Okla-homey
3/27/2009, 05:45 AM
March 27, 1939: March Madness is born
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/532/march.png
70 years ago today, the University of Oregon defeats The Ohio State University 46–33 to win the first-ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
The Final Four, as the tournament became known, has grown exponentially in size and popularity since 1939. By 2005, college basketball had become the most popular sporting event among gamblers, after the Super Bowl. The majority of that betting takes place at tournament time, when Las Vegas, the internet and office pools around the country see action from sports enthusiasts and once-a-year gamblers alike.
For the first 12 years of the men’s tournament, only eight teams were invited to participate. That number grew steadily until a 65-team tournament format was unveiled in 2001. After a "play-in" game between the 64th and 65th seeds, the tournament breaks into four regions of 16 teams. The winning teams from those regions comprise the Final Four, who meet in that year’s host city to decide the championship.
The most successful team in NCAA men’s tournament history has been the UCLA Bruins, who have taken home a record 11 championships, 10 of them under legendary coach John Wooden between 1964 and 1975.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/9439/marchwoodentrophies.jpg
John Wooden
The University of Kentucky is second with seven titles and Indiana University rounds out the top three with five tournament wins. At the end of every tournament, a Most Outstanding Player is chosen. Almost all of these players go on to productive careers in the NBA.
Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, won the award three times while leading UCLA to three national championships in 1967, 1968 and 1969.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2649/marchkareemaslewalcindo.jpg
Lew Alcindor and John Wooden
Bill Walton, who succeeded Alcindor at center for UCLA, Jerry Lucas of Ohio State, Alex Groza of Kentucky and Bob Kurland of Oklahoma A&M all won the award twice.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7954/marcht1walton.jpg
Bill Walton and John Wooden
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7608/march0111large.jpg
Jerry Lucas
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7849/marchalexgroza10.jpg
Alex Groza
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2558/marchu786929acme.jpg
Bob Kurland
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6513/insane7zovq3.jpg
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/532/march.png
70 years ago today, the University of Oregon defeats The Ohio State University 46–33 to win the first-ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
The Final Four, as the tournament became known, has grown exponentially in size and popularity since 1939. By 2005, college basketball had become the most popular sporting event among gamblers, after the Super Bowl. The majority of that betting takes place at tournament time, when Las Vegas, the internet and office pools around the country see action from sports enthusiasts and once-a-year gamblers alike.
For the first 12 years of the men’s tournament, only eight teams were invited to participate. That number grew steadily until a 65-team tournament format was unveiled in 2001. After a "play-in" game between the 64th and 65th seeds, the tournament breaks into four regions of 16 teams. The winning teams from those regions comprise the Final Four, who meet in that year’s host city to decide the championship.
The most successful team in NCAA men’s tournament history has been the UCLA Bruins, who have taken home a record 11 championships, 10 of them under legendary coach John Wooden between 1964 and 1975.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/9439/marchwoodentrophies.jpg
John Wooden
The University of Kentucky is second with seven titles and Indiana University rounds out the top three with five tournament wins. At the end of every tournament, a Most Outstanding Player is chosen. Almost all of these players go on to productive careers in the NBA.
Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, won the award three times while leading UCLA to three national championships in 1967, 1968 and 1969.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2649/marchkareemaslewalcindo.jpg
Lew Alcindor and John Wooden
Bill Walton, who succeeded Alcindor at center for UCLA, Jerry Lucas of Ohio State, Alex Groza of Kentucky and Bob Kurland of Oklahoma A&M all won the award twice.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7954/marcht1walton.jpg
Bill Walton and John Wooden
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7608/march0111large.jpg
Jerry Lucas
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/7849/marchalexgroza10.jpg
Alex Groza
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2558/marchu786929acme.jpg
Bob Kurland
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/6513/insane7zovq3.jpg