I've received notice that I will once again be working the annual Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament, which is held this year at the United Center, in Chicago, IL. The last few years it's been rotating between the United Center and Conseco Fieldhouse, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The tournament includes all Big Ten Conference schools, of which there are 11. The Big Ten is one of the most notable and prestigious conferences in college basketball, as the players and coaches are some of the top in the country.

Here are the schools of the Big Ten Conference:

• Illinois
• Ohio State
• Wisconsin
• Penn State
• Northwestern
• Michigan State
• Michigan
• Indiana
• Purdue
• Iowa
• Minnnesota

The tournament is always an exciting time of year - the city of Chicago embraces and comes alive for the four-day event, which runs Thursday through Sunday, March 8 - 11.

Unfortunately, this is the last year the tournament will be held here in Chicago - the next five years will be in Indianapolis. This is why I'm looking forward to an exciting event - perhaps my last one that I have the opportunity to work. This is my fourth Big Ten Tournament that I am working.

By "work," I mean "volunteer." I am not getting paid for these duties, but they easily pay for themselves. Some of the advantages of volunteering for the tournament include:

• Free court-side game tickets to a single day at the tournament.
• Complimentary Big Ten apparel. (The fleece shirts are usually pretty nice.)
• Access to hospitality areas of the United Center, such as court-level hallways, locker rooms, and press lounges.
• Two tickets for the Big Ten celebration at Navy Pier (drinks included).
• Opportunity to meet notable members of the media, basketball players, as well as being able to see the players up close and personal.
• Opportunity to walk on the United Center floor, which is every Bulls fans' dream.

I am working two of the four days (Thursday and Friday), and will be watching the games court-side Saturday or Sunday.

My duties for Thursday include:

• Cheerleaders/bands: Help direct and inform each school's cheerleaders and bands, as they arrive at the United Center, and as they set up court-side for their schools' basketball contest. (I haven't ever had this duty before, but I imagine it will entail making sure they have the smoothest possible experience while at the tournament.)

My duties for Friday include:

• Media Shuttle Bus at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Chicago: Engage communication with the drivers of the complimentary shuttle bus, which troops back and forth carrying media personnel throughout the day.
• Locker-room club hospitality: Make sure anyone entering the dining room area has proper credentials: typically players, coaches, and team staff only.

The tournament is exciting for me because I get to get away from the "desk job" for a couple of days, meet a lot of new people, and watch one of my favorite sports from an unprecedented angle.