RAQQA, Syria — It's March in Syria, and according to reporters on the ground, the air is palpable with exactly two things: The blast waves from 500-pound bombs, and the anticipation of Syria's unveiling of its annual "March Sadness" bracket.
"I have been looking forward to this since last year when 'US Led Coalition' didn't even make it to the first round," said local convenience store owner Hashim Kheir, who also correctly picked "15 Year Drought" as last year's winner.
"I'll be honest," said Kheir, "I thought 'ISIS Death Squad' was going to take it all, but it just goes to show you that anything can happen in one of the most historically-volatile regions in the world."
