VBBracketology Is It a Little Thing That Can Make a BIG Difference for Volleyball?

"Bracketologist": One who specializes in the study and understanding of post-season NCAA Tournament Brackets.  They have been prevelant around March Madness ever since the mid-1980s when the NC State Wolfpack knocked off the unbeatable Houston Cougars and March Madness truly began.  Office pools, online pools, auctions, family pick-em games, fantasy March you name it all sprang up because of that era and that televised game and whether you were a basketball fan or not you talked about "That BIG Upset" and that crazy coach running around trying to hug people on the court, but all of the bracket games brought offices together and families together or former college friends or roomates together once a year and what did they do?  They watched basketball for three weeks, whether they knew a thing about the game or not...they filled out brackets! BRACKETS PEOPLE, I'M TALKIN BOUT BRACKETS.  

People fell in love over brackets, got in fist fights over brackets, probably solved some pretty cool crimes while filling out brackets who knows?  But, they watched basketball and some of them a lot of them became NEW basketball fans ON ACCIDENT and the next year that team that won them the bracket....They were that person's 'New Team' and they bought some fan gear, etc, etc.

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It's why I get on my soap box so often on VBAdrenaline about thinking differently in volleyball.  The sport needs so many more fans that aren't traditional fans and don't come from 3 generations of volleyball players.  Maybe they just saw a really cool tiktok of a new jersey and that guess what traditional 30 year season ticket holders.....That is OK!!!!  Their $ helps fund programs exactly the same way your's does and they can have fun, If volleyball let's them.  So when I saw this Instagram account today I got so excited, not necessarily because of the Huskers' Path to KC (tbh I think Texas has an easier one we will discuss), but because basketball has had Bracketology Sites for decades and it starts to get hoops fans pumped about March Madness in December and that's the point.  Little by little more and more hoops fans see this account and they just see the BRACKET and they follow along and become interested......then their bracket juices start pumping because they are a #Bracketologist and they start researching and watching a couple ESPN telecasts.  Come 2nd week in November it hits them and they rally the regulars and they get their first NCAA Volleyball Pool going and have a watch party.  Then they see how awesome volleyball is and the sport just gained about 5-10 legit new fans, 5-10 occasional new fans and a few that for sure will be in the bracket, but they all talk about their new bracket and it expands.

So the more great sites like this that pop up everywhere and are well run and we talk about with other sports fans that love fantasy sports or sports wagering or competing in some way this gives them an exposure to the sport they wouldn't take on their own because they have no reason to.  This is what I try and I do because I was one of those block heads and eventhough we will never be experts we can still enjoy the sport and buy gear and tickets and bring other fans along and fill arenas for multiple schools and that's what we have to have.  Go follow that instagram account and if you have a buddy who is in 5 fantasy leagues and 10 march madness pools, have them follow it too, you never know!!

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Now for the Husker part of all of this:

The #1 overall seed should always have the easiest path to the Final Four and like I said would you prefer Purdue or Wisconsin as your #2 seed in your Region?

Also, pesky Northern Iowa rematch in Rnd 2 for DBK has to be a no thank you for a #1 vs. 8/9 matchup, but I understand Regionality.

Let's move on to The Round of 16: My goodness seeding committee #1 Nebraska vs Baylor or Texas A+M

well I have said A+M is the most underrated team in the country and if that holds true they won't be at this spot, but they could play very well and end up third in the SEC.  Dang, this does show the depth in college volleyball because this starts to feel more like a men's basketball Sweet 16 matchup where at least the #1 seed COULD get beat where in year's past it's been no chance.  This would make Husker Nation raise the ROWDY LEVEL a notch!

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Round of 8: "Well hello old friend we meet again."  Wisconsin comes to Lincoln with trip to the Final Four on the line.  I haven't watched them as often as other teams, but rivals are rivals I just feel like Nebraska is built for Wisconsin and feel like the Round of 16 would be the Danger Danger match of this Region for me?  Huskers 3-1 only because they know tickets were expensive and so was TV advertising space.  See ya in KC.

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Go call a friend NOT in Nebraska and tell them to watch their college volleyball team play.  We have to grow the sport in EVERY college.  Go Big Red!