Petition starts to make March Madness a holiday

The Super Bowl is undoubtedly the most-watched sporting event of the year. It’s a day in early February where it seems like the rest of the world shuts down to focus on the game.

The most-cared about sporting event, though, lasts a whole month. The NCAA Tournament, March Madness for some, is a month of school spirit and Cinderella-supporting. It captivates the nation as soon as conference tournaments begin and brackets are printed off the internet.

Then, when the big day finally begins, the rest of the world shuts down – just like on Super Bowl Sunday. When the tournament first tips off on Thursday, there’s games all day long.

People watch from their computer screens at work and on their smartphones while riding the bus. School children even beg their teachers to turn on CBS, TNT or TruTV, so they can catch a glimpse of the action.

The all-day marathon on both Thursday and Friday has cultivated a tradition of calling off work, even, to stay home and watch the games.

Maybe now, everybody can do that.

A petition is going around, calling on President Barack Obama to make March Madness a national holiday.

The change.com petition states:

"“The opening weekend of March Madness cost American companies an estimated $1.9 BILLION in wages lost to distraction and unproductivity. More than 60 million Americans fill out brackets, and this petition is for those 60 million as well as the companies that employ them. Let us be rid of the Boss Button, let us create no more fake spreadsheets, and let us watch March Madness the way God intended: On a couch with a beer and a bracket that is already busted.”"

Beautifully written.

And, speaking of President Obama, he is just as into the games as the casual West Virginia basketball fan. He fills out a bracket, for both the mens and women tournament, and it is analyzed on television. His thoughts matter, just like your middle-aged coworkers in your office pool.

More from Hail WV

So, what if you had all day off to watch basketball on Thursday and Friday? Imagine, an all-day basketball, hot wing and adult beverage-filled day of never leaving your couch. It would be great, right?

Well, maybe not to the WVU basketball fan. The Mountaineers do not tip off until 7 p.m. on Friday night. So, you would have to fend off all the bloating and eye-strain that would come from 12-plus hours of television and all those hot wings and adult beverages.

So, just stick to what’s best for you – whether that’s watching at your desk, on your phone or in a classroom.

March Madness may not officially be a national holiday, but you are still allowed to celebrate the games like they are part of a national holiday.

Home/WVU Basketball