Lauren: please run the new numbers

Okay, UCLA has not looked particularly dominant in their latest two outings. Nevertheless I have picked them to go all the way. In my office (money) pool, where I'm in the hunt at third, I have UNC going all the way -- I'm not crazy. But in this pool, I wanted both a shot at winning and a chance to talk smack about west coast teams along the way.

So I'm still in this thing, but I wouldn't bet on myself. Lauren, what does your analysis say? Dodie has a lot of PPR, but he's banking on two upsets: Xavier and Wisconsin in the Final Four. Also, he and Lauren are the only ones in the top five who picked Memphis to make it to the final four. Will that happen? (You'll remember that Hillary has them going all the way.)

I second the call for Ole and Sarah to join the blog. Meanwhile I was psyched to see more posts from Margaret and Jeff. Clarkson maintains his A+ status for smack talk, although I'd like to correct the record to say that Piers is the one who avoided the D in Physics. I am the one who avoided a D in Evolutionary Biology. Don't ask Dodie about the courses he avoided D's in.

A brief selection of people's smack-talk grades -- this is just the midterms, so don't worry too much, folks -- might be awarded as follows:

Piers: A (for quantity)
Lauren: A (for quality)
Raskin: B+ (more posts and more insults, please)
Will: C- (narrowly avoiding a D; get with the program)
The Mysterious Crawford: F