Good or Bad Calls?

Was watching but unable to listen to the game but there seemed to be some questionable calls (including allowing just 0.2 seconds to run off the clock on the intentionally missed free throw).  Will have to see what happened there.

But congrats to Michigan St. (again) for making the Final Four.  They always seem to sneak in, especially in broken brackets.  No one picked them but it did eliminate Another Two-Peat (who was the only one to pick Tenn) from winning first.  The next game is crucial in terms of standings.  If Baylor wins, only 9 can win the money spots with 4 still having a chance for 1st.  It’ll also give The Pride of Troy! at least 4th place and Marinomac at least a tie or 5th place (could lose the tiebreaker).  If Duke wins, 13 will still be alive but only 3 could win 1st (You’re My Boy Blue, The Pride of Troy!, and Blue Devil Blues) with You’re My Boy Blue guaranteed at least 3rd place.

I Don’t Know What to Think

WVU goes 0 for its first 17 16 from 2-point range; Kentucky goes 0 for its first 20 from 3-point range.  West Virginia misses 8 free throws after taking a 61-45 lead with 4:25 left.  Somehow, WVU is going to the Final Four for the first since 1959.  Duke is now the last #1 seed.  29 picked WVU.  Larzby is still in first and has a 12.5% chance for first but can’t pick up any more points.  The overwhelming favorite is The Pride of Troy! who has a 87.5% chance for money and a 50% chance for 1st.  He is also trying to get his 3rd year in the money (the previous were 4th place finishes).  Six have a 12.5% chance for 1st.  Just 17 can win money.

Midwest in Shambles

Live from the Home Depot Center in Carson!  Tennessee made its first Elite 8 in defeating Ohio St.  In the Midwest, a #5, #6, or #9 team will make the Final Four.  The Vols win eliminated 10 brackets and 8 from winning 1st.  Baylor dominated St. Mary’s, sparked by an early 30-7 run, and will face either Duke or Purdue.  Baylor knocked Larzby from 1st and now You’re My Boy Blue is in first followed by Another Two-Peat.  Just 35 now can win money and only 13 can win 1st.

It’s Over?

Well, for me, at least.  Eliminated once again on the first day of the Sweet 16.  But the Kansas St.-Xavier game finally ended after 2 OTs.  Larzby, the defending champ, is in first, going 4-0. 

I traded half-price Todai’s for missing possibly the best game of the tourney, but considering the team I wanted (Xavier) lost and the Kentucky-Cornell was a rout, I’m happy with the dozens of sushi I ate.

The Butler Did It (C’mon, you knew that was coming)

Butler started with a very long 3 which started an 11-0 run to make the Elite 8 over #1 Syracuse.  Is it because Syracuse had the furthest to travel as a #1 seed?  By not getting the 3rd #1 seed, they went to Salt Lake City instead of Houston.  So the Orange (what was wrong with Orangemen?) are the 2nd #1 seed to fall.  How will Kentucky and Duke do?   Five entries, believe it or not, picked Bulter into the Elite 8.  This propelled Larzby into a tie for first with SilverSurfer (84 pts).  ChasCroix5 went from 100th to 76th and still has a chance for 1st.  14 entries were eliminated (leaving 61) and 10 were eliminated from winning (leaving 32).

Update:  In the second game, it was a turnover-fest but West Virginia easily held off Washington even without Darryl “Truck” Bryant (broken foot).  88 picked WVU and three more were eliminated (leaving 58) and only 30 can win 1st.  Can’t wait for the big game and hope it’s not a blowout, between Kentucky & Cornell.

FOMI, IlliNI.T, and MB Camel Jockies all still have their Final Four intact.  Marty the Greek joined previously Sisyphus as the only ones who will go 0-for-the-Final-Four.

Offline for a while…

Got to get some actual work done, but David has put up the standings.

Edit: The update page has the possibilities and if you are clever (hint: how many picked Kansas to win it all?), somewhere on that page you can click to find the money prize breakdown – or you can wait til tomorrow night.

‘Cuse I Said So

Marinomac was the only entry to pick Gonzaga so he falls from 7th to 28th.  The other interesting thing is that of the six who still have their Final Four intact, ChasCrois5 is the only who hasn’t gotten any of them yet… they (Ohio St., Duke, Pitt, West Virginia) all play later today.

How Bad Was Your Day?

So we now have 2 double-digit seeds in the Sweet 16.  Two games to go.  How’s this for adding insult to injury or pouring salt on a wound.  Sisyphus, who was already last at the end of Round 1, today lost Villanova, New Mexico, AND Kansas in his Final Four.  Only Pitt remains and that’s because they don’t play until tomorrow.  The order on top:  SilverSurfer, SlackJaw (who were submitted by the same person, Jon J.), and my mom (Besst).  Just 4 still have their Final 4 intact.

Jonna Rocks!

Wow.  Wow.  Wow.  The first #1 seed falls and who would’ve expected it to be Kansas?  Well, Jonna Rocks did.  She rocketed up 35 spots from a tie for 77th to a tie for 42nd.  How heavy a favorite was Kansas?  64 picked them to win, 83 had them in the Final, and 96 had them in the Final Four.  Wow.  Wow.  Wow.

The Big LEast

Another Big East team fell, this time our first “big” team to go, Villanova who lost to St. Mary’s (Ca.).  That’s the fifth Big East team to fall (of 8).  Boy, if we had 96 teams we could’ve gotten two more Big East teams!  AndyParsons2 and Max Approved were the only ones to pick the Gaels.  Butler was picked by 50 (boy, great defense on the last play, not even giving Murray St. a shot at the basket).  And 17 picked Tennessee.  SilverSurfer is alone in first but he has Villanova as his champion.  Three others lost Villanova as their champ and 45 others had them in their Final Four.  So 1 of the 3 double-digit teams have survived with 5 more to go.

Settled Down

After a wild Thursday, Friday took more to form with 13 top seeds winning.  Suznana and SilverSurfer are on top getting 27 correct (54 pts).  Sisyphus is last with 34 pts.  Random is the only person who could win all 16 games in the next two days.  And the Pac-10 win both games (Cal exploding to a large early lead) and maybe, might get a little respect.

Sort of close…

Some good games but nothing really going down to the wire with the closest margin being four points.  Suznana and EMAW are alone in first, going 20-4 (40 pts).  There are two struggling at .500 (12-12, 24).  Eight games left!  Popular upset pick Siena (46 entries, the team picked the most ranked #11 or higher) failed to come through like they did two years ago (beating Vandy, also as a #13 seed).

Hangover…

After a great first day, this second started out bleh with no close games and trendy pick #12 Cornell the only upset.  But we’re only three games in.   Everyone got WV but after Xavier won, Suznana and You’re My Boy Blue joined EastCoastBias on top.  After Cornell’s win (picked by just 35), SilverSurfer, The Other White Meat, and EMAW joined the trio to now form a 6-way tie for first.  Four are lagging behind with just 8 wins in 19 games.

Craziness…

Wow.  Six upsets in the first 12 games.  That’s more than we had in all of 2007 (5 in 32 games).  No one picked Ohio U. to beat down #3MW-Georgetown, meaning Sexual Napalm’s win streak ended at 10.  He then didn’t pick Washington (Go Pac-10!) which now puts him in a 5-way tie for first and a 2-game losing streak :-).  Just 40 picked Washington while 67 picked Northern Iowa.  83 have more than 6 wins, so pat yourselves on the back.

Jonna Rocks and Droppin’ Dimes (which he has now lost 2 of his Final Four (Notre Dame)) lost their champ, the Hoyas, while three more lost them in their Final Four.  And curiously, #1 had UTEP in his Final Four.. whoops.

Three (Random, David’s Lighter, and EastCoastBias) still have their Sweet 16 intact so they avoided the Hoya hype.

Quick Start…

Three (EMAW, You’re My Boy Blue, Sexual Napalm) have jumped to an early lead, winning all 7 early games thus far.  11 are tied for last with just 3 wins (Villanova (barely), Kansas St., and Baylor).  I heard the buzzer beater by Murray St. but wished I could’ve seen it live, as buzzer beaters have been a rarity the past few years.

Another Two-Peat played his heart and lost his champ Florida.  27 picked Old Dom, 25 picked Murray St., and 55 picked St. Mary’s upset (though a favorite to do so).