Let the Madness begin...but stop the madness

Just over two months ago much of the nation -- sports fan or not -- was discussing and debating long-time sportscaster, Brent Musburger.

During ESPN's broadcast of the BCS National Championship game -- an Alabama rout of Notre Dame which left Musburger trying to fill air time -- cameras panned to Katherine Webb, girlfriend of Alabama's quarterback and former Miss Alabama USA pageant winner. 

Musburger said, “You quarterbacks, you get all the good-looking women," as the camera focused on Webb. "What a beautiful woman. Whoa!’’

Besides causing Webb’s Twitter followers to grow from 2,000 to over 100,000 during the course of the game, Musburger’s comments drew sharp responses from his contemporaries, employer and, of course the general public which seemed to think the 73-year-old announcer was nothing short of a “dirty old man”. 

Educated at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, Musburger began his career in the 1960s as a newspaper reporter in Chicago.  Eventually he landed a national sportscasting gig with CBS and went on to earn notoriety for both his play-by-play skills but his studio host abilities as well.

The Webb scandal (if it can truly be called that) not only painted Musburger in an inglorious light, but also tainted a well-decorated and highly-respected career.  Some of his sportscasting counterparts tried to distance themselves from him and what he said.  Women’s groups picketed other contests he called.  Public opinion of Musburger was entirely swayed (and sullied) by his comments about Webb.

It may seem odd for me -- an avowed basketball nut -- to be discussing something which took place during a football game...especially on the eve March Madness.

...but that’s precisely why I’m discussing it now.

MARCH MADNESS

...it is a phrase we are quite familiar with by now.  In its most narrow sense, it refers to the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament (which tips off in earnest tomorrow morning).  In a broader sense, it refers to any/all end-of-season basketball tournament action (in fact, March Madness begins for my state (Wisconsin)’s high school basketball teams in February).

The term itself was first coined in 1939 when an Illinois athletic administrator wrote an article called March Madness in which he discussed the enthusiastic response fans in the Land of Lincoln had to the high school basketball championships.  

But it was Musburger who resurrected the phrase.

In 1982, while broadcasting NCAA games for CBS, Musburger referred to the tournament as March Madness...the first “modern” usage of the term.  It has stuck ever since and now is THE name used for this time of year and the tournament.  

Pretty neat, huh?

Thank you, Brent Musburger.

Should he have singled out Webb during the BSC game in January?  No, probably not (although, it was the cameramen who actually did it).  Should he have commented on her physical attractiveness?  No, he should not have.  But does that make him a dirty old man or worthy of censure and shame?  I’m not sure it should.

I have never really heard of anyone going out of their way to praise Musburger for March Madness.  It was something he said -- just like the Webb comments --  but for which he’s never really been given great deal of honor.

For as reprehensible as some people may think Musburger’s comments about Webb were, I believe his coining (“re-coining”) March Madness is equally as commendable.

The point is simply this:

Why judge a body of work (a life) by a single snapshot of time?

It would be foolish for those who only know of the Webb episode to judge Musburger accordingly and determine him to be a villain.  Likewise, it would be just as foolish for those who adore March Madness to view him as a hero solely for that.

I contend it is pointless for us to judge anyone else in the first place.  But, if we are going to judge, it is entirely asinine for us to judge based on a singular incident.  I know I am far better than my lowest moments...and probably not as great as my best ones...same with Brent...same for you.

Let the Madness begin...but stop the madness.