Throughout the majority of the United States, March represents a time when college basketball fans, gamblers and school spirit come together.
For Australia native P Lachlan Edwards, March is a little different.
"Everybody asked me about my bracket," Edwards said. "I said 'What bracket? What're you talking about?'"
March Madness is rather new to the Sam Houston State product, who was first introduced to the tournament back home in Australia. But it was during his time in Texas that he got a better understanding of the phenomenon. Despite the fact that he's frequently mistaken as a basketball player due to his stature (6'4", 209), Edwards said his skill stretches as far as the occasional layup and a free throw percentage of 30 by his calculations (he shoots underhand).
With no affiliation to college hoops other than enjoying watching the games, I asked Edwards a series of questions to determine which team he should root for in the Sweet 16 and onward.
- Favorite color:* "Blue. More of a darker to a sky blue. Right in the middle there."
- Teams in the running: Kansas, UNC, UCLA, Kentucky, Florida
- Reasoning: If we included navy, the article would be too long and you wouldn't get to the bottom. Plus, these teams are all blue.
- Favorite season:* "Right between spring and summer as it starts to get to the warmer part of spring."
- Teams in the running: UNC, UCLA, Kentucky, Florida
- Reasoning: All these places are located in warm climates.
- Do you like or dislike mascots:* "I like mascots. I like when they have a bit of personality because it adds to the game."
- Teams in the running: UNC, UCLA, Kentucky, Florida
- Reasoning: They all have mascots.
- Favorite mascot:* "I like at baseball games when they get into it with the crowd and make fun of people and stuff. I think that's a good thing. The only one I know is the Orbit, the Houston Astros mascot."
- Favorite animal:* "Either a wombat or a koala."
How would you describe the attitude of those animals: "They look like they're cute, cuddly animals that lay around all day until they cross someone they don't like. Especially a koala, they're vicious if you corner them. That's what I like about them. People see the cute side of them even though they'll still rip your neck open."
- Teams in the running: UCLA, Kentucky
- Reasoning: Unfortunately, wombats and koalas are not native to America. Therefore, we chose the Bruins and Wildcats, which are equally fuzzy and ferocious to the wombats and koalas. But no one thinks bears or wildcats are cuddly (has anyone ever really seen a wildcat, anyway? It just sounds scary. Oh and if you think bears look cuddly, see a shrink ASAP).
- Favorite region in the US:* "I don't know whether to say New York because of my work or San Diego because I really do love it here. I did spend a little bit of time in Hawaii, which was fantastic. It'd be between Southern California and Texas has been good to me, so I'll say Texas as well."
- WINNER: UCLA
- Reasoning: Seriously?
LaVar Ball — WATCH OUT
