Art Kumbalek Struggles with Lent and March Madness

The columnist humorously recounts his annual battle with basketball tournament bracket fever.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:22pm

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Art Kumbalek, a columnist for the Shepherd Express, describes his annual struggle with giving up things for Lent and his obsession with filling out his NCAA basketball tournament bracket. He shares a humorous anecdote about mistaking a woman's profession and jokes about the World Baseball Classic.

Why it matters

Kumbalek's column provides a lighthearted and relatable take on the cultural phenomenon of March Madness and the challenges of observing Lent, tapping into the shared experiences of many readers.

The details

Kumbalek debates whether to give up symphony conducting for Lent, worried he might miss out on a paying gig. He recounts past mistakes in filling out his tournament bracket, including picking two of the same school to make the championship game. Kumbalek plans to invest significant time studying colleges he's never heard of in order to complete a winning bracket.

  • The 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament is currently underway.
  • The Lenten season is half over.

The players

Art Kumbalek

A columnist for the Shepherd Express who writes about his annual struggles with Lent and March Madness.

Rob Manfred

The commissioner of Major League Baseball.

Donald Trump

A former U.S. president who Kumbalek jokes may put a "hit" on Manfred.

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What they’re saying

“Anyways, you betcha by golly, still struggling over here by me on whether or not I ought to yet forego this-or-that for the half-over Lenten season, if for no other reason than a saintly bi-partisan gesture 'cause that's the kind of guy/goy I am, I kid you not.”

— Art Kumbalek, Columnist

“Timeout: Hey, why'd the orchestra conductor get booed at the grocery store? He forgot his Chopin-Liszt. Ba-ding!”

— Art Kumbalek, Columnist

The takeaway

Kumbalek's annual struggle with Lent and March Madness highlights the relatable human experiences of balancing religious observance with personal passions, and the humorous lengths people will go to in pursuit of winning a bracket pool.