Entering the Sweet Sixteen, I have to say that my bracket is looking pretty good. It helps that I had Kentucky going out a little early, picked Clemson over Baylor, and primarily went with the favorites up until this point. And I would like to think that my current success was due to the countless hours of work I have put in preparing for this tournament. Researching rosters to identify upperclassmen, checking player minutes to establish team depth, and scouting free throw percentages as games get tight at the end of March. I prefer strong guard play, note a team’s pace of play, always check... Read More

I’m not going to lie. My March Madness advice and predictions did not go well. My brackets have more X’s than a Kardashian, more scratch marks than a cat groomer, and more regrets than a night of Jägermeister. The advice to generally pick a number-one seed to win it, because a one-seed has won the last five, and eight out-of-the-last ten. That didn’t work out. My prediction that Alabama would cut down the nets, and to roll with the tide. Not great. Choosing a Final Four that included Marquette and Kansas, who both lost in the second round. Not my best day. In retrospect, I could have... Read More

Are you struggling to find North Carolina on your bracket sheet? Does Northwestern sound more like a regional site than a 7-seed? Did you assume that Gradey Dick was the name of an adult film star? If the answers to these questions are yes, I am here to help you. Like you, I may not be able to find the Furman Paladins on a map or define exactly what a Paladin is – but I can tell you that the 13th seed is a 5.5 point underdog to the Virginia Cavaliers, and that the point spread is a little misleading due to Virginia’s slow pace of play and defensive prowess. I can also tell you that the March... Read More

The term March Madness was practically an understatement for this year’s NCAA Championships. Gonzaga couldn’t make it past the Sweet Sixteen, North Carolina had an epic battle against Duke, and Saint Peter’s knocked off Kentucky, Murray State, and Purdue. The NFL gave us its own version of March Madness with Tyreek Hill joining the Dolphins, Davante Adams going to Vegas, and Russell Wilson heading to the Broncos. Baseball joined in on the March Madness by ending its lockout, implementing the DH in the National League, and starting a Free Agent frenzy. The hope was that March Madness would... Read More

Stop me if this sounds familiar. The time arrives to fill out your March Madness bracket as you methodically pencil in your winners while moving through the rounds. At your completion, your bracket ends up with just one nine-seed upsetting an eight-seed, your alma mater advancing much farther than anyone predicted, and four number one seeds fighting to cut down the nets. The process seems logical until you realize that due to the number of entries in your pool, you basically have no mathematical chance of winning because everyone has picked the favored seeds to advance, and their alma mater is... Read More

In my defense, when I suggested last week that you follow my lead as I guide you through empty brackets, possible upsets, and office pool conquests, I may have stumbled a bit. Accurately predicting that the Colorado Buffaloes would win their first NCAA Tournament game since 2012, the Kansas Jayhawks would lose early, and that Gonzaga would end up playing Baylor in the Championship may have been overshadowed by my other prediction. The Pac-12 is in for a rough tournament.  Look for Oregon State, USC, and Oregon to all go out in the first round. Full disclosure.  I failed to even bring up the UCLA... Read More

The term madness can be defined in many ways.  When defined as a state of frenzy or chaotic activity, the word fits perfectly into the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.  Sixty-four teams competing over two days, multiple games appearing simultaneously over multiple channels, and the last-second rush to make sure your bracket sheet, and entry fee, was submitted on time. When madness is defined as extremely foolish behavior, it is referring to the many questionable choices made while filling out that bracket.  The twelve-seed taking down the five-seed, because it happens... Read More

While the hungry sports fan has to settle for games of H.O.R.S.E, NBA2K, and replays of March Madness from 1992 as the world quarantines, there has been some optimism recently as many leagues start to brainstorm about returning to their games. The NHL has reported that cities across the country have shown interest in hosting playoff games at neutral-site locations. MLB has reportedly discussed the possibility of the rearrangement of leagues, increased double-headers, and reduction in games.  And the NBA has even toyed with the thought of moving the entire league to the Bahamas until COVID-19... Read More

Dear Sports,   I know that I’m not one to express my feelings in words, or have my emotions lead me towards tears.  (Except in that last scene in the movie Rudy, when he goes sprinting on to the field at the end).  But last night I found myself staring out the window, lost and empty, wondering if you were ever to return. Please know that I don’t blame you for walking away.  In fact, the distance between us has allowed me some time to reflect.  The truth is that I never appreciated you like I should have, nor did I give you the attention that you richly deserved.  All those nights... Read More

With the ongoing concerns of coronavirus, sporting events from around the globe have had to adjust their routines and make difficult decisions in order to protect players, fans, and all that are involved.  The NBA has postponed the season, the Ivy League cancelled their conference tournament, professional soccer leagues have played in empty stadiums, and the state of Washington has employed a rule that states no more than 250 people may gather in one place. The reality is such that March Madness may be played in empty or near empty arenas, the NBA playoffs may need to be postponed, and with so... Read More