After playing basketball for 12 years, I have come to enjoy watching it as much as playing it. I realize that not everyone has played the sport, but I think that everyone can have fun watching basketball.
In basketball, every game can have dozens of lead changes, and players have dozens of chances throughout a game to make outstanding plays. Personally, I prefer watching that over waiting to see my favorite players in other sports make a play; whether it is getting up to bat, finally kicking a goal kick or being thrown a touchdown pass, some other popular sports make the viewer wait to see great plays.
Last week, I attended the Pac-12 men's basketball tournament, which was populated by a few great teams. Unfortunately our Sun Devils lost in the first round, but I still had a great time watching the next rounds.
Take the Oregon vs. Arizona game, for example. This recap shows the key plays: The Wildcats were down by 15 at half, and down 7 with 20 seconds on the clock, yet the game still had a wild ending.
Many games end with just as much excitement as that one. Needless to say, I was on the edge of my seat the whole week, and I want others to enjoy the same experience.
Each and every game has the potential to end in a close contest, and many do. Furthermore, no game is lost or won until the very end, as evidenced by the Pac-12 tournament. College basketball games often come down to one or two shots, and that is enough to keep viewers biting their nails.
Even among basketball fans, college basketball specifically sticks out. Professional basketball is a joy to watch, but NCAA basketball offers something unique. Starting-five NBA players are paid regardless of whether they win or lose, whereas college players receive no pay, even when they win. College players compete with the most effort and intensity they have to offer every game. To see student athletes with such determination is enjoyable on its own; that and the joy of watching a basketball game combine to create an atmosphere that can't be found elsewhere.
Just like the wild endings to so many individual games, the NCAA March Madness tournament is a perfect ending to the college basketball season. Every year, 68 men's teams, and 64 women's teams, have the chance to win. When there are many lead-changes and swings of emotion in single games, there's even more excitement in a tournament of 67 games. College athletes only have a few seasons to claim a title, so they consistently fight hard every game, and every year, to do so.
A large home crowd makes basketball even better to attend than to watch. At ASU, students have done many things to make games fun to attend, and attendance is slowly increasing. Under the guidance of our talented head coach Bobby Hurley of the men's team, and Charli Turner Thorne of the women's, the Sun Devils basketball operation will thrive.
Our Sun Cards get us into the games at the door, so I urge all those reading this who have not been out to any games to go to some next season. Even those who don't watch or play competitive sports might find that a basketball game can be a fun event. Besides that, the worst that can happen is that you spend a couple hours trying something new. If you'd like to learn some of the rules before watching a game, you can do that here. I cannot wait to watch this year's March Madness tournament, and I hope some who don't regularly watch basketball will give it a try.
Reach the columnist at gheiler@asu.edu or follow @heilergeorge on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
