As March begins to wind down every year, it marks a special time of the year for collegiate basketball fans as the championship tournament labeled as March Madness tips off with a big flurry of elimination games that culminates with the crowning of a champion for the season.

It’s like going to an amusement park and riding 20 roller coasters repeatedly until your stomach needs a whole bottle of Pepto-Bismol as there is so much basketball it seems overwhelming as both the men and women get a ton of coverage during this time.

However, for those that are true basketball fans, it’s like having Christmas twice in the same year.

This year will be special for Tennessee fans as the Volunteers have been talked up all season as being one of those teams that have the makeup it takes to make it to the Final Four of the tournament.

Indeed, it has been a special year for Coach Rick Barnes and his team, but the last couple of weeks has shown signs that Tennessee may be in for a longer ride than most thought especially after losses to LSU and twice to Auburn with the latter coming in the SEC Championship game.

Time will tell, but the bracket the Vols landed in is a path that Tennessee can follow all the way to the promised land if they will play to their abilities.

The tournament always promises it shares of upsets as well and most fans like to watch just to pull for the underdogs-especially if their team is not playing.

This year, I have a couple of those underdog teams that I would love to see do well including teams like Belmont, Wofford, Murray State and Liberty.

There will be some upsets, it’s just a matter of who the victims will be and where they will occur.

Probably one of the greatest things about March Madness is filling out tournament brackets just to see how much of a prognosticator fans truly are.

I always get a kick when a Cinderella team makes a little run through the tournament as everybody starts whining about how the team they picked to go all the way is sent packing.

Some of the brackets get serious with a lot of money awaiting the one who picks the most winners.

But regardless of whether it’s for money or fun, March Madness is an entertaining way for another NCAA basketball season to conclude.

I, for one, will probably be dreaming about basketball as I try to watch as many games as I possibly can.

Hopefully this season, the dreams will include an orange ‘T’ with the word ‘Champion’ surrounding it.