Unpredictable

I love March Madness. There is a thrill to the national tournament that rivals any other postseason sporting event. Some athletes will step into the spotlight and become part of tournament legend while others will wilt under the pressure of expectations and millions of viewers. There will always be a upset or two as some favored team under-performs and an underdog makes all of the right shots. It's exciting to watch and (almost) impossible to predict with 100% certainty. In fact, I believe the unpredictability is one of the most compelling factors to the NCAA tournament's success. No matter how much the experts believe they are right there will always be some games that defy logic and expectation.

I think this is attractive to us even though our brackets might be affected because the uncertain outcomes don't really have an effect on our lives. Unpredictability is enticing to watch from a distance, but much less pleasant when it directly involves our personal lives. The thrill of the unknown is compelling as long as it doesn't change what we have to deal with ourselves. We'd rather watch it and enjoy a second-hand thrill than have to figure out how to adapt when our own world gets turned upside down. It's the difference in being a thrill-seeker/risk-taker and a voyeur.