March Madness gets an early kick start: Houston Final Four countdown ramps up with website launch

We may be in the thick of campaigning for the World Cup, but we've got one major upcoming sporting event already secured: The 2011 Final Four. The website just launched this week for the mega-event hitting the Bayou City next April.

The NCAA's official Houston Final Four website prominently features the space-heavy logo of the event and an article that says that the city "exudes a cosmpolitan and down-home vibe." There is currently a seating chart for Reliant Stadium in its basketball form and a request form that can be submitted for hotels. As the event approaches even closer, volunteer information will be posted on the website. 

It's been 40 years since Houston hosted a men's Final Four — in the Astrodome in 1971 — and planning is in full swing for the April 2 and April 4, 2011 game days. Rice and the University of Houston are the official host schools for what's arguably the biggest U.S. sporting event besides the Super Bowl.

With our professional sports history, it may be a while before we witness such unbridled excitement again. At least, until the 2016 Final Four, that is.