Not Really Perched Any More...

With Louisville's loss, looks like I should start boning up on my Cricket... (At least I'm still sitting next to Todd.) -Mook

Precariously Perched

It's an odd place to be - no one has MORE points than me (Jeff has the same number) and only two people have LESS potential points than me (though two people have the same potential points as me). What does this mean? I think I won't be enjoying this first class seat for long...

We have a new leader

I may not have the trash talk crown, but I now have the lead. MC and I (Jeff) move into first as Mr. 97% is unjustly punished for his faith in the A-10. In the late game, I have UNC and Mary Croom has Louiville, so by the end of the night one of us will be in sole possession of first place. I suppose it might not be me in first by the end of the night, but as Frank Maguire knew, and this pool is confirming, South Carolina should always defer to native New Yorkers when it comes to basketball. --Jeff

Hey Mr. 97%, How are you feeling about that Xavier pick now? I'm pulling for them because they're an A-10 team, but even at 61%, I knew enough to know that UCLA is going to take this one.

Dodie's report card

Ability to write a boring poem: A Ability to pick a decent bracket: A Getting Ole and Sarah to blog: F

On Piers Being Arrived at the Age of Thirty-Three

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, 

Stol'n on his wing Piers' third-and-thirtieth year!

His hasting days fly on with full career, 

But his late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.

Perhaps his bracket might deceive the truth

That he to vict'ry shan't arrive so near;

And all his thoughts doth on this blog appear, 

That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th.

Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,

It shall be still in strictest measure loose

To that same lot, however mean or high, 

Toward which Time leads him, and the Orange of 'Cuse: 

All is, if he has grace to use it so

As ever in the great Big-Easter's eye.

(with sincere apologies to John Milton)

Stinking it up

I really needed Stanford to win, to knock out all the folks who went with Texas. Then I needed Stanford to beat Memphis. Talk about long shots, but that was my only hope for holding onto a top spot.

Along with stinking it up in the hoops bracket, I am stinking it up in the home free-throw competition. We have a diaper champ, which is where you put dirty diapers so they don't stink up the joint. It's about eight or nine feet away from where we change Silas. (This won't make sense unless you've seen how tiny and cramped our apartment is. You put things where you can.)

After changing Silas, I turn to make a free throw. My current FG percentage is 20%. The more Silas puts into the diaper, the better chance I have of sinking the shot -- the light diapers tend to hit the rim and just bounce across it. Meredith is shooting 100%. She tried it once, sunk it, and declared that she was done with the competition.

Sonnets

Piers-

You really can't come up with a phrase that rhymes with "self-promoting guy who's asking for it".  How about:  "talks a lot of smack, talks a lot of S*%t."  Or "with his taunts to the group, he's asking for it."  Or "often confuses sarcasm with whit."

 

Mook

Mr. 97th Percentile

Good thing Dodie wrote that last post, or I might not have appreciated his commanding lead in the pool. I'd write a sonnet in his honor, except I'm not sure what rhymes with "self-promoting guy who's asking for it".

Grade: he undoubtedly gets an A, but the rest of the class hates him.

Just imagine if Xavier wins the NEXT round!

Oy vey.

Grading on a Curve

I notice that I did not get a blogging grade. I have never known
this group to avoid cheap shots, so I'm waiting for both shoes to
drop. In the meantime, I'll assume that we're grading on a curve so
that my 95-point-some odd percentage next to my score can lob me into
the A range. (I recognize the slip in points remaining--those with G
last (or maiden names) who are related to McDows by marriage seem to
be leading that category.) But its the name that begins with X that
matters.

Tomorrow night, I'm looking to see Xavier oust UCLA. Cheers to the
Musketeers. All for one and one for the Final Four. I am the only
one in our pool who picked them to win through. Even Clarkson, who
backed me up on Davidson, did not have the clarity of vision to get
on the X Train. Of course if they lose, my bracket can sing, M-I-C-
see ya next year-K - E- Y- why because I suck, L-O -U-S-E.

Clarkson McDow and Jim Goff

While they're visiting with each other at the lake, maybe Clarkson can get some pointers from Jim about how to pick basketball games and Jim can get some pointers from Clarkson about how to blog. On a different note: if Davidson kids are so smart, how come it took them this long to figure out how to do well in the tournament?

PPR gone good

Love the PPR! As of right now, I'm leading in PPR with both remaining sweet 16 games and all my final 4 picks still alive. Of course, after Xavier beats UCLA I'll be eliminated so let's just say PPR is the way to go. (from Jeff)

"Mmmmm Spicy Curry"

I saw that sign in the crowd tonight. Davidson wins big-- that's what I'm talking about! A bunch of smart kids handing it to the midwest guys. I'd sacrifice my whole bracket at this point to see Davidson advance to Final Four. I'm obviously psyched! Leslie

PPR gone bad

On Thursday morning, I was feeling pretty good with a high PPR my world was all possibilities. I may not be up with the winners, but oh the possibilities. After the late games yesterday, and Wisconsin putting in a dismal performance, I'm not as optimistic. Although, I have to say, good for Davidson. It's hard to root against them. By the way, you probably won't hear much from my dad this weekend because he is visiting the Goff's at the lake, and I don't think they have very good blackberry reception there.

The 7:30 games

I'm riveted by the games. Rooting very hard for Stanford and Davidson. I won't be catching the later games... early bedtime around here, courtesy of Silas's wake-up time.

All Quiet on the Blog Front

'Todd' apparently isn't taking Raskin's bait. But everyone else is quiet too. There isn't a very exciting game on right now that might propel a McDowHoops family team to the Elite Eight, is there? Clarkson must have forgotten his Blackberry wherever he is. [As I wrote this, Maggie contributed a post. Yes, Ole and Sarah, who *are* you?]

Ole and Sarah who?

Who are Ole and Sarah? I think they may be more elusive than the Mysterious Crawford.

Thankfully

When I click on the small picture of Todd in the post below, only another small picture of Todd appears.

New Poll!

The key feature of this poll is that you should change your vote once you have become awesome (unless you're among those hopeless individuals in the third category).

Grading Todd

Effort: A- (started slowly, but has come on strong)

Smack: B+ (too easy on Raskin and fawning all over Clarkson)

Blog identity: A ("the boy from Palouse Hills")

Picker: A- (basketball and nose)

Attitude: D (nothing like repeated little cheap shots at good ol' Piers, eh?! Back atcha baby!)

Nickname: F (Unless your real name isn't Todd, in which case you get an A+)

Degree of difficulty: 10 (for a guy who doesn't follow basketball, you blog it well!)

Overall: A (but remember I'm not a math guy)

That should make you smile.

<-- Like that!

Correction

Mook, I'm not sure how I skipped over your bracket! My apologies. In my defense, I was moving fast to get my post up before the judge came in this morning. You did pick Memphis. I'm wrong to call into doubt their likelihood of making the Final Four. (The pool collectively thinks there's a 64% chance Memphis will make it.) You have Georgetown winning it all, which explains your anemic PPR ... so far Lauren hasn't crunched new numbers, but I predict that we won't be tied for long! Anyone else who wants a midterm grade should just let me know. I thought it would be pretty obnoxious to grade everyone, so I just targeted a few of you (which was only mildly obnoxious). Here is another selection of smack grades: Mook: A+ for cricket smack; A for birthday smack; A- for NCAA smack Charles Stuart: A+ for nickname (great "O or D" post!) Ole: F Sarah: F

Hello?

Todd:
I realize that I'm living in a country with ~ 1 billion people, and a city with ~ 20 million people, but I'm a little hurt to be so over-looked.  I'm tied for second place.  WITH YOU.  Not only do I have Memphis in the final game, I feel I've talked my fair share of smack.  About basketball AND cricket.

 

Wondering what it takes to get noticed around here...

Mook

 

PS - Anwar said that Tendulkar was the greatest cricketer of all time.

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

Sitting Next to Todd

Just like I said I would be... 

 

-Mook

When Your Bracket is. In the Tank

My bracket is in the tank so now iI have the freedom to pull for alll of the underdogs.  WKU is trying to pull one of the all time major upsets. They may fall short but you have to love them. 

--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

Vols dealt bad Cards

Looks like it's Clarkson (and Leslie) who's stewing after that awful game played by those hound-dogs.

A lesser team would be in trouble.

--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

Watch Tennessee

   The Vols have my bracket in their hands.   I think they are getting ready to make a move
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

No O or D?

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that neither of Clarkson's "Offense Wins" or "Defense Wins" is doing anything worth squat in the pool?  Clearly the best teams are the ones those that play neither.

Also, Todd, hope Washington is paying you for the PR job you're doing.

(Some great new nicknames offered up by Piers, if any of the younger cousins are looking for one.)

Not exactly down and out

My team may be returning to the Palouse Hills, but fortunately I hedged by picking UNC. I am currently #1, wreaking havoc on Lauren's formula. However Dodie has moved up to #2, in support of Lauren's formula. We shall see what happens next.

Get it together UT!

Leslie, where are you? I need you to get your team in gear!

A-10 fanatacism

Jeff is on fire tonight. He wanted me to post: With Xavier's win tonight and UMass winning at Captain 'Cuse, the A-10 is no 12 and 10 against the Big 10 this year. If GW can't even make the A-10 tourney, Jeff will find his highlights wherever he can.

Let's call him Cat Stew

Or cat-baller or Stewed cat or fish balls or.... ? Dodie picked Xavier to go to the Final Four, so he is pleased. He is currently on the road to Philly, to spend the night before going to a meeting in NYC. Maybe he will inspire Ole and Sarah to join the blog during his stop-over. Cougars (and Todd) down and out.

Vote Stewballer

I voted for Stewballer but that is not his best nickname. In days gone by he went by the name of "Catfish."

Nighty Night or Mighty Mite?

I think they are better than you think. Lousville will not be playing the last game but are playing this game. When is the last time that Loserville did not fold early? Believe me Gamecock fans can smell a team about to fold. We have had much experience. The Stewballer will be stewed before this deal is over.

Let's go Xavier

That's it. I need them to win.

You mean: Nighty-night Vols!

While you you were working hard for the government, Clarkson, you must have missed Louisville's last game. Looks like Stew-Baller is running away with the poll. Rightly-so.

The Night of the Tennessee Vols

I am sorry that I have been working my day job the last few days and am actually still there trying to get caught up for a long weekend. In my absence I notice that the discussion has reached a level of intellect that is possible with my participation. I will drag the discussion to a level that will remove all doubt why SC is 49th in education. Todd avoided a D in physics but I was right proud of mine. The math of Lauren's formula was not nearly as impressive as the fact that it proved my point exactly. I least I think it did. Us D students don't exactly work the formulas. We look them over, comment on them and then take a guess at the results. Actually calculating a formula is the sign of a real nerd. Back to basketball. That is a sentence fragment so don't tell Thomas who would immediatly throw me out of the family. This is the year of the Leslie teams. Sunday we pulled out Davidson and tonight it is Tennessee's night. They have saved their stuff for the last four games. No use bringing your A game to the first and second round. Save it for the big games. I think I am the only one taking them to the Final Four. Does Leslie have an excuse for not supporting her own teams. I will miss it but UNC and Washington State should be a classic game of offense vs. defense. My bracket has UNC and they may win, but I hate betting against a team that was able to wipe the floor with Winthrop. I will check later to see how my teams are doing. I think my point about potential is valid though the better argument against it is not a formula but a reminder that only eight days ago we all had the potential to win all the points. They don't really count until your team is ahead at the final whistle. Capt. Cuse can vouch for that. Otherwise Syralose would be playing South Carolina in the Big Dance.

Jiminy Cricket! Let's get back to basketball!

Today's line-up:

7:10 PM ET
(7)West Virginia (26-10, 11-7 Big East)
(3)Xavier (29-6, 14-2 A 10)

7:27 PM ET
(4)Washington State (26-8, 11-7 Pac-10)
(1)North Carolina (34-2, 14-2 ACC)

9:40 PM ET
(12)W Kentucky (29-6, 16-2 S. Belt)
(1)UCLA (33-3, 16-2 Pac-10)

9:57 PM ET
(3)Louisville (26-8, 14-4 Big East)
(2)Tennessee (31-4, 14-2 SEC)

All excellent games that could go either way. Cougar success will depend a lot on whether Baynes can stay out of foul trouble. But Hansbrough (Psycho-T, as they call him) is good at drawing fouls. I think this means a tough night for WSU. I hope I'm wrong!