The NCAA Tournament must go on

March Madness took on a new meaning this week, as the NCAA stood on hour-by-hour alert,… March Madness took on a new meaning this week, as the NCAA stood on hour-by-hour alert, awaiting U.S. military action in Iraq. Following President Bush’s Monday night address, NCAA officials became concerned that bombings will begin Thursday, coinciding with the tournament’s first round. Questions have arisen regarding the appropriateness of going on with the games despite war, which the NCAA has dually noted, but it is important that life in the United States doesn’t slow to a halt while military action commences in the Middle East.

Immediately following the President’s remarks on Monday, the nation’s terror alert level was raised from yellow to orange, prompting safety concerns nationwide. But according to NCAA president Myles Brand, the tournament’s potential suspension was based more in sensitivity than worry.

“We don’t know when [war] will start, and we have to be respectful of our men and women in uniform,” Brand said. “On the other hand, I think we have to be very careful not to let Saddam Hussein control our lives. We have to balance those.”

Teams were told to travel to their first round locations, but they could be stranded there for an undetermined amount of time if the games were delayed. Now that the games will go on as planned, CBS may still shift its coverage to other Viacom-owned networks so it can pay attention to the war effort. Fans may be watching the tournament on ESPN, UPN, TNN, BET or even MTV.

Though sensitivity concerns are warranted given the nature of the situation, the NCAA is right to go forward with the tournament. Political leanings and opinions on the war can be put aside for this event and each game can be dedicated to honoring those in the service and innocents involved in this conflict. Canceling an event that brings people together in a difficult time is counterproductive.

Also, as Myles has said, people cannot afford to live in fear. Security can be heightened and safety maintained at arenas, so the orange terror level should not dissuade NCAA officials from moving forward.

The United States and the world are entering a dark time, but the NCAA can now respond by honoring those involved and helping to keep things normal in the states. Despite the war in Iraq and on terrorism, the games must go on.