Technically it all started in 1939 at a game between the University of Oregon and The Ohio State University – welcome to the first ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament! Now as we start talking trash and filling in our brackets – here are some fun facts that might impress your friends…

• Originally there were only 8 teams that participated in the tournament – a far cry from the 65 teams we see today
• The most successful team in NCAA men’s tournament? The UCLA Bruins with 11 championships.
• Most Outstanding Player in history? Lew Alcindor, later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, won the award three times in 1967, 1968 and 1968
• Brent Musburger was the first to use the term “March Madness ®” on air
• The NIT used to be the premiere basketball event
• Austin Carr has the record for the most point in a game 61!
• LMU has the record for the most points by a team in one game- 149 and it was against Michigan, who by the way scored 115 points that game – and YES it was the game that holds the most points scored between two teams

So if you love college hoops like we do – fill out that bracket, pull up a chair and enjoy – there is nothing like it… until April… and Tigers baseball!

People always ask me, where do you find your inspiration, and I tell them that not everything is sitting in a meadow and waiting for creative idea to hit you. There is actually so much more in what goes into a design, and especially logo design. Here are some tips I have gleaned from my years in pre-press and as a designer – that might help, or get you to your AHA moment!

• Understand Competition
  • Who does the company compete with? Look at all their logos – you don’t want something you create to look anything like the competition.
• Why?
  • I always ask a company – why they want to do the change? Do they feel the culture of their organization has changed? Has the competition changed? Do they feel dated? Whatever the answer, it will help drive you to the result.
• The Customer Is Always Right!
  • You need to be flexible as a designer. If a customer wants purple and it is in your best design judgement that it won’t work – say your piece and try to move the decision to your way of thinking – but in the end if they want something – try to figure out a way for it to work.
• Respect History
  • Every logo and company has a past. Remember it is your job to create a new look but respect the road the company has traveled to get it to where it is today. Embrace it!
• A logo is just one part of the puzzle.
  • How a logo works with other printed pieces and digital pieces needs to be thought of – the logo is just a piece and needs to be brought into bigger picture thinking to make it work!

And, if none of those things work for you … crank up the tunes, fine a quiet place, banter with other creative people and find your groove… the idea will come to you! Good luck!