where did the tradition of cutting down the nets come from?

Question

after a tournament victory

Answer 1

Okay I'll do my best to make something up that sounds like I know what I'm talking about, even though I don't have any idea at all what the real answer is, but this will be my best shot at it since you asked and I read what you asked and everyone is asking what is that guy talking about, so now I'm going to really answer the question, OK!?

Once upon a time. There were these two really poor basketball teams. They were sooo poor that neither one of them could even afford nets for their hoops. One day the King who was coaching one team sent a squire to the King who was coaching the other team and challenged his motley crue to a tourney. Of course the second King accepted the challenge of the first King. But, there was a dilema. What should they play for. Well, they decided to pool all their resources, get all the wenches together, and have them knit up a couple of nets for the game. Because there was only enough rope in both realms for two nets, it was further decided that which ever team won the tourney, they would get to keep and use both nets until the next year's tourney. In that first tourney, the second King's team won the nets on a three pointer at the buzzer. The first King protested that the shot was put up too late. His protest was denied and he and his whole team marched off mad. This is where March Madness came from. Many teams have won the nets over the centuries, even the team coached by the "Knight" won them, but only the team coached by the "Wizard" has won it eight straight times.

Somehow that stupid tradition lives on and we all live happily ever-after, at least every March we do.