JOHN RIORDAN: Thornton bids to end college career on a high note

It’s all well and good for the rest of us but basketballers such as Dubliner Hannah Thornton must view ‘March Madness’ with a fair degree of dread.

The US College Basketball end-of-season hootenanny which occupies minds from the Oval Office on down is the be-all and end-all for third level institutions across the country and it leaves behind a trail of frustration and tears which is more than a match for the various glories.

Its popularity is such that it represents a curse for workplace productivity although not many company executives will complain about their employees ducking out early — every big shot imaginable will probably be at a sportsbar somewhere too, soaking up the relentless drama that defines the month.