Honorable Mention

I realize that there is still another game to be played before the tournament is over. But Will has already claimed victory, so I thought it time to start in with the Honorable Mentions. We have A LOT of funny people on this blog but by far, I found Stew-Baller's post on March 30th to be the funniest: Of course, I'd probably be inclined to skip class too if my Professor kept pausing his lecture to blog about his losing bracket. So Todd, as you are working on the final grades, I'd like to put in a good word for my funny cousin. -Mook

Yowzer

I'll just say Clarkson deserves everything he gets. I'm in Heathrow Airport and thought I'd check in. This is great! Way to go underdogs! Go Memphis!

We Have a Winner!

Memphis by 2?  UNC by 3?  Don't listen to a bunch of gamblers when the  sage advice of the Hipster Pickster is available.   Many of you wrote me off. I will let Lauren be the final word on the math but I must respectfully suggest that we have a winner and it is yours truly. Only four of us have our chosen campion in the final game. One of those is Maggie Lou. 
      The mysterious Crawford couldn't keep up after a blistering start. His parents should have read him the story of the tortoise and the hare.
         I am deeply humbled by my victory and I could not have done it without my team mates.  I took it one game at a time and played within myself. As they say when the going gets tough the tough get going. The game is not over until the fat lady sings and she sang for UNC early tonight though they attepted a come back. To all UNC fans: which North Carolina school gave Kansas the best game?
      Piers should know that McDow is a Scottish name.  That picture looked a little like the forming of the food line at Thanksgiving.
       The Memphis-Kansas game should be a good one. If anyone wants to learn more about bracetology,  I would be willing to trad some picking tips for some blogging lessons.
       I still think Davidson was the story of the tournament. They did great and I am sorry they weren't playing tonight. Next year The Citadel will break their long streak and make it to the Big Dance.
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

PPR = Zero; Smack Talk = Zero

I find, oddly, that with my PPR now being nothing, I have nothing to offer for smack... -Mook

Pee-yu

I am glad that UNC was playing in San Antonio. They stunk it up so
bad I'd be worried about the our dear residents of Carrboro and
Durham being gassed by the noxious vapor. And Psycho T was psycho,
thinking somehow at the end that he could win the game solo.

I picked UNC to win it all, and they almost came back tonight, but
their first half was horrible. Not much else to say.

The Line

Just checked the betting lines: Memphis to win by 2 UNC to win by 3 Looks like the professional gamblers think UNC is far more evenly matched than the sMaCkDOWn poll would lead you to believe.

Are the McDows Scottish?

It just occurred to me that my trip to Scotland could be a McDowHoops pilgrimage of sorts. Minimal research suggests that the McDow clan was a basketball powerhouse during the reign of James VI. Known as sore losers but excellent marksmen, their strategy was to intimidate their opponents into forfeiting. Below is a picture of the McDow clan after a rare loss.

I'm not totally sure, but I think Clarkson may have just jinxed both Memphis and Kansas

Good thing I'm off to Scotland from Saturday until next Wednesday, so I won't have to watch one of those perennial powerhouses UNC or UCLA win it all. Yawn.

Of course, with the internet broadcast, maybe I'll be up at 2AM watching the final.

I think there may be some haggis in my near future! Will and Leslie just let me know if you want me to bring some back for you.

"Don't look back. Somebody might be gaining of you."

For those of you who have long since counted me out, I have done some math as they taught me at Central Elementary School in Rock Hill. Lauren and Georgia Tech math could prove me wrong, and it would not be the first time, but the Hipster Pickster is still alive and well at least until the first game is played on Saturday. I have three teams left in the final four and picked Memphis and Kansas to win Saturday with Memphis winning the championship. No one ahead of me has this deadly duo in the finals nor do they have Memphis winning it all. Therefore, if I am correct for these three games, I pick up 400 points and finish with 1270. Jeff would pick up 120 and finish a distant second. Leslie and my RPI method pick would also pick up 120 and finish behind me. None of the other leaders, including the Mysterios Crawford, would get any additional points. No team this year has beaten Davidson this year and then lost their next game. So Kansas is a shoe into the finals. Memphis is the place I was married and where Will and other famous personages were born. How can they lose? Only if they eat too many ribs from the Rendezvous waiting for the game to start could they possible lose. Therefore, my bracket is much alive and well. I am not sure if anyone can win if they lose any of the remaining games so my chances are as good as anyone's.

Half explanation

Todd, your chair throwing insight only captures part of Dodie's picture. What about the "plus" sign? I think that Dodie is trying to say that Bob Knight's throwing chairs has been a positive thing for basketball. Unless the "plus" sign is really a cross, in which case Dodie's point must be that Knight has been unfairly crucified for his throwing chairs, by those who don't understand him. Unless the "plus" sign is really a stylized tree in winter, in which case Dodie's point is that chairs are made from trees. Cricket in NYC. Just another sign that we need to tighten up our immigration policy! Looks like UNC is the favorite among our crowd. I also take it that means we'll all be rooting against them!

Without citing sMaCkDOWn, NYC Schools add Cricket League

City adds sport; suggest new al-time best player.

On Wednesday, the Department of Education inaugurated cricket as its newest league sport, with about 600 high school students playing on 14 teams during a 12-game season. The first matches, held in Queens, featured teams from John Adams, Richmond Hill, Aviation and Newcomers High Schools.

The Department of Education said New York is the only public school system in the nation to offer competitive cricket.

“The grass-roots American kids who are not 6-foot-10 and 300 pounds can play this,” he said. He pointed out that perhaps the best cricket player in history, Donald Bradman, who played for Australia in the 1930s and 1940s, was 5-foot-7.

I don't get it.

Someone (Dodie?) explain the chair to me. Is the plus sign supposed to be there? It shows up in Firefox but only half of it appears on Explorer. 10:34 update: Wait a sec. Bobby Knight throws chairs. Right? Right? Hey, does this guy know basketball or what!

For Clarkson, from Piers's Post Below

+

Because everyone needs some encouragement

HRC Wants to Bowl Against Obama

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=865c05efa09d24cd3235ef937af596a63a55fff2 (I'm somewhere between Piers and Clarkson in blogging. I'm not sure how to put the video in here.)

"This isn't Nam. This is bowling."

Piers, could it be that you are posting in an attempt to move this photo lower and lower on the blog?

The best bowlers ever, in my book:

No Piers, *this* is the best bowler ever:

Where is everybody?

How do you say "no respect" in Sri Lanka?

Poor Muttiah Muralitharan. Not a single vote as best cricketer despite being the greatest bowler ever. Actually, this is the greatest bowler ever:

But the main thing is that Imran Khan has been confirmed as cricket's best. Time for a new poll.

Bam-Bam Obama

He's got such a big head, what an easy target! (See picture below in Todd's post.) I think I can take him . (And people think he's a black militant, sheesh! Just look at the guy!)

I am coming around again on the basketball. I like Calipari's slicked hair. If I can't root for Pitino's hair, I might as well root for the next best thing.




Also, a Memphis win offers me some respectability (I picked them to win). I know respectability doesn't count for much amongst McDows (though at least Dodie made an effort to "marry up").

The fan and the know-nothing

Jeff will win it all as long as UCLA takes the championship. However, in order to avoid a tie with me, he needs Kansas to beat UNC. If the championship game is UNC vs. UCLA, and UCLA wins, then we tie for first.

Meanwhile, even Piers is beating Obama and Clinton. Obama scores up at 780, while Clinton's at 630.



P.S. Who the heck is the namesake of Jeff's bracket, Frank Maguire?

P.P.S. After a bit of web research, is it Frank McGuire, who recruited Jewish and Catholic players from New York to come down and whip some butt in the Carolinas?

P.P.P.S. Todd's photoshop grade: D

Piers Has a Good Point

But I wonder, was McDow Hoops ever based on an interest in basketball? -Mook

A Nice Surprise

Wow, what a nice feeling to walk in from a long evening of work at the coffee shop to find that I've jumped all the other Jenkins, and of course, the mysterious el Crawdad.

Piers, I hope your not going to let those net-heads get away with running down to Texas just because the Heels keep winning.  And some one told me that Chapel Hill was academically rigorous.  Of course, I'd probably be inclined to skip class to if my Professor kept pausing his lecture to blog about his loosing bracket.

PT News Wire: Fans Across America Lose Interest

Blogsville, USA. With the four #1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time ever, and with three perennial favorites among them, the climax to this year's college basketball season is promising to annoy the heck out of everybody who doesn't already root for those four stinking teams. Captain 'Cuse, a Blogsville resident, said, "For those of us with no money on these games, do we really give a rat's bottom if the mighty UNC beats the all-time winningest UCLA in the final, or vice versa?" He then added, speaking for many, "What we need is some good off-court shenanigans to make this interesting again. I mean, I'd root for the team that arrived in San Antonio underhanded because half their team was suspended for being caught in a strip club." Reminded that Memphis has not experienced the same level of success as the other programs, Captain 'Cuse recalled why he was for them in the first place. "But," he added, "half their players getting caught in a strip club would seal the deal."

Heartbroken for Davidson

They played well but just couldn't pull it through. Now I'm back to my bracket and hopefully in the running for some money at work with Memphis, UNC and Kansas still in it. Keep up the talkin guys! Leslie

I prefer my Curry hot

What happened on that last play??? I was *sure* that Davidson was the kind of team to have a nice play to run to get a good last shot. But Curry held the ball like he had no idea what to do. Argh!

What a heart breaker

Wow, now that was a great game. Leslie, you should be proud. I'm hoping that the lack of blog traffic is because everyone was so riveted to their televisions because that was quite a game.

Go Davidson!

I'm with Dodie, who wouldn't pull for Davidson at this point? I'm looking to Memphis for my only way to the top. I think I'm the only one towards the top of the heap that picked them to win it all. So, go Memphis!

Back in the Game

Dodie has provided me the blog by e-mail and on the way back from Smith Mountain Lake I will try to get back in the game though this may be dated.
      Piers, the vote here is to flunck all Heels fans who miss a class. Anybody unwilling to take an F for the team is unworthy of going. Give them something that will make them remember.  Nobody remembers the B's but who can forget an F. While talking about grades, there was some talk about avoiding D's.   Well, there is a good way to avoid a D and another method that I tried in high school. I don't recommend it.
      Dodie' percentage may be a bit low and that is OK so long as Silas is hitting 100 %.  Keep it up Silas.
       I am slightly hurt that no one sent a sympathy card for my bracket. I trust my team Memphis State is still alive though I have no access to the score. Mary Ann promises to have me in front of a TV when Davidson plays.  They are a wonderful story. Let's hope it gets even better.
                          Clarkson
--------------------------
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

Tigers Maul 'Horns, but will Wildcats raid the 'Hawk House?

In the past members of this blog have not gone out of their way
enough to sufficiently praise those in the lead. We have had,
looking over the course of this tournament, some excellent pickers,
even those who had percentages in the high nineties. So that we
don't overlook excellence in our midst, I would like to praise Jeff.
He was smart to marry Maggie, not just for the cute kids, but to have
a bunch of chumps that he could kick around in no-stakes sports
gambling. And though Mary Croom tried to hang with him, we all
know about the relative strength of the Big East. Jeff, I salute
your wisdom and foresight and hope that you enjoy your time at the
top of the heap.

For today's action, look for Memphis to beat Texas's feet in the
Mississippi mud, as Clarkson once famously tried to say. Once that
happens, the thicket will clear a bit and three super G's (Gumbinner,
Goff, and Goff McDow) and one other person will be first, second, and
tied for third, all separated by a mere twenty points.

In the second game, all the leaders have picked Kansas to win, so the
effect on our contest is pretty flat, regardless of what happens.
(Except for Jeff, who's asking, "What's the Matter with Kansas," cuz
he picked them to win the whole thing.) With a relatively neutral
result on our pool, we are all free to root for Leslie's alma mater.
I mean, who doesn't pull for an underdog from a Charlotte suburb?

Louisville's demise

Louisville's play last night brought to mind a different line by John Milton: "Whence and what are thou, execrable shape?" They really crapped up the joint during a crucial stretch! Now, I have to deal with emails like these from my students: "Dear Piers: As you know, the Heels just won, so they will proceed to the Final Four in San Antonio! As a member of the band, I have been invited to travel with the team to the game. This means that I will be out of town as early as Wednesday, April 2 and will not return as late as Tuesday, April 8. I realize this means I will miss up to 2 classes. I will continue to keep up with class readings and notes. If there are any make-up assignments you wish me to complete, please let me know. Also, our papers will be due the day/night I get back on Tuesday. If we go all the way to the final game, I will not return until after it is due. We will have Internet at the hotel, so I will email a copy of my paper to you before 8am on Tuesday. I will get a hardcopy to you as soon as I return to campus. I will also be able to email you throughout the week with paper questions should they arise. I hope this is okay. If there is anything else I need to do, please let me know. Thank you for your understanding and for allowing me this amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. GO HEELS! Thank you, [Name deleted to protect the excited]" I would like to mention to her that taking my class is also an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I'm not sure I believe it.

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.