Mechelle writes:

March Madness (which leaks over to April) is always presented as this thrill ride of possibility, a grand adventure only the most fortunate get to take part in, an athletic festival.

I suppose it is all that … until the men’s and women’s tournaments actually start, and it just becomes almost like this demonic game of musical chairs. Where being in the right place at the right time - i.e. in front on the scoreboard when the game clock expires - is often a matter of chance. And every round, somebody you think still belongs has to go.

If you are a writer covering the entire tournament and not just one specific team - which has been the case for me for ESPN.com since 1996 - then you never cover a “victory.” Every game you watch and write about, you are experiencing both sides because you listen to and ask questions of the winners and the ones who didn’t win.