Opinion : March Madness, Badness and Sadness

Question: Who coined the phrase "March Madness?"

Answer: I do not know.

Every year about this time, America hears the name of some college it has never heard of before. Last year, of course, it was UNI. This year, another three-initial school is in the Sweet 16 (and I wonder who first said that): VCU.

Yes, I had to Google it myself: Virginia Commonwealth University (Virginia, remember, calls itself a commonwealth, not a state).

Many of the sports commentators -- who make a living blabbing opinions on everything with a phony sense of authority -- yelled the loudest about why VCU should not be included in the expanded 68-team NCAA tournament. One of those loudmouths actually said that he could play against VCU and do better.

The Rams then went on to defeat three of the giants of college basketball: USC, Georgetown and Purdue. They were the first team to win three times in five days, the first to win three games to get to the Sweet 16.

Now, this previously-unheard of team has more media requests than it can handle.

Arch Badness

While VCU was celebrating its success on the basketball court, and proving it could beat young players as well as old-mouth commentators, I was experiencing a different kind of age gap.

I found myself in a gym with a basketball a few days ago, and some time alone. I have not played organized basketball since the seventh grade when I was a sub on the C Team. I have rarely played at all. So I was not totally surprised at how high the basket seemed or how few shots I could make. What surprised me, however, was how quickly I became exhausted. I was playing one-on-none and I was still losing. My kids, years ago, started referring to me as "grandpa" when I tried to play baseball with them. At least now I have the main benefits of people who wear that title: Granddaughters.

I do remember watching my kids play baseball with my grandfather. Now I am starting to understand more how he must have felt.

March Sadness

And speaking of age, there is a new age in Major League Baseball. You have not heard of this, I am sure.

But for the first since 1965, there will be no players older than I am playing for a Major League Baseball team. For the past several years, Jamie Moyer of the Philadelphia Phillies has given me hope. But last year, Moyer, at age 47, hurt his arm. He will sit out this season, but hopes to return next year. The next-youngest active player, Tim Wakefield, is trying to hang on to a spot in the Red Sox bullpen. But, there is a good chance his days of playing with Boston will soon end.

There are a few over-40s still hanging on to MLB careers. Matt Stairs -- who helped the Phillies get to the World Series after hitting a home run at age 40 against a 25-year-old star -- has a chance of being on the roster of the Washington Nationals. He's 43 now.

I've known since the Clinton administration that I am older than most MLB players. But the fact that there were some older than I was inspiring.

At least, for now, I am younger than some of the managers.