[Lefty Noob]

No question for me - March Madness is a blast to watch. I love filling out the brackets, catching all the upsets... the NBA playoffs just don't compare anymore, not since Bird, Magic and MJ retired. What do you guys think?

[legend]

I am with you on this one. The NBA playoffs have too many teams, last almost two months, are spaced out for television, and offer you only a couple of compelling series. The NCAA tournament offers early round surprises, even though very few, if any, of these teams that score big upsets get very far after they do. It also has the sense of urgency that goes with being eliminated if you lose. The NCAA is driven by the coaches, while the NBA is driven by the players. I have never filled out one of those brackets in my life, but I still enjoy the first week in particular, with all those games going on at once.

[Lefty Noob]

Good point, legend. The single-elimination factor means that every single game is of utmost importance. Who really cares about Game 4 in a 7 game series if a team is up 2-1. It's irrelevant, for the most part. But if Duke somehow loses to Southern or GW, they can't just shake it off and set out to win the next three. It's one-and-done. I like that.

[cjg11582]

Clearly The NCAA tournament is the better draw, much of its appeal does relate to the single elimination design but the problem is two fold because The NBA has virtually no casual fan appeal.
Why is that? It might be a completely and utterly dishonorable thing to say, but none of the teams hate each other. The last time there was an intense rivalry in The NBA was The Kings-Lakers, and it lasted for maybe a season and a half. Now the teams are either too docile (The Spurs), too casual (The Mavs) or too uncompetitive (there are like ten teams).
Recalling some of the great NBA rivalries everyone always immediately mentions the Lakers-Celtics, it isn't even necessary to strain your memory like that. When one examines the rivalries from the nineties of The Bulls-Pistons, Bulls-Knicks, Knicks-Pacers and Knicks-Heat he/she will notice they all have two things in common: the two parties had a significant amount of disdain for each other and they are all remembered as gritty, competitve teams. This does not seem like much to ask but there is a serious hatred defiency in The NBA.
I am not certain whether or not cause of this phenomena, maybe its because the participants in the league are all rich, young or lead fairly laid back lifestyles or a culmination of the three, but The NBA playoffs will not be able to contend (from an entertainment prospective) with the NCAA tourney until this new mind-set in The NBA changes.

[pete_b]

I'm gonna vote for the NCAA tourney although it is a tough choice. I think the intensity in college is greater than in the NBA. Those kids really play their hearts out. For some of them it is the last time that they will ever play organized ball so it means alot to them. Although there is alot on the line in the NBA as well, I think that the only thing that matters to those guys is if they get paid or not.

[ThePundit]

Ditto Pete B.