The Madness

[john250]

Now, March Madness is upon us. 65 teams, one month. The best show in sports. The best reality show going.
Duke has to be the favorite--Darth Vader was cloned from a Duke team.
Texas, Kansas, Ohio St. St John's will be a good story.
It is all about "win or go home." Pick a team, fill out a bracket at the office (you're wasting the bosses time, so make it quick). Lay in some snacks, some beer.
Someone will make a name for themself. Someone will get their heart broken. Triumph and tragedy.
The final is in Houston. I hear it's nice this time of year.

 

[pdfangus]

what the devil you talking about?

who got mad cow?

:bang: :bang: :bang:

 

[plumber_greg]

John,
Ain't there 68 teams this year? Or is that next year? Either way, I hope they never do the 95 that's been talked about. Always gonna' be someone on the bubble. I am, of course, a MU Tiger fan first then a Big 12 fan. A bunch of us are plannin' on going to KC to the tournmanet. I haven't been to the Sprint Center yet to see a game, and definatly goin' to the Hall of Fame.
BYU is gonna' be tough with Jimmer carrying them, a lot like Davidson and Stephan Curry was a few years ago.
My #1 seeds--Pitt, gotta' be one from the top conference---Ohio State, maybe the best in the land----Duke, if they're close to the top, Coach K will get them a one seed----and BYU in the west, they deserve it more than an eastern or midwestern team going out there as a number one.
I'll be making some important calls the next few weeks disscussing the tourn. Sara's husband is as much a fanatic as me, she gets tired of hearing it. My wife just says, "How many more are there?' gs

 

[VanC]

I love this time of year. March Madness and baseball right around the corner. I agree with those that say the NCAA men's BB tourny is the best show out there.

Right now my No. 1 seeds would be Ohio St, Pitt, Duke, and Kansas. I'd probably put BYU over Kansas if Brandon Davies hadn't been dismissed from the team yeaterday. That's gonna hurt. Still some games left so who knows how things will shake out.

My Illini have been a disappointment so far this year. Lot's of talent but don't seem to be able to hang onto a lead and win the close ones. If they beat Indiana Sat I think they're safely in, though. Their RPI and strength of schedule are better this year than last year when they barely missed out. Plus all the talking heads are saying that, overall, this will be the weakest field in years.

Greg- I think your Tigers will be about a 7 or 8 seed. Maybe better if they do well in the Big 12 tournament.

 

[bandit80]

Watch out for my K-State Wildcats. Peaking at the right time, and poised to make a run in March. Knocked off 3 top 25 teams last 5 game winning streak, including Kansas, Missouri, and Texas. I would think no other team would really look forward to playing them in the tourney.

Other than that, one has to like Duke, Kansas, Ohio State, Pitt. Always a Cinderalla in the field, gotta love it.

 

[plumber_greg]

K State's gonna' be tough. Talk about saving your job, afraid Frank was on the way out for a while. They don't even resemble the same team now, when he changed the offense they took off. Hate Kansas so much it's hard to admit they're one of the best. Didn't have time to read it this morn, but saw Davis commited no criminal act. Hope he's allowed back.
Van, I know what you mean about the Illini. My tigers can't win on the road. Hard to bitch about a coach that wins 20 every year, but Anderson's style of play just isn't gonna' really ever win big time. Jury is still out on him around here. Better than Snyder tho'.
I think Duke will win it all. Full strength, and Coach K is a winner. gs

 

[john250]

I have been too busy watching to bump my own thread. This first weekend (the round of 64) has been heavy with well played exciting games.
The highlights:
Morehead State, an amateur schoool from the mountains beats Louisville of the Big East.
Butler and Old Dominion play to a 60-58 finish..
In possibly the best game since Ky-Duke back in the 90's the Butler Bulldogs beat the No. #1 seeded Pittsburg Panthers of the Big East.
Lots of good games I haven't mentioned.
This is just tooo good.

 

[MistyMorning]

As usual March Madness ushers in a heck of a storm around these parts, nasty one brewing out there right now. Guess that's a sign to get up to date on the latest games........

 

[john250]

As usual March Madness ushers in a heck of a storm around these parts, nasty one brewing out there right now. Guess that's a sign to get up to date on the latest games........

So you get two feet of snow? How is that different?

 

[MistyMorning]

As usual March Madness ushers in a heck of a storm around these parts, nasty one brewing out there right now. Guess that's a sign to get up to date on the latest games........

So you get two feet of snow? How is that different?

Is this supposed to be rehtorical?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Is this supposed to be rehtorical?

Some one loan me a dictionary. I gotta know if she spelled that word right.

 

[ga.prime]

Duke. Whoopass.

 

[john250]

I feel bad about starting the thread and not keeping it going.
The first week I was watching from noon till nine. Recliner paralysis kept me from updating--and I was having trouble processing.
My guys (Purdue) lost to some upstart team (VCU) from VA.
The second weekend was better. Duke was beaten. Ohio St and Pitt and Kansas lost.
So...we enter a final 4 weekend with Kentucky (my team since Christmas 1963 when they won the Sugar Bowl b-ball tourney in New Orleans. I listened on a transistor radio clamped to a steel bed frame for a ground. The I-phone of the time.
UConn. The team from back East. I'm no fan of the Big East (o-ver-rated) so I discount their chances.
Butler. Second time in two years. For a school with about 4000 students and a decidedly "non-professional" approach!
Butler plays on a floor which is the Hoosier equivalent of St. Peters Basilica. So many greats played here it is hard to name them all. The Milan Miracle happened there.
Sadly, I don't think Butler can equal the athleticism of VCU. VCU has to be the best-conditioned basketball team in the country. They have one speed--damn the torpedos. Like walking into a swarm of hornets. I don't know how long they can play that style. One of these days they are going to wear out. But they are 23 or about that and I think they can do 2 more games.
VCU is my pick.

 

[VanC]

Been a great tourny so far. Lots of exciting games. I was rooting for VCU to beat Kansas like they were my own team. Quite a story there, and Butler, too. Will be rooting for Butler to win it all. They're close to home and my MIL went there.

Just out of curiosity, I was checking the Vegas odds the other night. Before the tournament started UConn and Kentucky were at 35-1 and Butler was at 200-1, but they said there wasn't enough action on them for it to be a problem if and when one of them wins. The bookies are sweating over VCU being so close, though. VCU and 18 other teams were considered such long shots that they lumped them all together and you could bet on that "field" at 75-1. Apparently a lot of money was bet on that "field". Nothing really big, but enough $100-$500 bets so that if VCU wins it all, a lot of money will be leaving Las Vegas. I've never been much of a gambler but if they do that next year I may put a hundred or two down on it. What the heck.

 

[ChrisB]

ESPN has a bracket board contest and there is a person that actually picked all final four teams. He claims it is his only board too. That is pretty amazing since no #1 or #2 seeds made it. I can see picking UConn and UK, and even picking Butler after their run last year. But how in the world do you end up picking UVC to go to the final 4?

 

[VanC]

ESPN has a bracket board contest and there is a person that actually picked all final four teams. He claims it is his only board too. That is pretty amazing since no #1 or #2 seeds made it. I can see picking UConn and UK, and even picking Butler after their run last year. But how in the world do you end up picking UVC to go to the final 4?

Before the tournament started I'd have said he was a moron or on drugs but he's looking pretty smart now.

 

[VanC]

Did a little research this morning. Here is a breakdown of seeds that have won the championship and reached the final four. Starts in 1979, the first year they started seeding the teams.

Champions

1 seeds- 18
2 seeds- 6
3 seeds- 4
4 seeds- 1
6 seeds- 2
8 seeds- 1

Final Four

1 seeds- 54
2 seeds- 28
3 seeds- 16
4 seeds- 11
5 seeds- 7
6 seeds- 6
7 seeds- 1
8 seeds- 5
9 seeds- 1
11 seeds- 3

For you tournament junkies here's a great site:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketb ... yearbyyear

 

[john250]

 

[tripleBfarms]

Nice pic of a rare Puma sighting.

Go Cats!

 

[john250]

Go Cats. I'm going to be major conflicted if the final is Butler-UK.