That's right ladies and germs, the field of 65 is in and March Madness is once again upon us. Print your brackets, study the matchups, size up your co-workers in the office pool to decide which are full of shit and which actually know what the hell they're talking about, come up with an appropriately lame name for your entry, and throw down money you'll never see again. It's fantastic!

You gotta love the NCAA tourney. Not only are you watching young athletes play in do-or-die games for nothing but pride, glory, and the opportunity to live another day, but contrast this tournament to the ambiguous bullshit of the bowl game system. Sure, it may not be perfect. Sure, the power conferences have an edge and bias over the smaller ones. Sure, every year there's outrage when some worthy teams don't make the cut. But compare it to college football, which still runs circles around pro football, and there's a purity to the March Madness system. What other event during the year feels like Sports Christmas? Nothing tops it.

So of course I'm stoked that this year I've returned to the world of employment, and this time around I can't get away with listening to game broadcasts at the office. This time last year, I was sitting in a bar caddy corner to Wrigley - drinking beer and watching games all day with Racist Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Loser and Stonito. Which all begs the question: What exactly the fuck is wrong with me? Where did it all go wrong?

Especially since this year, we're working with a couple of riveting subplots:

1. That's right: For the first time in five years, we're back, bitches! Under the helm of a new Thompson, Your Georgetown Hoyas are back where they belong in the tourney. And what am I supposed to do once they beat 9th seed Northern Iowa in the first round? Because unless Davison pulls the ridiculous upset, the Hoyas face OSU in Round 2, and my boss is an Ohio State alum-fanatic.
   
   Win, and I become a target of workplace abuse. Lose...and I just lost to my boss. These are the things that only happen to me.
   
   
2. After a year of crippling injuries that should've left 'em at the bottom of the barrel, Your UCLA Bruins took a 2-seed in the Big Dance. All goes to show, Ben Howland is exactly where he needs to be, after he ditched Big East douchebags Pitt to answer the call of his superior West Coast Alma Mater.
   
   Can you imagine if Steve "How's the Hair" Lavin was still coaching this team? My God, I shudder to think - we would have hit a new rock-bottom never before dreamed.
   
   I'll never forget the time at my buddy LOP's wedding: About ten of us found ourselves in Minneapolis, by total coincidence right as the Lakers were in town to play the T-wolves during the semi-finals. We kept checking the score during the reception, despite protests from a bevy of wet-blanket wives and girlfriends (...one of whom sat stage right to yours truly). The Lakers lost, while Timberwolf point guard and UCLA veteran Darrick Martin, subbing for an injured Sam "ET the Extra Terrestrial" Cassell, was enjoying the streak of his career.
   
   So we stumble down to the hotel bar after the reception and who's sitting there but Martin, with a couple of blondes. I'm wearing my Shaq jersey. This is such an improbable situation, but you gotta remember we're in Minneapolis and honestly, what the hell else is there to do in the MPLS if you're an NBA player besides hit the Marriott downstairs bar?
   
   Well, I'm just drunk enough to approach Darrick and talk to him - and I'm stunned when I realize after 10 minutes I'm still chatting with him, having an earnest conversation not just with an NBA player, but one in the thick of the playoffs.
   
   I asked him: "What was it like, playing under Steve Lavin? Did the guy even know how to draw plays?" Darrick chuckled and shook his head in a "no-comment" way, answering the question without answering.
   
   And that's my point. That's how terrible Steve Lavin was. Everyone could see it, and I even got it straight from the source. Throw Ben Howland back in the mix, and UCLA is on its way back to glory - hell, even if they get knocked out in the first round.
   
   
3. Notre Dame lost to Georgetown in the Big East Tournament. Also, they are not in the Big Dance this year. 'Warrants mention.