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March Madness

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Off Topic
Posted on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 09:38:50 PM EST
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My picks:

First round winners - L-Ville, Ohio St, Ariz, Wake, Dayton, Kansas, BC, Mich St, UConn, Tex A&M, N. Iowa, Miss St., Utah St, Mizzou, Maryland, Memphis, Okla, Mich, 'Cuse, Ariz St, Gonzaga, Western Ky, LSU, UNC, Duke, Texas, Nova, UCLA, Xavier, FSU, Tenn and Pitt.

My Final 4 - Mich. State, Villanova, Syracuse, Memphis. Memphis beats Syracuse for the championship.

Speaking for me only

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    March Madness | 55 comments (55 topical)

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    Go State! (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by Steve M on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 09:53:53 PM EST
    I had to fill out four brackets at work, to cover the entire family... including the family member who isn't born quite yet.  I tried to vary my picks a bit, but personally I'm partial to Oklahoma.

    I wouldn't be upset if the Spartans went all the way though! I promise!

    State did not look impressive (none / 0) (#2)
    by eric on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:05:23 PM EST
    when they played the Gophers in the Big Ten Tournament.  I have my doubts.  Mostly because I have huge doubts about the Gophers, too.

    [ Parent ]
    It's the Big Ten (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Steve M on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:28:11 PM EST
    "Impressive" is not a word you hear very often.  But I'm hoping they can get the job done!

    [ Parent ]
    State (none / 0) (#41)
    by cal1942 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:28:18 AM EST
    has been struggling on offense for over a month.

    Raymar Morgan is not yet back up to par and I have a strong suspicion that Kalin Lucas is a little bit banged up. I'm also wondering if repaired freshman Delvon Roe isn't hitting the wall at this point in the season.

    State doesn't start a shooting guard (except Lucas who plays point) and that, it would seem, would have an effect on point production.

    [ Parent ]

    You have us going further (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by 1040su on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:44:45 PM EST
    Than I do!  I have us (SU) losing to N. Carolina.  I don't want to jinx us, but if we can get to the final game, we'll win it all!  Although Memphis beating us would be payback for us beating them in December.  My favorite potential upset pick is #14 N. Dakota St. over #3 Kansas.  Cleveland State, Northern Iowa & Utah State are good ones too.  Last year for the 1st time ever, all 4 #1's made it to the final 4 & it was boring.  I'm a sucker for the Cinderellas.  I think this year will bring things back into balance.  I'm just not that impressed with the top of the brackets this year.  Go ORANGE!

    Da 'CUSE baby! (5.00 / 1) (#16)
    by vicndabx on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:44:32 PM EST
    never thought i'd comment on sports here, but since this may be my only opportunity to do it....I'll say it again...
    da.  cuse.  baby.


    [ Parent ]
    The year of the dark horse? (5.00 / 2) (#10)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:45:16 PM EST
    If they get a few breaks, I like the chances of my alma mater, Washington, to make a deep run into the tounament. Mississippi State? Not likely, because the SEC was rather weak this year compared to past seasons. But you never know. Certainly, few if any prognosticators picked George Mason for the Final Four a few short years ago.

    I'll tell you what, though -- my biggest disappointment was the NCAA's clear snub of 26-6 Saint Mary's, the regular-season and tourney runner-s-up in the very-much-underrated West Coast Conference. It was representative of the NCAA's ongoing and thinly-veiled attempt to create a two-tier system for college basketball a la the BCS in football, in a naked appeal to short-term market shares and TV ratings.

    I'm sorry, but there are 31 Division I conferences in NCAA basketball, not just six. Yet 37 teams from the so-called six "power" conferences -- which no-so-coincidentally are the same six conferences that comprise the BCS -- comprise 37 of the 65 available tournament bids, and only 4 out of the 34 at-large bids go to teams from the so-called mid-major conferences.  

    Something is really wrong here. We have teams that finished in 7th place with sub-par conference records, i.e., Michigan, getting the nod over several regular-season championship teams from mid-majors.

    And I don't buy the argument that because teams from this six particular conferences have won most of the NCAA titles, they're the stronger conferences on average. When you annually front-load the NCAA tournament in their favor, with 57% of the slots this year alone going to those six conferences, the odds are better than even that a team from one of those six conferences is probably going to win it all.

    The history of NCAA tournament basketball is repleat with examples of mid-major conference teams making deep runs into the tournament (such as Davidson, just last year), although none has won the national crown since Nevada-Las Vegas slaughtered Duke back in 1991, 103-73, in what still stands as the most lopsided score in NCAA championship game history.

    It is beyond ironic that programs with serious championship-caliber pedigrees like UNLV, Houston, Utah and Texas-El Paso are now considered perpetually second-tier and thus inferior to Pac 10 / Big 10 / SEC / ACC / Big East / Big 12 teams, just as a matter of warped NCAA principle.

    Aloha.

    Don't be dissing Michigan. (none / 0) (#11)
    by oculus on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:12:18 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    lol. I would have said Arizona (none / 0) (#21)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:20:35 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    I was surprised to see Michigan (none / 0) (#24)
    by oculus on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:26:29 AM EST
    occupying a bracket, but, then again, I haven't been paying attention.

    [ Parent ]
    I can't speak to all (none / 0) (#12)
    by eric on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:16:32 PM EST
    of your criticism but I will say this:

    An empirical analysis of wins and strength of schedule does show that Michigan is deserving of a tournament spot.   I get that from here:

    LINK

    I am not defending Michigan per se, (actually, not at all, because I am a Gopher)  but the top conferences do have the more difficult schedules.

    Maybe the criteria should change?  Perhaps.  But looking at the Big Ten teams, (which are hardly considered powerhouse teams) many do have  strength of schedule credentials regardless of conference or region.

    Again, I don't defend the rest of it, but that is what I know.

    [ Parent ]

    I've got Iowa... (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 09:01:25 AM EST
    ...winning yet another National Championship.

    Oh wait, you're talking about basketball?  Never mind...  

    Well (5.00 / 1) (#50)
    by CST on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 10:40:30 AM EST
    I really know nothing about college basketball, so I'm not gonna bother to pick each game.

    Just gonna root for B.C. and Pitt - B.C. because it's the only Boston (well, Newton, but I'll cut them slack for the name) school that's good at sports.  Pitt because I used to know some Pitt basketball players who were pretty cool (and very attractive), I'm sure they're long gone, but I've got some nostalgia for the college days.

    On that very non-sports-related note, go Pitt! go B.C.! boo Memphis!

    boo Memphis lol CST, If we have any (none / 0) (#52)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 04:26:36 PM EST
    Tiger readers, I know they hate me. :)

    If, very big IF, my Vols win tomorrow, we have to play Pitt.

    [ Parent ]

    Can someone talk (none / 0) (#3)
    by eric on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:09:03 PM EST
    me out of picking Wisconsin over Florida State?  Also, Arizona over Utah.

    TIA

    Oh man (none / 0) (#5)
    by Steve M on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:19:09 PM EST
    Wisconsin is awful!

    [ Parent ]
    Gophers beat them (none / 0) (#7)
    by eric on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:25:07 PM EST
    twice, but I thought they looked good otherwise.  Hmmm.


    [ Parent ]
    I would never (none / 0) (#42)
    by cal1942 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:29:17 AM EST
    sell a Wisconsin team short.

    [ Parent ]
    Washington (none / 0) (#4)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:12:55 PM EST
    over Mississippi State

    I think (none / 0) (#6)
    by eric on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 10:23:37 PM EST
    that should be an easy one.  Is there something I should know?

    [ Parent ]
    Miss St has the leading shot blocker (none / 0) (#20)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:18:06 AM EST
    in the country. Of course, they let him foul in the SEC in my opinion :) and they may not out there. They do well in tournaments. I wouldn't pick them but I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see them win. They beat LSU and TN this week. I know the SEC is down, but LSU is pretty good.

    [ Parent ]
    varnardo is athletic (none / 0) (#40)
    by english teacher on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:22:28 AM EST
    but not very tall as far as big men go.  state is undersized compared to the top tier teams.  their strong upside is they don't turn the ball over and will beat you if they get an early lead.  they are tenacious, if you will.  they won the sec tournament with guts and poise, not talent.  

    [ Parent ]
    Yes they did. I like them and will be pulling (none / 0) (#47)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 10:25:31 AM EST
    hard for them. Varnardo is not too tall but he can jump so high...like flubber in his shoes. Good luck if you're a fan. Quit stealing all our TN boys!

    [ Parent ]
    Good luck in the Dance, Teresa. (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by jeffinalabama on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 10:49:02 AM EST
    Let's make the tourney a win for the SEC!

    [ Parent ]
    Thank you Jeff. I don't feel very good (none / 0) (#53)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 04:30:04 PM EST
    about the game. Every early game we've played this year, we were really really bad. Like they never got out of bed. We lost to KY by a bunch and to Bama at home on Senior Day. I don't like our chances.

    My mom said she hopes they give Tyler Smith lots of Red Bull...it's like he is asleep for those early games. I was really hoping for a night game.

    At least LSU got us one win. I'm watching MSU on the computer right now.

    [ Parent ]

    Where is the actual "bracket" (none / 0) (#13)
    by oculus on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:18:14 PM EST
    don't you know?  

    Lots of choices (none / 0) (#14)
    by eric on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:31:45 PM EST
    but I will link to this one.

    [ Parent ]
    I thought (not being a basketball (none / 0) (#15)
    by oculus on Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:42:18 PM EST
    afficianado) that when BTD promised to post his NCAA bracket, we would see his choices in bracket form, all the way to the final game.  Isn't this what Obama posted?

    [ Parent ]
    yeah (none / 0) (#17)
    by eric on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:13:54 AM EST
    I guess we only get text form.

    [ Parent ]
    Perhaps (none / 0) (#19)
    by CoralGables on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:16:30 AM EST
    he is still in Gator mourning.

    It was hard to even enjoy the Gator NIT victory this evening, which I must confess had the two players I trashed in the game against Auburn come back like monsters tonight. Chandler Parsons lost his starting spot and responded with 6 for 9 shooting, 3 for 3 from the free throw line, and 14 rebounds. If he played like that down the stretch the Gators would be waltzing in the NCAA rather than doing the bunny hop in the NIT.

    Put me down for 32 Cinderellas in the first round. The more the merrier.

    Go Bisons.

    [ Parent ]

    CG, the SEC is young. I hope we have (none / 0) (#22)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:22:38 AM EST
    4 teams in the NIT final four (are they in the right brackets to do that?).

    [ Parent ]
    Could have (none / 0) (#27)
    by CoralGables on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:58:33 AM EST
    they were in different brackets but with South Carolina already losing it's down to three with Auburn, Florida, and Kentucky.

    [ Parent ]
    I didn't know that. SC kind of fizzled didn't (none / 0) (#48)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 10:26:41 AM EST
    they? They were fun to watch this year and I like that young coach.

    [ Parent ]
    Not a basketball afficianado! (none / 0) (#43)
    by cal1942 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:31:50 AM EST
    That would make you the opposite of George Tenet.

    [ Parent ]
    Ha. (none / 0) (#46)
    by oculus on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 10:05:08 AM EST
    Easy google for:  Tenet

    [ Parent ]
    Thank You! (none / 0) (#36)
    by alemoine85 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 03:32:56 AM EST
    Its Just what I've been looking for, thanks!

    Allen Lemoine
    Male Yeast Infection Help

    [ Parent ]

    Site violator (none / 0) (#37)
    by Steve M on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:13:15 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Bracket Buster!!! BTD, have you looked (none / 0) (#18)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:15:19 AM EST
    at Ok State? They will beat my Vols. They play four guards and bomb 3's. Our weakness. Plus, they are way under seeded with their RPI and strength of schedule.

    Oh my gosh. I just read the last sentence. (none / 0) (#23)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:24:59 AM EST
    If Memphis wins, I will have to avoid my Vol sports board for years. They visit us daily to tell us how bad we are and how they invented basketball.

    I don't like that pick BTD. I will root against a home state school if that happens. :)

    [ Parent ]

    Re: "RPI" (none / 0) (#25)
    by oculus on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:29:25 AM EST
    Too complicated.  Focusing on playin and and AIG.

    [ Parent ]
    I'm kind of lost on this finance stuff. (none / 0) (#28)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:59:28 AM EST
    It reminds me of the bonuses we used to give out while the company was headed toward the toilet. We kept hiring million dollar bonus CEO's to go deeper in debt.

    I think the RPI is similar to the BCS in football, if that helps.

    [ Parent ]

    Ah. Thanks. (none / 0) (#30)
    by oculus on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 01:01:42 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Well, I am holding out for Portland State (none / 0) (#26)
    by caseyOR on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 12:43:16 AM EST
    to win at least their first round game. They are a 13th seed this year, better than last year's 16th seed. But after portland State goes out I will be in search of a team.

    SteveM, who is your as-yet-unborn son picking? Maybe I'll throw my support behind his teams. His picks certainly wouldn't be any less informed than mine.

    What about Wake? They are treated like (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 01:01:34 AM EST
    step kids in NC. That would be fun to see them beat out Duke and Carolina.

    Just remember casey...anybody but Memphis!

    [ Parent ]

    I'm cool on the Memphis front, Teresa (none / 0) (#32)
    by caseyOR on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 01:27:56 AM EST
    I promise I will not root for Memphis no matter who they play.

    [ Parent ]
    Thank you casey. Even over Duke, ok? :) (none / 0) (#33)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 02:17:45 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Usually, I would cheer against Duke no matter what (none / 0) (#35)
    by caseyOR on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 02:34:03 AM EST
    but you have set me straight about Memphis. So, even if they are playing Duke, I will cheer for the defeat of Memphis.

    [ Parent ]
    casey, I do too. I might give you a break if (none / 0) (#49)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 10:29:51 AM EST
    it comes down to those two. That would be tough. I don't like that the NCAA allows Memphis to have "internships" with FedEx. We call it FedEX U. It's an incredible recruiting advantange and I don't think it's fair.

    [ Parent ]
    Hehe (5.00 / 1) (#38)
    by Steve M on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:16:07 AM EST
    Little "Baby M" has UConn over Villanova in the finals.

    My wife has Portland State in the Sweet 16.  Since she was born in Oregon, I always try to find her someone to root for.  And out of respect for one of her personal prejudices, I picked against every single Texas team in her bracket :)

    [ Parent ]

    What are the implications re (none / 0) (#31)
    by oculus on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 01:03:37 AM EST
    Roe v. Wade as to an in utero fetus participating in this pool?  

    [ Parent ]
    Well (5.00 / 1) (#39)
    by Steve M on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:17:15 AM EST
    My wife told me that it's more comfortable to give birth in a pool.  I always do my best to oblige her...

    [ Parent ]
    oculus, you're funny. I wonder who the (none / 0) (#34)
    by Teresa on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 02:19:35 AM EST
    little one picked? Is it a boy? I missed out on that news.

    [ Parent ]
    Purdue (none / 0) (#44)
    by cal1942 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 07:37:56 AM EST
    will beat Northern Iowa in the first round.

    And then (none / 0) (#54)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 04:53:10 PM EST
    lose to Washington ;-).

    [ Parent ]
    We'll see (none / 0) (#55)
    by cal1942 on Thu Mar 19, 2009 at 11:52:58 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    March Madness | 55 comments (55 topical)

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