6 Answers

I think it came from as Mad as a March Hare as they go cookoo in March with all the mating

The term March madness probably stems from the same as Mad as a March hare. You see hares, The long eared rabbit type animals, not the stuff on your head that is haIr traditionaly breed in the month of March. Their courting dance is they jump as high as they can, run around in circles and look stupid to us. In short they act mad.

one march my dad got really mad when he had to pay the plumbers 200bucks to get a wad of my used rubbers out of the septic line. he was mad as hell and it was march

My wife still thinks March Madness is a big super sale at walmart.

I am inclined to agree with you, my dear Pamela.  However, my research shows another side of March Madness.  May I show it to you?

Pamela, may I present to you, March Madness & Bracketology aka THE BIG DANCE.

While H. V. Porter might deserve credit for the term's contemporary usage, the telecasting of the NCAA basketball tournament deserves credit for popularizing it.

Likewise, there is etymological evidence that its origin pre-dates Porter's usage. Because many fiscal years run April 1-March 31, the month of March saw a "madness" of spending to make purchases before budgeted funds expired.

I'm guessing there are other possible origins, too.