NCAA Basketball Championship

[R_of_G]

They call it March Madness, but it ends April 2.

Either way, I find it to be the most exciting championship season in all of sports. It produces a true champion, a winner of a grueling win-or-go-home tournament.

Writers can pontificate all day long about subjective things like who the "best" team is, but the NCAA tournament will settle things the way they actually mean something, on the court. The scoreboard is the ultimate objective judge.

Anybody else watching? Filling out brackets for your own enjoyment or for a pool?

I have a sheet in an annual "just for trash talk and fun" pool with my dad and brother.

This should be a fun year for family teams. My alma mater USF made the "play in" round where they will face Cal, winner to be seeded #12 in the Midwest bracket and face Temple. Go Bulls!

My brother's undergrad alma mater Colorado is the #11 in the South bracket, and his law school alma mater Texas is #11 in the East bracket.

I also have a sheet in a cash prize pool that I've been playing for about ten years now.

 

[R_of_G]

Well apparently nobody watches college basketball, but for the record, my bracket picks for the first day were nearly perfect. I went 15-1 in those games. Hoping today goes as well, though as long as USF wins tonight, I'll accept 1-15.

 

[marnold]

I filled out a bracket. I usually spend about five minutes on it.

 

[R_of_G]

My results today were far less pleasant than the 15-1 day one, however the Duke and Missouri losses will hurt just about everyone else in the pool as well for a few rounds so it all balances out. Plus, USF beat Temple so I'm happy regardless. Actually, thanks to Ohio beating Michigan, USF has a good matchup ahead of them on Sunday as well.

 

[Tig]

I enjoyed Baylor's game vs Colorado last night. It looked like they were just keeping the score close until they needed to lead. Suddenly, they held a 15 point lead to the end.

 

[R_of_G]

I rooted against Baylor in that game because (a) my brother went to Colorado for undergrad and (b) Baylor's uniforms looked they were supplied to them by Hi-Liter. In HD, they were literally painful to look at. They did play a good game though, and will be a tough out in that bracket, particularly with Duke gone.

 

[Tig]

I agree. The high lighter color was hideous! The usual hunter green with yellow trim is fine.
My sister got her master's there, so I rooted for them.

 

[R_of_G]

USF's run just ended. Ohio played very tough on defense and USF made several mental errors at crucial moments in the second half to allow Ohio to first retake and then extend the lead. Still, it was a good run for the Bulls.

 

[piebaldpython]

I agree. The high lighter color was hideous! The usual hunter green with yellow trim is fine.
My sister got her master's there, so I rooted for them.

How can any of you be surprised by Baylor's horribly colored uniforms???? Baylor is in Waco Tx and that is where Shiner lives......and...well......if there's a chance that Shiner got involved in coloring the uniforms (by virtue of winning a lottery). Just sayin'......:thwap

 

[Childbride]

I'm not arguing. The 80's called, they want their neon back... Just sayin...

 

[guitarhack]

No brackets filled out anywhere, but If I had, they would have been almost useless after this past weekend. I'm a Kentucky fan, so glad they're doing well. I thought the Murray State-Marquette game was one of the best I've seen so far this year.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Take that NCAA tourney! First regular season winners of a conference to be left out of the tourney after being snubbed by the NCAA selection committee. But they dumped the Ducks tonight to head to the NIT!

http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/032112aaa.html

( in fairness, they did dump two critical games in the end. Still it sucks to be the only regular season winner in the modern era to be left out).
I usually pull for Washington of course if they make it, or the little school teams like Gonzaga. Not too many of my favs are still in.

 

[Tig]

OK, we have Syracuse v Ohio State (I'll guess Syracuse will advance).

South gives us Kentucky v Indiana (I'll guess Kentucky, but you can never rule out Indiana)
and
Xavier v Baylor (I'll go with Baylor) tonight.

I have no idea with Louisville v Florida, or North Carolina v Ohio, but I'll guess Kansas over North Carolina State.

YMMV

 

[R_of_G]

Through today's games my record is 45 wins to 19 losses. I am tied with my brother. We both picked Kentucky to go all the way, so if Kansas beats OSU I will win, if OSU beats Kansas he will win. My dad was mathematically eliminated a week ago.