This editorial appears in the March 18, 2010, Yakima Herald-Republic.

Once a rite of spring, it is now the right to springtime indolence: the NCAA basketball tournament, that frenzied festivity of hardcourt hysteria appropriately marketed as March Madness.

The tourney, which begins today, indeed is a marketing triumph, with all-day televised contests replete with the drama of the one-and-done. Add to that the local interest in our state's own University of Washington and Gonzaga University. Don't forget the financial stake that millions of Americans hold in their office/tavern/among-900-of-our-best-friends NCAA pools.

No one wants to deny anyone his or her fun, but remember that companies are entitled to the full attention of their employees.

Businesses seem resigned to a productivity decline. The annual Challenger March Madness report predicts the first week of the tournament could cost $1.8 billion in productivity losses. That's due to the annual rituals of "employee-organized office pools, a potential dip in productivity and a marked decline in Internet speed, as workers soak up bandwidth watching live streaming broadcasts of the tournament games during office hours." In the Pacific Northwest, televised games for the next two days will span the entire 9-to-5 workday.

While statistics like those in the Challenger report have come under criticism for inflating the losses, far too often employees keep one eye on the spreadsheet and the other on the pool sheet.

So, workers of the NCAA world, stay focused. Office time is for office work. Resist temptation to sneak a peek at the TV, ESPN's Web site or your PDA when the boss isn't looking (hey, nice shot by Bouldin -- go Zags!).

Your family, too, warrants your full attention. Turn off the game at dinner. Ask your children what's up with their lives. Remember, you're shaping the lives of our nation's future citizens (argggh ... how could he miss that layup?)

As for community involvement, a "meeting" at an establishment that just happens to boast 12 big-screen TVs doesn't qualify (that wasn't a three -- his foot was on the line!)

Keep your work, family and outside interests in their proper and respective places. It's just a game, and may sportsmanship and the true interests of the academic institutions prevail (did someone really pick Lehigh to beat Kansas? Oh, m-a-n-n-n-n-n!).

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.