If you’re like me you don’t just fill out one bracket, and if you do you’ll probably change it roughly 10 times. Some people will say “it’s proper” to only fill out one bracket, after all your gut feeling is just that. But who really cares if you win your office pool with one or even ten brackets, money is money! Trust me, if you win you’ll remember that for years to come. Let me get back to the task at hand, because I am blabbing on.
This year unlike many others the field is wide open. Sure you have your number 1 and 2 seeds, but lately those are not always a lock. Last year alone we had two #15 seeds upset #2 seeds in the first round. #15 Lehigh over #2 Duke and #15 Norfolk State over #2 Mizzou. One is unthinkable, but two! That parallels with rapture, oh wait never mind. Here are a few tips to help you fill out your last second bracket.
– Sure it’s easy to fill out a “chalk bracket” aka the higher seeds always win, but seriously my friends 19 month old son can do that, what’s the fun in that? Exactly, there isn’t any so don’t be that goober and don’t go “chalk”
– A 9 seed over an 8 seed IS NOT AN UPSET. So don’t stick your chest out if do.
– Always pick at least 1 #12 seed over a #5 seed, every tournament this upset happens. Sometimes more than once. If I had to choose two, which I did take Ole’ Miss over Wisconsin and Oregon over Wisconsin. Both Ole’ Miss and Oregon have been ranked this season, both won their conference tournament and both are hot.
– The “ballsy” upset. For me I’m taking #8 NC State over #1 Indiana in the second round, and #12 Ole Miss over #4 KSU and #1 Gonzaga. Not saying you have to, but JUST DO IT.
– Duke; Duke is a love/ hate relationship. Those who love will have them in the final four every year, those who will have them bowing out in the second round to Cincinnati.
– Then there is the bracket where you want to pick a big school but don’t like that they have a low seed. Oregon is a 12, hell UNC is a 9. Don’t hesitate to pick a power school with a low seed, heck Gonzaga is a #1 and their schedule consists of upstate New York JV teams.
– The stubborn bracket. This is the bracket that will have all chalk with the exception of 3 games, and those games are easy pick em’s. This is most likely that old college alum who is in his 40s and tries to relieve the glory days any chance he can.
– Last but not least we have the rando brackets, short for obviously random. This could be the best mascot, or the best food or the best travel destination. AKA Gonzaga would lose in all of them.
I’m not tell you who to pick or how to pick it, but have a little fun with it! My Elite 8 is #1 Louisville #3 Michigan State #12 Ole Miss #2 Ohio State #4 Michigan #2 Georgetown #8 NC State and #2 Miami (The U), with Louisville, Ohio State, Michigan and The U. With The U winning it all. Will this happen? Of course not, it never does. That’s why last year out of millions of registered online brackets only 4 people had them perfect. What I will say is, sit back enjoy the games, take off work, head to the bar and let the madness begin!
today on day 1, both #12’s beat #5’s
out of the four #5 vs #12 game’s three #12s won! including both of my above listed picks!