What should today's (satirical) hoop headlines say? Put your best takes in the comments...
Saturday, March 17, 2012
My Brackets in the tank in record speed
I am not sure when my bracket has tanked this early. While I picked Xavier over Notre Dame, I am assuming the referee is not a Catholic. I mention Xavier and NC State because they are about only winners that I picked today. Did anyone hear the Norfolk cheer today? “We don’t smoke. We don’t chew. . . .”
Clarkson
Friday, March 16, 2012
That's what I get ...
... for dictating my picks about an hour before the tournament started, without having looked at the bracket, from a rental car in (approximately) Port Charlotte, Florida, where my son and I were heading toward our second of three spring training games. I still haven't seen my bracket, but I'm pretty sure I told Dodie to pick Norfolk and Lehigh in the first round.
Otherwise, just thought I'd remind all of y'all who won last year.
Living on past glories, which is surprisingly pleasant,
YI
Expectations
Before that game Lehigh had only ever played 4 NCAA tournament games (0-4). Duke expects to play at least 4 tournament games every year.
Wow
I was going to complain yesterday about the lack of upsets. I am no longer complaining on that score. When was the last time Duke went out in the first round?
I'l take Lehigh Road, You take the Low Road
My Uncle and Cousin, Big Ray and Little Ray, both went to Lehigh. My fingers are crossed firmly for their sakes.
Carolina Born, Carolina Bred...
That's Laura Mish... so she's bound to be a UNC fan. Duke fans are interlopers...
Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Apple has fallen far from the tree
Am I the only one shocked to see that Laura Mish picked UNC to win it all this year? She did secure favor with her mom by putting Davidson in the Sweet Sixteen
It was fun watching the VCU vs. Wichita State game and dreaming that one of those coaches might be coaching the Gamecocks next year. You know it’s a bad year when your two favorite teams just fired their coach.
Can’t believe that I picked UConn over Iowa State. They look like they look like they are sleep walking. I also picke West Virginia. No more Big East schools for me.
Clarkson
Specialty brackets
Can people explain their bracket strategies that are not just their best guesses on who will win. E.g., my bracket "Top Up" just picks the higher seed (and perceived favorite where the seeds are the same, i.e. Kentucky over UNC in the final).
'Cuse
Barely survived today and looked awful. After the game a friend texted me: "Congrats?" Exactly. I guess it's good they're still in, but I'm not enjoying it right now.
Harvard
It has been eerily quiet at my law firm. I think 30% of the attorneys here are following the Harvard game on their computers. Email traffic just picked up at the half.
Drat
Well, I've managed to flub this year's entry by failing to get into the McDow Hoops group. Though given my past performances, I will probably end up with roughly the same result. Don't think that this lets you off the hook from the infamous Chuckie-Stew's Smack Talk, I'll be posting regular updates on how well I'm doing in my group of 1.
Here is my bracket, for those interested.
http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/entry?entryID=3157294
Here is my bracket, for those interested.
http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/entry?entryID=3157294
Clover SC weighing in
The Stoneburner Family has posted all brackets ... and I apologize in advance for any smack talking done by my 12 year old, very enthusiastic, sports addict (Austin). Taylor, my ten year old, will be mild mannered - and the baby, Leyna (age five) just wanted to be included. Her picks were done after she heard me tell my husband that I never pick against smart kids or mormons. Harvard and BYU did really well on her bracket.
Thanks for letting us play along ...
Lori (TFM's paralegal)
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
RanD-MC is in the House!
Alright, my two brackets are locked and loaded, not unlike my eventual national champion--Kentucky!
My joke bracket combines my job and my conference! I picked in this order:
1) Existing Stamps Partner School (listed here: http://stampsfoundation.org/)
2) Potential Stamps Partner School (in negotiations to work with us)
3) ACC School
4) Schools that have not turned down the chance to become a Stamps Partner School (booyah!)
5) Higher seeded team
Looking forward to following the action and enjoying the sMaCk talk!
Randolph
Monday, April 4, 2011
Todd Said I had to Post
Nell - I actually turned on my first game and watched approximately 45 seconds in the first half. I think that is more than I watched last year. (I suspect if I went back to look, I did about as well this year as last)
Todd - I think your estimate of 20 years is a little light.
Will - I agree that my dog is a bulldog (for this fight only).
--
Mary M Rincon
214.941.4834
rincon.mary@gmail.com
--
Mary M Rincon
214.941.4834
rincon.mary@gmail.com
Let Butler dog-walker the Huskies
While I would love for one of my submitted brackets to come out on
top, it is only fair to say that the bracket in question is based not
on any keen prognostication on part but on the NCAA's measure of
academic progress on teams. For that reasons, perhaps, Butler deserves
to win. Also Jim Calhoun and his program are not what you call class
acts, unless you happen to lose a "cl" at some point. So, yes, I am
pulling for Butler, though I have not seen any of the game. I thought
I would amble down to the Gumbinner's to catch the second half.
top, it is only fair to say that the bracket in question is based not
on any keen prognostication on part but on the NCAA's measure of
academic progress on teams. For that reasons, perhaps, Butler deserves
to win. Also Jim Calhoun and his program are not what you call class
acts, unless you happen to lose a "cl" at some point. So, yes, I am
pulling for Butler, though I have not seen any of the game. I thought
I would amble down to the Gumbinner's to catch the second half.
I remember last year when we were in Tanzania and Nell had Butler in
her bracket. I awoke the next morning to find the news and a slew of
posts. Perhaps we will have an equally close game tonight.
Enjoying the game
even though I and most of the world have no dog in this race. However I can't help but pull for the Bulldogs. It has been a scrappy first half with a beautiful 3 at the half-time buzzer. That was about the only thing pretty in the first half. So, who else is watching?
Nell
So it's come to this
Raskin vs. Dodie.
'CUT vs. BUT.
G1 vs. T5.
Interloper vs. Insider.
8 years of Yale vs. 20 years* of Yale.
World Traveler (First Class) vs. World Traveler (Steerage).
Southern insult ("Looky here") vs. Northern insult ("Holy $#!‡, Pitt.")
Who's alive out there? What are your predictions? Your hopes and your dreams? Or is everyone just waiting for next year?
If you visit the McDow Hoops blog this evening, you are required to post.
* Approximation. Sure seemed like 20 years.
'CUT vs. BUT.
G1 vs. T5.
Interloper vs. Insider.
8 years of Yale vs. 20 years* of Yale.
World Traveler (First Class) vs. World Traveler (Steerage).
Southern insult ("Looky here") vs. Northern insult ("Holy $#!‡, Pitt.")
Who's alive out there? What are your predictions? Your hopes and your dreams? Or is everyone just waiting for next year?
If you visit the McDow Hoops blog this evening, you are required to post.
* Approximation. Sure seemed like 20 years.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Holy smokes!
Ok, I apologize to my favorite genteel Southern family for not posting recently. I have been preoccupied, and also figured that since most of my teams had gotten killed (including my two finals teams) that my bracket was busted beyond repair. But looky here! It's down to Dodie, Franklin and me.
I'm rooting for Butler, but would be happy for the McDow hoops victory should it come my way.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Yankee Interloper, This One and Not that One (and what about those other ones?)
OK, this year is officially nutty. Here is the McDowHoops endgame:
If either Connecticut (a 3 seed) or Kentucky (a 4 seed) win the final game, the Yankee Interloper will win McDowHoops. Given that the Yanke Interloper's alternate bracket "Not this one" will then win second place, I think those of us south of the Mason Dixon line might expect Re-Reconstruction.
(Y.I.)
If, however, either Butler (an 8 seed) or VCU (an 11 seed) can win the final game, the McDowHoops trophy will land at the feet of either a 7-year-old who picked teams based on the number of M's, O's, and N's in their name (thus VirgiNia COMMONwealth UNiversity) or yours truly, who entered a bracket based on each team's Academic Progress Rate (thus Butler).
In other words, no matter what happens the winner has a slim to no claim to basketball mastery.
If either Connecticut (a 3 seed) or Kentucky (a 4 seed) win the final game, the Yankee Interloper will win McDowHoops. Given that the Yanke Interloper's alternate bracket "Not this one" will then win second place, I think those of us south of the Mason Dixon line might expect Re-Reconstruction.
(Y.I.)If, however, either Butler (an 8 seed) or VCU (an 11 seed) can win the final game, the McDowHoops trophy will land at the feet of either a 7-year-old who picked teams based on the number of M's, O's, and N's in their name (thus VirgiNia COMMONwealth UNiversity) or yours truly, who entered a bracket based on each team's Academic Progress Rate (thus Butler).
In other words, no matter what happens the winner has a slim to no claim to basketball mastery.
"Oops"..the end of McDowHoops
Only 8 out of 32 entries have any possible points remaining. And only six of those can top the current leaders. So, with the UNC-Kentucky going down to the wire, here are the only possible winners of the long slog of McDowHoops. Fortunately the games have been fun to watch (except that game when your team was upset by that other team you kinds liked but didn't want to win). So now, we need to hear from the Mysterious Watson, a rookie McDowHoopster whose association with a Jenkins has not seemed to cloud her vision on picking winner.
| Current | ENTRY, OWNER | CHAMPION | PPR | TOTAL | Possible Total |
| 6 | watsondawgs 1, m. watson | UNC | 560 | 620 | 1180 |
| 23 | Mook's Random Guesses, m. rincon | UNC | 560 | 480 | 1040 |
| 24 | franklin-nilknarf, D. McDow | VCU | 560 | 470 | 1030 |
| 24 | Academic Progress Rate, D. McDow | Butler | 480 | 470 | 950 |
| 5 | Yankee Interloper!, G. Raskin | Duke | 80 | 630 | 710 |
| 9 | Not this one, G. Raskin | Duke | 80 | 580 | 660 |
So it comes down to...
the couple of folks who picked UNC and the Bean picking VCU.
The problem for a sports fan like me now is... while I don't generally root for UNC (just against Duke), I also don't generally root for Kentucky, let alone Calipari. So you might have thought I'd just root for whichever team matches up less well against UConn, except I also don't generally root for UConn (as a Syracuse guy and Calhoun disliker). So really I need some complicated probabilities for which teams will match better or worse in whatever way is required so that the winner of Butler or VCU will have the best chance of winning the Championship in the end. Except different opponents might match up better or worse depending on whether it Butler or VCU, so really I have no idea.
Time to just watch the games, I guess, and hope against hope that an underdog pulls it out.
PS Thank goodness I had Willie Nelson tickets on Friday, so I didn't have to watch OSU lose. But this tournament does make me want to sing "Whiskey River take my mind... "
The problem for a sports fan like me now is... while I don't generally root for UNC (just against Duke), I also don't generally root for Kentucky, let alone Calipari. So you might have thought I'd just root for whichever team matches up less well against UConn, except I also don't generally root for UConn (as a Syracuse guy and Calhoun disliker). So really I need some complicated probabilities for which teams will match better or worse in whatever way is required so that the winner of Butler or VCU will have the best chance of winning the Championship in the end. Except different opponents might match up better or worse depending on whether it Butler or VCU, so really I have no idea.
Time to just watch the games, I guess, and hope against hope that an underdog pulls it out.
PS Thank goodness I had Willie Nelson tickets on Friday, so I didn't have to watch OSU lose. But this tournament does make me want to sing "Whiskey River take my mind... "
Thanks to the Commenters!!
While I don't usually actually watch any basketball games, I have always enjoyed participating in the banter of McDow Hoops. I'm not sure why that isn't the case this year - but I've had a hard time jumping in. Maybe it's because my team isn't in it this year. Maybe it's because I don't really know whose teams ARE in it this year. Just not sure.
But I have really enjoyed that Dodie, Chuck,Todd (who doesn't even have a bracket!!) and Piers have worked hard to keep the emails/blogs going to entertain us. I HAVE been entertained. Just quietly so.
Thanks guys for keeping it interesting~
Mook
Maggie Lou tops for the moment
The residents of Fessenden St have not covered themselves in glory this time around--we represent some of the lowest brackets in the business--but one member of our household is, for the moment, shining. Maggie is tied for first with Barack Obama. (As far as I can tell, Chuck, Clarkson, and I all submitted the President's bracket.) Of course, she only has 80 possible points remaining. So she's living up now.
Elsewhere in our household, Franklin has VCU winning the whole thing, and my Academic Progress bracket never doubted the redoubtable Butler. I have them in it to win it.
Elsewhere in our household, Franklin has VCU winning the whole thing, and my Academic Progress bracket never doubted the redoubtable Butler. I have them in it to win it.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Duke at the Half
Arizona's hanging in there. Predictions?
Meredith and I are watching the game, rooting for the Blue Devils... I know I say this every year, but March Madness always reminds us of her year in Durham, and seeing Duke games with Will during that amazing '99/'00 season.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Alan G. Merten to retire as George Mason University president - The Washington Post
No mention at all of the Ohio State game in today's big announcement:
Alan G. Merten to retire as George Mason University president - The Washington Post
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Politics, anyone?
I'm sure we have more important things to do than comment on some basketball blog. Right?
Right?
(right?)
I guess I've still got a pretty decent team to follow in the Buckeyes, and I think this Orange team was pretty hard to watch sometimes, but still...
I was hoping for some redemption/overachievement to make up for last year's disastrously early loss by a championship-caliber team.
I need more than my favorite Muppet in an orange suit to cheer me up... so...
do you think if we made Charlie Sheen the new ambassador to Libya he could stop the fighting?
Right?
(right?)
I guess I've still got a pretty decent team to follow in the Buckeyes, and I think this Orange team was pretty hard to watch sometimes, but still...
I was hoping for some redemption/overachievement to make up for last year's disastrously early loss by a championship-caliber team.
I need more than my favorite Muppet in an orange suit to cheer me up... so...
do you think if we made Charlie Sheen the new ambassador to Libya he could stop the fighting?
Basketball Capital, USA
Richmond is certainly buzzing with excitement over our 2 teams in the Sweet 16. Though, we all know which one is better! Go Spiders!
Here's a great article from the NYT today: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/sports/ncaabasketball/22quad.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=richmond%20basketball&st=cse
Nellie
Nellie Jenkins
Delta Delta Delta, VP of Public Relations
Psychology Department Teaching Fellow
University of Richmond Class of 2011
nellie.jenkins@richmond.edu | 803.528.7744
Here's a great article from the NYT today: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/sports/ncaabasketball/22quad.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=richmond%20basketball&st=cse
Nellie
Nellie Jenkins
Delta Delta Delta, VP of Public Relations
Psychology Department Teaching Fellow
University of Richmond Class of 2011
nellie.jenkins@richmond.edu | 803.528.7744
Sunday, March 20, 2011
VCU
Rams Let Off Steam on Boilermakers in 18 Point Rout
Wow, two teams from Richmond into the Sweet 16, both with double digit seeds. Quite the surprise.
GMU-OSU: Ouch!
OSU Scandal: After Getting Tatooed, GMU Players to Miss Rest of
Tournament
Tournament
After being down by half at the half (52-26), they came back to only
lose by a third! The final score was 98-66, as if every bucket GMU
scored, OSU hit a three.
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