The motto "March Madness" remained largely a Midwest regional thing for dour decades until CBS broadcaster Brent Musburger, a former Chicago newspaper reporter began referring to the NCAA's basketball tournament. The term caught on.
But, in 1996, the IHSA sued to stop the NCAA corporate sponsor GTE from distributing a video game bearing the March madness title.
Later that year, the IHSA and NCAA hammered out a joint venture called the March Madness Athletic Association, which now holds all trademark rights to the term.
They go on the prowl when all those brackets start going viral.
So, Give me That M.M. Bracket. --Cooter
Showing posts with label NCAA Tournament. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCAA Tournament. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
March Madness Began in Illinois-- Part 1
From the March 15, 2015, Chicago Tribune "Chicago Sports Flashback: Phrase's popularity truly poetic justice" by Tim Bannon.
Tim Bannon seems to get any history sports articles in the Tribune. he also did the recent one on Cubs and Sox Spring Training in French Lick, Indiana.
"For more than 40 years, 'March Madness' was confined to Illinois. The state's high school basketball tournament started in 1908 (Peoria Rock Island 48-29 for the title) and continued for three decades without a catchphrase.
"Then in 1939, Henry V. Porter, an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) official, wrote an article for the IHSA magazine. It was titled 'March Madness.'
"'A little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel,' he wrote.
"Three years later, he punctuated his poem with a poem, 'Basketball Ides of March,' which included these lines: 'The Madness of March is running. The winged feet fl, the ball sails high. And field goal hunters are gunning.'"
So. That's the Guy. Sorry NCAA. --Cooter
Tim Bannon seems to get any history sports articles in the Tribune. he also did the recent one on Cubs and Sox Spring Training in French Lick, Indiana.
"For more than 40 years, 'March Madness' was confined to Illinois. The state's high school basketball tournament started in 1908 (Peoria Rock Island 48-29 for the title) and continued for three decades without a catchphrase.
"Then in 1939, Henry V. Porter, an Illinois High School Association (IHSA) official, wrote an article for the IHSA magazine. It was titled 'March Madness.'
"'A little March madness may complement and contribute to sanity and help keep society on an even keel,' he wrote.
"Three years later, he punctuated his poem with a poem, 'Basketball Ides of March,' which included these lines: 'The Madness of March is running. The winged feet fl, the ball sails high. And field goal hunters are gunning.'"
So. That's the Guy. Sorry NCAA. --Cooter
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Cutting Down the Nets
From the Yahoo Sports Blog "How did the tradition of cutting down nets begin?" by Chris Chase.
"The most unpredictable events in sports has one of the most predictable ending. Whatever happens Monday night, in the NCAA championship, the winning team will congregate around a basket and collectively cut down the net to celebrate its title."
(No kidding about the unpredictable part. Just take a look at my brackets. I wonder how they determine which net ro cut down, though.)
This net cutting is accomplished with a ladder and special pair of scissors.
The tradition dates to the Indiana high school tournament in the 1920s. (The term March Madness was used for the Illinois tournament before the NCAA took it.) The winner would cut the net down. Everett Case's Frankfort team won four state titles from 1925 to 1939.
In World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and became athletic director of various flight schools. After the war, he became the basketball coach at North Carolina State. The Wolfpack won the Southern Conference title whereupon Case and the team cut down the net.
It was much more informal back then with players hoisting each other up to the rim and cutting it with scissors scrounged from somewhere.
Case did this several times in the Southern Conference and then with the newly formed Atlantic Coast Conference. Case created the ACC Tournament.
In 1964, he was diagnosed with melanoma and lived just 18 months more. Before his death, the Wolfpack upset ACC Tournament #1 seed Duke in the final. After the game, the State players went over to the press row, hoisted Case onto their shoulders and walked over to the basket where he cut down the net.
23 years coaching high school: 726-75 record
18 years NC State coach: 377-134 record
Won the Southern Conference tournament each year 1947 to 1952
Won ACC Tournament '54, '55, '56 and '59.
From Wikipedia.
An Interesting Story. --Cooter
"The most unpredictable events in sports has one of the most predictable ending. Whatever happens Monday night, in the NCAA championship, the winning team will congregate around a basket and collectively cut down the net to celebrate its title."
(No kidding about the unpredictable part. Just take a look at my brackets. I wonder how they determine which net ro cut down, though.)
This net cutting is accomplished with a ladder and special pair of scissors.
The tradition dates to the Indiana high school tournament in the 1920s. (The term March Madness was used for the Illinois tournament before the NCAA took it.) The winner would cut the net down. Everett Case's Frankfort team won four state titles from 1925 to 1939.
In World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and became athletic director of various flight schools. After the war, he became the basketball coach at North Carolina State. The Wolfpack won the Southern Conference title whereupon Case and the team cut down the net.
It was much more informal back then with players hoisting each other up to the rim and cutting it with scissors scrounged from somewhere.
Case did this several times in the Southern Conference and then with the newly formed Atlantic Coast Conference. Case created the ACC Tournament.
In 1964, he was diagnosed with melanoma and lived just 18 months more. Before his death, the Wolfpack upset ACC Tournament #1 seed Duke in the final. After the game, the State players went over to the press row, hoisted Case onto their shoulders and walked over to the basket where he cut down the net.
23 years coaching high school: 726-75 record
18 years NC State coach: 377-134 record
Won the Southern Conference tournament each year 1947 to 1952
Won ACC Tournament '54, '55, '56 and '59.
From Wikipedia.
An Interesting Story. --Cooter
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)