You may have missed it, but the NCAA Tournament has already begun. It’s being played in Norfolk, Va., and Huntsville, Ala., and Henderson, Nev. and even Lake Charles.

That Selection Sunday business? Nice TV show, but except for two or three teams, it’s pretty much a formality.

This is the week of the conference tournaments, but it’s really when the NCAA Tournament starts. There are 352 teams that all have a shot to get a chance to keep playing into next week. In a few days, that number will be down to 68.

Some say the conference tournaments are meaningless and/or a money grab. They may be meaningless for Duke or Auburn but for about 300 teams, they are hope.

A dream.

A chance.

Let Duke and Auburn battle it out to see who can be a No. 1 seen – now that is truly meaningless in the grand scheme – and we will circle back to that later. For now, focus on those who are trying to beat the odds.

The one-bid leagues – and that is a majority of the 31 conferences out there – stage a winner-take-all conference tournament. Doesn’t matter if you go 16-0 in the league season; all it takes is a couple of blown layups and a barrage of 3-pointers from some kid who looks like he should be in the band and your season is over.

Just like that.

Conference tournaments in one-bid leagues are part of the magic of college basketball’s post-season. Thanks to expanded television coverage, you can actually get a feel for what they are like, but those who have been around for a few can tell you that the pressure is palpable.

The favorites are trying not to spit the bit. Three or four other teams think they have a chance and are desperately trying to avoid getting knocked out in the first round. The 8-21 teams can always hope that maybe they can get on a roll.

This, for the most part, is their NCAA Tournament. History will tell you a massive underdog from one of these conferences will pull off an upset once the big tournament starts. But for the rest, getting through the conference tournament means you’ll get a shot at being on national television when the school is announced on Sunday. For three or four days, you’ll be talked about by every commentator, blogger and podcaster as if they’ve seen you play all year (but still can’t name a single starter).

More than likely, you’ll be going home 40 minutes after your tournament starts, but so will some big-time schools who never thought that could happen.

None of this happens without the conference tournament.

On the other hand, there are the multiple-bid leagues. Sure, one or two of those teams might play their way in or out, but most know what’s in their immediate future. Despite what Joe Lunardi tries to tell us, being a No, 8 seed instead of a No. 7 seed isn’t a cause for the Earth to fall off its axis.

But the idea behind these tournaments is to have all the teams in one location. You can watch as much basketball as you like and learn to despise as many Kentucky basketball fans as you want because you’ll get a first-hand look.

It’s just one game after another and it really doesn’t matter if you have any allegiance to one of the teams. In fact, it may be better if you don’t.

It’s basketball at 11 in the morning and basketball at 11 at night. All you have to do is watch it.

In the old days of the ACC Tournament, only the winner got a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament. In 1974, Maryland was ranked No. 4, lost in overtime to North Carolina State (one of the greatest teams in history) and stayed home.

That’s right … the No. 4 team in the country didn’t get a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament.

We don’t have that anymore, thankfully. But in a way, that’s what it feels like for teams who know their only shot is to win the conference tournament.

Which is why the tournament has actually already begun. All you have to do is enjoy it.

Contact JJ at johnjamesmarshall@yahoo.com