This is my favorite time of the year, March Madness. Yes, college football is my favorite sport, but there is something about March Madness that excites me. We will be having the third annual Finck Family Challenge this year and I am hoping to pull off a victory. My wife won the first year, yes embarrassing, yet cool, then my brother-in-law Doug won last year. I am a big sports fan, and pay attention to basketball, but picking my brackets has been difficult lately. Over the past 12 years my wife and I have filled out brackets, and she has beaten me more times than I have beaten her, so this year I need a win. One of my biggest problems in picking is getting past my loyalties; I always pick my favorite teams and tell myself it is because they are better. Since high school I have always had the same team making at least the final four, Duke, I have always been a big fan. Many times this has paid off, some time not. There are too many games to mention, but I will mention a few.
I have Arkansas winning their opening game, Woo Pig Souie, but then they come up against UNC. If they could somehow beat UNC, I do not think they will, but Va Tech only lost by 2 on Saturday, they have an easy path to the final four. They would have to beat Tennessee, but they did on Saturday. Staying in the East, I really want to pick Butler over Tennessee. Butler is a great team, and has a real shot. They returned a lot of starters and can really score, but Tennessee seems to be on a role right now and it is too difficult to pick against them, but I will root for Butler. My upset is a repeat of two years ago with George Mason making it to the sweet 16. Not only did I grow up in the shadow of Mason, my wife graduated from there, but they do have a good shot. In the end I have chalk, with UNC playing Tennessee and UNC winning
In the Midwest, in the battle of the talented Frosh, I have Beasley over Mayo. The only high seed I have in the sweet 16 is Kansas St. Not that they are that good, but I think the big ten is that bad. Again here, I know boring, I have chalk with Kansas playing Georgetown. This was a tough choice, I really like G-Town, but Kansas is just too good.
As for the South, I am not going chalk. The hardest first round pick for me was Marquette and Kentucky. I have Kentucky pulling the upset and being the only high seed in the sweet 16. My biggest upset of the tourney is Pittsburg beating Memphis. I realize how good Memphis is, but after watching them a few times this year, they can not hit a free through to save their lives, and they have not been tested the way a good Big East team like Pitt has. Crazy I know, but I needed an upset. So I have Pitt playing Texas with Texas making it to the final four. I think Texas has the easiest path to San Antonio, but in terms of who they play and where they play, Arkansas, Houston and then San Antonio.
Lastly the West. Also not chalk, but I do not have any high seeds making the sweet sixteen. As you may expect if you know me, I have Duke making it to the final four, but they play two games that I could have picked the other way. Their second day they have to play the winner of Arizona and W. VA. I think W. VA will win and they will give Duke a real run. Joe Alexander may be the one of the best players this year. I have watched him play several times and am amazed. Then of coarse my upset of Duke beating UCLA. This is crazy; many have picked UCLA to go all the way. For me I always pick Duke, I am impressed with them, plus it seems like lately the Pac 10 never lives up to its potential. I do not think they are as good a league as others think, and I think the ACC is much better.
These are my picks; I hope everyone enjoys filling out brackets and watching the games. I know I will be wrong on a few, and I hope I am. I love seeing a team like Mason or Butler go far, I would rather see that than win the challenge. Good luck with your picks and enjoy the greatest sporting event ever, March Madness.
I have Arkansas winning their opening game, Woo Pig Souie, but then they come up against UNC. If they could somehow beat UNC, I do not think they will, but Va Tech only lost by 2 on Saturday, they have an easy path to the final four. They would have to beat Tennessee, but they did on Saturday. Staying in the East, I really want to pick Butler over Tennessee. Butler is a great team, and has a real shot. They returned a lot of starters and can really score, but Tennessee seems to be on a role right now and it is too difficult to pick against them, but I will root for Butler. My upset is a repeat of two years ago with George Mason making it to the sweet 16. Not only did I grow up in the shadow of Mason, my wife graduated from there, but they do have a good shot. In the end I have chalk, with UNC playing Tennessee and UNC winning
In the Midwest, in the battle of the talented Frosh, I have Beasley over Mayo. The only high seed I have in the sweet 16 is Kansas St. Not that they are that good, but I think the big ten is that bad. Again here, I know boring, I have chalk with Kansas playing Georgetown. This was a tough choice, I really like G-Town, but Kansas is just too good.
As for the South, I am not going chalk. The hardest first round pick for me was Marquette and Kentucky. I have Kentucky pulling the upset and being the only high seed in the sweet 16. My biggest upset of the tourney is Pittsburg beating Memphis. I realize how good Memphis is, but after watching them a few times this year, they can not hit a free through to save their lives, and they have not been tested the way a good Big East team like Pitt has. Crazy I know, but I needed an upset. So I have Pitt playing Texas with Texas making it to the final four. I think Texas has the easiest path to San Antonio, but in terms of who they play and where they play, Arkansas, Houston and then San Antonio.
Lastly the West. Also not chalk, but I do not have any high seeds making the sweet sixteen. As you may expect if you know me, I have Duke making it to the final four, but they play two games that I could have picked the other way. Their second day they have to play the winner of Arizona and W. VA. I think W. VA will win and they will give Duke a real run. Joe Alexander may be the one of the best players this year. I have watched him play several times and am amazed. Then of coarse my upset of Duke beating UCLA. This is crazy; many have picked UCLA to go all the way. For me I always pick Duke, I am impressed with them, plus it seems like lately the Pac 10 never lives up to its potential. I do not think they are as good a league as others think, and I think the ACC is much better.
These are my picks; I hope everyone enjoys filling out brackets and watching the games. I know I will be wrong on a few, and I hope I am. I love seeing a team like Mason or Butler go far, I would rather see that than win the challenge. Good luck with your picks and enjoy the greatest sporting event ever, March Madness.
4 comments:
I think its Pete's fav. time of year too, Plus Fantasy Baseball. Shoot Me! I always want to do a bracket but just always pick my fav.'s so i never do them. Duke has been my fav since I was little. I even had a Duke Starter jacket!! ha ha. I bet TX/Mexico is so flipping hot...remember Im a Vegas girl and grew up by the pool so I love the heat as long as I am at the lake or pool or something :) Tell your fam hi!!
This is my year, I can just feel it.
You guys are so fun! I love that you get together and do your little family reunions and basketball tourneys, etc. Keep those traditions! I think that is so great! Good luck to you all!
I'm counting down to wing night and I'm glad you are going camping this weekend so I have a little more time until basketball completely takes over our next few weekends.
Melissa
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