The only real question regarding my bracket every year is at which point will it become such a hilariously poor predictor of reality that I can mentally throw it in the trash and enjoy the tournament for what it is. That time has come early this year.
Tell me about it, Jobe. With Kentucky and MSU going down today, my bracket is done. But I didn’t bet anything on it, so no biggie. I was able to enjoy the UAB win because I actually wanted them to win (since I am from Huntsville, AL).
Done, toast, poof.
— Alan
All my Final Four picks are gone, but Illinois pounding Cincinnati into dust this afternoon is easing a lot of that disappointment.
Woohoo! UAB and Alabama…representin’ the dirty South. Or at least that’s what the kids are saying.
As a UAB graduate, I followed them closely up until the last few years when former coach Gene Bartow’s son ran the program into the ground. Then an Arkansas assistant took over two years ago and everyone pretty much expected much of the same. I new they were improving as this year wore on, but I had no idea they were headed toward this kind of plateau. Maybe next year they can fill up that giant 9,000 seat arena once or twice.
I, of course, picked neither team to go past the round of 32. Now I can root for them since my bracket is trashed, too.
But you picked Vandy, right Tyler? You know, if you had told me that Alabama and Vandy would be the last two teams representing the SEC in the tourney I would have said you were insane. This really is a great time of year, isn’t it?
Believe it or not, I did. I had heard one report the day before that Vandy might surprise some folks and I put them in the Sweet Sixteen. They may be the only team I have still alive.
When will it be Thursday already! I got used to having games every day and I already miss them. I normally don’t even like basketball (I don’t watch the NBA, except for some playoff games), but the atmosphere during these college games, especially the tourneys (conference included) is incredible. I feel lazy and empty on days off.
You’re not watching the NIT like hundreds of other Americans?
— Alan
Everyone here knows I’m a Duke grad, right? (runs for cover)
Heh. But you know, it IS funny that the NIT doesn’t feel right. I mean, it can be pretty good basketball and I am glad it exists, for those teams that didn’t make the NCAA. But I just can’t get excited about it. I guess it is like the Bowl games…after a while, you start to wonder if everyone is playing in them (of course, as a Vandy guy, I never wonder if MY team is playing a bowl game…I already know the answer).
I can’t think of any way to spice the NIT up, either. It will always seem second rate. That goes for the women’s tourney too. I feel like I SHOULD be interested, but I’m just not.
The NIT was useful back before the NCAA Tourney moved to 64 teams. Teams ranked in the top ten would, in some cases, not get bids and the NIT was pretty attractive to those schools for post season play. Now the NIT seems more like a chore or, at best, scrimmage for next year’s teams.
Turn on the TV right now. Virginia, the unanimous #1 seed and the #1 team in the nation, is down 12 points with 7 minutes left to the #16 seed, UMBC. I hope I didn’t just jinx the Retrievers.
Whoa! you ninja-ed me by digging up a 14-year old thread???
17-POINT LEAD WITH 3:29!!!
There goes my bracket!
I think pretty much 100% of brackets.
Mine was already kind of a mess, but now I’m seriously fucked.
Holy shit, everyone always figured that the first #16 seed to beat #1 would be one of those nail-biting miracle shots at the end. But UMBC toyed with Virginia, utterly demolishing them by 20 points. Virginia is the team that dominated the mighty ACC. Just insanity.
If someone wins Warren Buffett’s million dollar bracket challenge this year they will have earned that money!