Last Saturday, the greatest sporting event in the world kicked off. No, I’m not talking about any strictly American sport, nor am I talking about MMA, basketball, or baseball, cricket, or any other sporting event that immediately comes to mind. Am I talking about the UEFA Champions’ League, the soccer glamour competition that ESPN and Fox Sports have created into a pretty common event in America? The answer remains no.

What I’m talking about is a competition that gets little coverage in the USA, but one that excites so many who know about it to no end. We’re talking about England’s FA Cup, which finally kicked off last weekend.

But what makes this event so special and so deserving of your time? The simple fact that it is so large and so unpredictable and that literally anything can happen in any round between any two teams. 762 teams compete for the FA Cup through 14 different rounds (six qualifying rounds, six rounds of the FA Cup “proper,” along with the semifinal and the final, which will be held at Wembley Stadium in London again this year). Any team in the top 9 levels of the English football pyramid (if we were to somehow, place this in the context of American football, it would essentially be like all American football teams from high school and above) can enter the tournament. All matches are single knock out, with the losing team going home and the winning team advancing. Through the 14 rounds of the FA Cup, literally anything can happen.

Every tournament, we witness massive upsets that stun the football world. Imagine the LA Lakers losing to a college basketball team, or the Pittsburgh Steelers losing to some kind of high school football team. As crazy as it sounds, this stuff legitimately happens, and the story lines are unparalleled anywhere else.

The tournament always sees its share of stunners. Every time out, at least one unknown team shocks the British football world with a massive upset. Some of the more notable ones are Wimbledon FC’s upset over Burnley in 1975, and Sutton United’s major upset over Coventry City in 1989. These things happen all the time, and are sure to happen again in 2009-2010.

The beauty of it all lies within the dream that it allows for, combined with the shock value that comes with massive upsets. It gives the lesser teams a chance, if for all but a moment, to feel big, and prove its worth against the giants of the soccer world.

The best thing I can compare it to on an American level is March Madness, only over 10 times the size. Think about the way that the 16 seeds get a chance to play behemoths like UNC, and how exciting it is for them. This brings it all to a completely new level. The possibilities are endless.

To make it even better, this tournament lasts for 10 months per year. Everyone loves March Madness, and expresses their sadness once the two weeks end. This can’t even compare when you look at the length. Watch this wonderful event if you possibly can, you won’t regret it.