Maybe it's the vicarious satisfaction of witnessing a large ball put repeatedly through a small circle. (There's no way I'm going to offer a Freudian analysis of that). Or perhaps it's just the sheer fun of watching young women and men running around in baggy shorts.

Whatever the reason, this has become a defining moment in American sports, rivaling the Super Bowl, the World Series and, yes, even the Kentucky Derby. Such is the magnitude of March Madness that the entire college basketball season is now dubbed, "The Road to the Final Four." God, in His infinite power, could only come up with The Trinity . It took the NCAA to create The Final Four .

As early as mid-December, some teams are considered eliminated from contention, robbing their players and fans of all motivation for the season, save the hope of taking other teams down with them. At the same time, the truly successful teams, many of whom are perennial powers, enjoy a virtual lock on an invitation to "The Big Dance." Usually, one or two of these will betray this confidence by losing in the tournament's first round.

In between, there are the teams who are considered "on the bubble." They and their fans live from day to day, game to game, during January and February. Then, they wait upon the tournament selection announcements with the breathless preoccupation of a teenager hoping to be asked to the prom.

Having lived in Kentucky for many years, I find it difficult to imagine a place that is untouched by this madness. If such a community of people exists, I'm sure they would lack other signs of modern progress as well, such as fire and the wheel.

What harm does March Madness do? None that I can see. We seem to survive our momentary insanity because it is just that - momentary.

When it's over, everybody except Bob Knight remembers that basketball is just a game. We return to our mundane lives until next year. For those who have no interest in the whole thing, it isn't very long before television networks resume normal programming.

So, enjoy March Madness while you can. By the way, does anybody know how I can get this red and black paint off my face?

Dr. Clifford Kuhn is both a psychiatrist and a comedian. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. His book, The Fun Factor: Unleashing the Power of Humor at Home and on the Job , is available in bookstores and on his website. A professional member of the National Speakers Association, he offers entertaining workshops and presentations on humor skills and is available to anyone interested in enhancing performance, productivity and health by creating an atmosphere of fun. Results are guaranteed . Dr. Kuhn may be reached by phone (502-722-8732), e-mail (laffdr@aol.com) or by visiting his website (www.humorbeing.com).