Madness Update

I’ve done it again. I took myself out of contention in the opening weekend. I was upset as I watched Duke loose on Saturday, when Melissa asked why; I told her I had them in the final game. Her response to me was why did you do that? Good question and I have no good answer. Once again my loyalty to Duke has let me down, in the last two years they have gone out in the opening weekend. To make it even worst I wanted to pick W. VA (see earlier blog), I knew they had the potential to beat Duke and even get to the final four themselves. I guess I was wrong about the ACC. I grew up a huge ACC fan, and today in Basketball and Football it is my favorite division. I know they are not the greatest football division, but they have always been the best in basketball. However, this year they only got 4 teams in and two of them (Duke and Clemson) are out in the first weekend. I still have faith in UNC, but I have to accept the ACC is not the power they have once been.

The conference that has replaced them is the Big East, which still looks strong. But they too let me down when Pitt was defeated by Michigan. Here again I need to admit my earlier error. I said the Big 10 was weak. I still believe it but yet the Big ten only got 3 teams in and Wisconsin and Michigan St are still standing while Pitt, Georgetown have fallen and out of the 7 Big East teams in the dance only 3 are still standing, Louisville, Nova, and West Virginia.

The Pac 10 has played well. I am surprised to see Wash St. still in but not UCLA. UCLA is still one of the best teams, yet they will have to play better than their second game to win. I still believe they underachieve. UCLA has made the final four several times in recent years, but every year have one the best teams, yet never cut down the nets.

At this point in the tournament, I have lost so I am hoping to see some good games, but mostly I will be rooting for the little guys, especially Davison and Western Kentucky. I have spent some time in W. Kentucky and love the campus and the area and with my connection to Kentucky (my dissertation) I am rooting for W. Kentucky and Louisville. Of course I picked UNC to win, so I still will hope to see that, but still hope a team like W. VA or Xavier do well.