March Madness by Steve McIlwain

Hubs here.

The madness has begun.  The best time of the year (for me, well, one of the best times of the year) is in full swing: March Madness college basketball.  In the span of a month there are thirty conference tournament championship games and sixty-seven NCAA tournament games.  It’s a month of pure basketball bliss.

On the first day of the NCAA tournament this year, there were four buzzer beaters and a near twenty point comeback.  Over the next forty-seven games there will be more buzzer beaters, more comebacks, more upsets, and plenty more drama.  As it unfolds college basketball fans will watch with unrelenting passion, soaking in the glory of the madness.

The best games to watch are the close ones.  All game long the teams battle for the lead.  One team goes up by a basket or two, and then the other team fights back and takes the lead.  The teams trade haymakers for forty minutes.  In the last minute of the game, one team will have the upper hand, then lose it, then regain it, then lose it, and then have one more chance to win.  The team risks defeat in the fleeting final moments before finally claiming victory on a last second shot.

The NCAA history books are filled with intense buzzer beaters and teams that defied overwhelming odds.  Ladies, I’m about to lose you here (if I haven’t already), but I’m talking about Villanova in ‘85, Bryce Drew’s buzzer beater, Tyus Edney’s full court layup, the ‘06 George Mason team, Laettner’s last second turn-around jumper against Kentucky, Jordan’s shot in ‘82 to seal the championship, the ‘83 NC State team, Keith Smart’s game winning shot over Syracuse, Texas Western in 1966 … college basketball’s defining moments on the brightest stage.  All of these teams and players are sewn into the legendary fabric of college basketball history because they overcame huge deficits, defied overwhelming odds, believed in their purpose, never gave up, and won in the face of adversity.

Maybe this is your story.  Your marriage is facing overwhelming odds.  You are tired.  You want to give up.  You feel that there is no way to come back.  But I urge you to keep this in mind … the greatest champions are the ones that hold on with all their might, endure extreme fatigue, get within a razor’s edge of defeat, and then come back and win.  Your marriage can be the same.  If you feel that you are close to giving up and admitting defeat, then dig deep, push through the pain, stay the course, and allow your marriage to come back and thrive.   All champions are tested and all championships are worth fighting for.  The greatest games are won staring into the eyes of defeat, and the greatest marriages are saved facing the depths of defeat and fighting back to win.

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