As a reminder, it’s not too late to take Friday off from work and join us for our 4^th annual March Madness Party at the Place.  It should be a doozy.   If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times.   This is one of my favorite days of the year.  There is nothing like showing up at a bar at noon, hunkering down for an entire day of drinking, gambling, eating pizzas and watching the first round of the tournament.   Maybe even one day before I die Michigan will actually be in the tournament which would be a nice change of pace.   Seriously, how does Tommy Amaker still have a job?   I honestly can’t believe Michigan hasn’t been in the tournament since Robert Trayler declared that he could leave school early for the NBA since he was leaving as a champion.  Michigan won the NIT! I actually wrote a letter to the school paper I was so pissed about that quote.  Anyway, I digress.  If you consider yourself a Stoolie than you really owe it yourself to show up for this thing.   

Now here are some of my tournament ramblings;

Rule #1 – Don’t get Cute

Now I know everybody loves picking upsets and shit like that, which is fine.   And I’ve heard all the “experts” talk about how this is such a wide open tournament and anybody can win it.  Well this is 100% false.   Florida is the best team in the country and it’s not even close.  It would take an absolute act of god for them not to win this thing.   To be honest, I’d be surprised if they even get challenged the entire time.    So what I’m saying is don’t get cute with your National Championship pick.  You generally need the champion to win your pool and this year it’s a lay-up.   Let all the fools who want to get fancy eliminate themselves by picking anybody but the Gators.    But if you want to stick around for awhile just pencil in Florida as your National Champion and move on.

Worst First Round Games:

It’s got to be the Superfans vs. Texas Tech right?  I mean you can’t draw up a more blah game than this.   They both are bad power conference schools with absolutely no story lines behind them.  Neither of them have a chance to do any real damage in the tournament.   The game is being played in Winston Salem where nobody cares about either school.   It’s just a sucky game.

Best First Round Games:

Villanova vs. Kentucky – Both of these teams are capable of beating anybody (except Florida) on any given night.   The winner of this game will set up a great 2^nd round match up against Kansas. 

Tennessee vs. LBC – I’ll watch any team that only shoots 3’s and that’s pretty much what Long Beach does.  They just sprint down court and huck a 3 and hope for the best.  It’s kind of like the Celtics in the old Jim O’Brien days. 

Marquette vs. Michigan State – I actually had Marquette as a final four team a couple months ago.  And then Dominick James went in the tank.  But I still think they are a sleeper team.  Don’t get me wrong they could get bounced in the first round, but if Dominick James can regain his shot than this team can beat Carolina.  

El Pres First Round Upset Special

New Mexico State over Texas (you heard it hear first)