Selection Sunday!

Hung Fu Panda from St. Pattys. Giving me good Vision of the Board.

Week of Conference Tournament

And. Here. We. Go. What a week yet again. Really enjoying the quality of the games that I am watching, with these teams being just about finished products at this point. Teams know their identity, and its awesome to be able to see everyone go at each other. Everyone is watching the games now and has an opinion but love all of the discourse that is buzzing around my days now. Have to admit, I got complacent this week with my watching, going against my guns and watching a lot of games under the influence of alcohol and at the local watering holes, but its your classic 90/10 situation here (meaning 10% of life is what happens and 90% is what you do next shout out Henry Dodge). However, it was St. Patty’s in Chicago and it just had to be done.

The madness has also begun with crazy endings just seeming to happen all the more often in the blessed month of march. Not sure if people were able to watch the Ivy league championship, but that was one of the best games I have ever watched, and I just cannot wait for more of these instant classics.

Also was able to lock into some of the mid major games and those small gyms are just absolutely electric. The crowd pops in the small gyms just mean more, and it is also great to just watch some terrible basketball on occasion that ends with a super tough step back at ends of possessions.

Not going to do the game-by-game recap this week with the sheer amount of banger games but going to do an initial reaction of each region. Obviously going to lock in and figure out a bunch of obscure stats that mean absolutely nothing about each matchup before I make my picks, but also think at the end of the day, you got to pick with your gut, or the team with a better mascot. Got some discourse of things on my mind but then a quick bracket overview at the bottom.

Something I’m Tired of

I am tired of watching the first 4 out and last 4 in graphics and all of the conversation that goes around the bubble. Auburn is actually pathetic for literally pushing propaganda as to why they should being the tournament and Joe Lanardi is even worse for being a pawn of the SEC/ESPN and putting them constantly in the conversation. For the record Joe, they lost 3 games in a row at one point this year, and you moved them into the last 4 in. This week I have to watch them jump a bunch of teams because they had a strong performance against Mississippi State. Congratulations Auburn, you played a good game against a team that 13-19. On the flip side of the coin you got Andy Katz talking about all of these Big 10 teams who need to be in. I understand that you are going to have biases and opinions, but shamelessly gassing up the teams who are in the conference you cover and then posing as an expert on the topic is pathetic. If you’re going to be on national television, address the bias or get out of here. Also, you guys have literally the coolest job ever can you just be respectable and do a good job.

Also, the thing that we have to talk about is that THEY HAVE NO IDEA. They aren’t sitting in the rooms having the discussions about the bubble, and I understand that we have to talk about something, but it actually so annoying. We literally have no idea, so stop pushing these fake stats and metrics that you can manipulate to push a narrative down our throats.

One more thing on the bubble talk, while it is frustrating that these teams who just need to win/put up a decent performance and they just cant do it, we have to remember that these teams are not good. Everyone in this bubble conversation would be ranked somewhere between 35-43, so end of the day, we cannot rely on these teams to get the job done. In my opinion, more of the talking by these big media sports heads should be on the seeding, because that actually matters in the national title race. The difference between a 4 seed and a 3 see is huge in terms of the road to the Final Four, and even more important is the top 2 seeds who get to pick their location. Why aren’t we talking about that? Feel like the road/opponents/seeding needs to be something that we need to discuss ESPN, but once again, what do I know.

WHOSE HOT

· Purdue – Still skeptical but just won the Big 10. Were preseason #1 and national title favorites to start the year. Congrats to smith on the assist record as well. That’s cool.

· Arkansas – Darius Acuff needs to be in that number 1 pick conversation and Calipari has tourney experience

· Vandy- Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles are an elite backcourt and if you’re a “Guards win in March” guy they are a good team for you to pick

· Wisco – I am scared of them if I am a high ranked team. They can literally just outscore you. Stay away from Duke.

· Iowa State – Put up a good showing at the Big 12 in blowing out the inferior opponents, and paying Zona super tough to the point where they needed a buzzer beater

WEEKLY SUPERLATIVES

· Team – Purdue. Big 10 champs. Looked good on defense

· Player – Darius Acuff. – Hes gross.

· Game – Penn vs Yale. Literally a duel for the ages.

· Play – Akron game winner. That was tough. Hometown kid. Hit the Dwade. I like it. Also has a sick name.

o Honorable Mention – Jaden Bradley Game winner and TJ Power Overtime forcer

Quick Thoughts by Region

EAST – Tough region. Region of the Blue Bloods with Duke, Kansas, MSU, UConn, and St Johns. Dangerous 8,9 teams with Ohio State and TCU which I don’t love for my Boys. USF is going to be a trending pick and definitely could beat L’Ville if they don’t have a great shooting day, but I’m riding with the Cards. The second round matchups are going to be really fun here with St. Johns v Kansas, and however it shakes down at the bottom.

Like Duke is make it out if Ngonba is playing, and saw a report yesterday that Caleb Foster is slotting back in if they make it to the Elite 8.

Sweet 16 Initial Picks

· St Johns, UCLA, Duke, MSU

o Think that UConn is not playing great right now

WEST – Much weaker region than the East in my opinion. Game I already have circled is Wisconsin/Arkansas, which I am actually a little upset about because I wanted to pick both of them to go far. The bottom half of the bracket has no one I would consider a dangerous team outside of Purdue. Like Texas to make a run past BYU and the Zags, but definitely have some bias present with that pick. Miami/Mizzou is a fun game to watch and think that they

Final 4 Pick - Arizona will cruise until the Sweet 16 and if they get past Wisco/Arkansas, should be good to make the final 4, unless the Purdue we saw this week is what we run into again.

Sweet 16 Initial Picks

· Texas, Purdue, Zona, Wisco/Arkansas (Splitting Hairs Hard but leaning towards Wisconsin)

MIDWEST – They mentioned it in the selection show, but a lot of good guards in this one. Not as convinced that Michigan is the team to beat anymore, especially based on how they have been playing, but once again think they should be chilling into the Sweet 16. Bama would definitely give them a good game should the stars align. In the bottom half of the bracket, Santa Clara is dangerous and I think will beat Kentucky. UVA is still underrated and that game against Iowa State would be great. On the Zips against Texas Tech as the upset of the region.

Final 4 Pick – Michigan is still beyond talented, and I think they will gt it done. Especially with how the top of the bracket looks. They should get confident as well too going into the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16 Initial Picks

· Bama, UVA, ISU, Michigan

SOUTH – Houston has the possibility of playing a home game in the second weekend, which will be important advantage for them going forward. Vandy has to feel disrespected with their ranking, especially after making it to the SEC title and beating the 1 seed in Florida, so think they might make a nice little run. Troy is a sneaky upset pick against Nebraska, but I am not ready to make that prediction yet. Illinois is going to be dangerous with their offense. Florida has been a team I am high on all year, and excited about the potential rematch with Vandy

Final 4 Pick – Houston. So well coached and have more than enough talent obviously. Being at home is a massive advantage and I think something they we capitalize on.

Sweet 16 Initial Picks

· Florida, Vandy, Houston, Illinois

Will be making some changes to these and putting my bracket up here on the internet at some point. However, know I am in the same bracket challenges with a lot of the readers, so don’t want to mess up the prospects of making money.