I Love Mondays

No, this is not a joke.

I think I might be the only kid in the Universe who actually loves Mondays. But I do, I eagerly look forward to the start of the week more than any other day, even more so during the months of January and February, which sounds disgusting, I know. I mean, how could anyone actually enjoy the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn after a tantalizingly short two days to yourself? For me, it's simple, really. It all comes down to three phrases: Top 25, Bubble Watch, and one of my two all-time favorite words...BRACKETOLOGY.

Every Monday, ESPN issues a new Top 25 in College Basketball and, usually beginning its weekly showing at the start of the new year, Joe Lunardi unveils his 65-team bracket. Those two gorgeous gems are enough to send shivers down my spine, but, in pure, vintage ESPN, they don't stop there; oh no, they know how to serve the luscious dessert to complete the engorging three course meal for college basketball crazies both young and old: Bubble Watch.

Bubble Watch does exactly what it states (for those of you who might not understand this phrase, college basketball calls its fringe teams "teams on the bubble"); it simply keeps a close eye on the bubble teams around the nation. This season is indeed a very bubbly season (It's 2 in the morning, and I'm having too much fun coming up with corny phrases, so...I'll try and be less corny, but I make no guarantees!).

It seems like no bubble teams want to step up this year. Actually, check that, it seems like NO TEAM wants to elevate its game to make a run at the beautifully boring NCAA Championship Plaque. Unlike previous years, no team is dominating its respective conference, with the possible exception of low-to-mid major teams win in weak conferences (i.e. Butler @ 11-0 in Horizon, Siena @ 10-0 in MAAC...two conferences who will not receive multiple bids).

And to make matters even crazier, two of last season's Final Four teams (North Carolina and UCONN) and the Number 1 Overall Seed (Louisville) are in serious danger of missing the tourney. I can honestly say I have NEVER seen three dominant programs stumble so fast in 10 short months. And this doesn't even include UCLA, or the entire Pac-10 Conference, for that matter.

Traditionally, the Pac-10 is the most respected conference in College Basketball. No other conference owns more National Championships than the West Coast Powers. As great as the Pac-10 has been, that's how bad they are this season. Every team has suffered what I like to call a Beautiful Tragedy (phrase stolen from an excellent song by In This Moment); for example, USC, who owned the best chance of receiving an at-large bid to the dance heading into conference play, was put on probabtion for violating NCAA rules involving recruiting. Part of their probation is to forgo any postseason play this year. UCLA, like virtually every other western team, lost immense talent to the circus (formally known as the NBA). Cal and Washington were ranked in the preseason, but simply forgot how to win in the regular season. Ironically, the current co-leader of the Pac-10, Arizona, lost at San Diego State, at home to UNLV and at home, BY 30, to BYU. All three victors over the Wildcats are sitting in the upper echelon of the Mountain West Conference and two of the three will most likely be dancing come March.

It has been the wildest regular season that my tiny brain can remember, but it's been a magical season - so far - for BYU, who survived a scare over the summer involving their head coach, Dave Rose. Rose was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June, but miraculously defeated its deadly opponent within a few months. The Cougars have clearly rallied around Rose, which has them sitting pretty at 21-1 and looking at a possible 3 Seed come Selection Sunday.

Above all the craziness, BYU's excellent play has me most excited for the next Monday to arrive. So, like I said before, I LOVE MONDAYS.