Talking Points: Nothing like a day of madness

What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:

1

Is your bracket still intact? Mathematically (assuming a 50-50 chance in each game), the odds of filling out a perfect bracket for the entire tournament are about 9.2 quintillion to 1 — or just slightly worse than a trip to Las Vegas.

But as Thursday’s orgy of college basketball demonstrated once again, there’s nothing quite like the NCAA Tournament. Having 16 games on the opening Thursday and 16 more on the opening Friday presents sports fans with a unique spectacle.

We know, we know, the tournament “officially” began Tuesday with something they call the “First Four.” We don’t buy any of the reasons provided for messing up the perfect symmetry of a 64-team bracket, and therefore we pretend the “First Four” never happened.

For us, the NCAA Tournament began Thursday. And it was delicious.

2

As esteemed columnist Bill Simmons of ESPN.com likes to joke, “God hates Cleveland.” The city hasn’t won a championship in 49 years, a drought amplified by The Drive and The Fumble and The Decision.

And now this.

The Cavaliers led the Miami Heat by 27 points in the third quarter Wednesday, seemingly on their way to ending Miami’s long winning streak. And then they didn’t — thanks to LeBron James, the guy who shanked Cleveland with The Decision.

So, now the good people of Cleveland have to live with The Comeback. Maybe they need to have a little talk with God.

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