March Madness: Let the Games Begin!

by Sal Tartaglia

February was for football, and what an exciting month for our Philadelphia Eagles Fans! Now we turn to March, and we turn to Madness – March Madness Basketball, that is!

The 2022-23 NCAA Men’s basketball tournament is happening this month. Local fan interest in March Madness is elevated when any of our beloved teams are included. Is Villanova, St. Joe’s or LaSalle in your bracket?

History tells us that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament was instituted in 1939. The National Association of Basketball Coaches created it as a result of a brainstorm by Ohio State coach Harold Olsen. The tournament consisted of a field of eight invited teams which bested the six-team National Invitational Tournament (NIT) established the previous year.

The NIT was originated by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association. Those journalists established a six-team invitational. Two New York teams, two local teams and two mid-western teams were to play a round-robin at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The inaugural winner, Temple, was named National Champs. The NIT was regarded as the more prestigious of both college basketball post-season tournaments up until 1950.

The NCAA Tournament innovations expanded not only the number of teams invited but also the regions from which selections were made. In 1951 the teams selected doubled to 16 as the NCAA tournament began to steal the glamour from the NIT. By 1975 it grew to 32 teams, continuing to outpace the NIT. And by 1985, the current 64-team format (double the NIT size) was instilled. During coverage of the 1982 Tournament, analyst Brett Musburger used the moniker March Madness, borrowed from a 1939 Illinois high school official named Harry V. Porter, describing a state-wide high school competition.

The NCAA March Madness Tournament has come a long way since it crowned its first champion - the 1939 Oregon Ducks. Ironically Oregon defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes led by Coach Harold Olsen after the Buckeyes defeated Villanova in the (first) Final Four.

Although Selection Sunday doesn’t occur until March 12th, can we assume the usual suspects will appear atop the seeding quadrants? Do iconic programs continue to monopolize the selections of top seeds? Or will local giant-killer Villanova make another run at a title? With a less-than-stellar season so far, that seems out of reach. And with four ranked teams, Marquette, Xavier, Providence and UConn in the Big East Conference, the Wildcats of the Mainline are in jeopardy of their usual domination in that local tournament, let alone the Big Dance. But that, folks, is why they play the games. Lest we not forget Jimmy Valvano’s 1984 North Carolina Wolfpack’s game of “keep away” against the Twin Towers of Houston that inspired a game clock rule change.

And although it seems far-fetched for any of our local Division-1 colleges to get a high-seed invitation to this year’s NCAA Tournament, keep in mind that Coach Rollie Massimino willed his 8th-seeded Villanova Wildcats to the top of the mountain in 1985 when they defeated heavily favored, and reigning NCAA champion Georgetown.

In this city of underdogs, we relish herculean efforts by workman-like teams to accomplish the improbable. Isn’t it sweeter when you not only win a title but, in the process, put a stop to the impending coronation of a loud-mouthed favorite?

One local Marple Newtown High School graduate, Tommy Gardler, has a unique perspective on the potential of local universities getting invitations. He is currently a junior two-guard for the LaSalle Explorers. Tommy inherited his talent from his parents, who both played college basketball for St. Joe’s in the early

1990s. His mother was a career 1,000-point scorer and Tommy’s sister was a player at Villanova class of 2022. Today, Tommy’s younger brother plays for Marple Newtown High School under the tutelage of his father, who is currently an assistant coach. March Madness has had a long history of miracles to go along with the dynasties that have dominated. For the Gardler family, 3/5 ths of Big 5 basketball would be represented should Villanova, St. Joe’s or LaSalle make it to March Madness. It’s fun to watch, especially if you want to spoil some brackets. There is still time before the seeds are awarded. Much can be accomplished, and much can be forfeited in that time frame. It should be interesting to see how the rest of the regular season unfolds to make it as unique as all the seasons that have come before 2023.

Publisher’s Note: Some know our guest sportswriter, Marple resident Sal Tartaglia, as wife Tracie’s husband or father of Marissa (27) and Sal (22). But many will recall our October 2021 feature about Sal’s passion and first book: World Series Chronology: Compare, Contrast, & Coordinate. (Available on Amazon and at: WorldSeriesChrononology.com.) With spring training warming up for Opening Day, I thought I’d pass our March Madness ball to Sal for his local perspective on this month’s big college basketball tournament. Well done, Sal! Your sports insights are “A Delco Thing!” But for Sal’s Philly thing sports insights, listen to Sal’s sports program, “Liberty Bell Smack,” WWDB (860 AM / 97.5 FM), every Thursday, 6 - 7pm, which Sal Tartaglia hosts with his radio personality partners, Mark Mancini and Maryann Castello. Live listening and podcast downloads are also through Facebook @Liberty Bell Smack.

by TJ Warner JHL Landscaping