March Madness Picks & Banter

dijinn · #1 02-17-2002, 11:53 PM

March Madness is coming our way. As the bubbles all begin to pop we are getting a better and better picture of who's going to the big dance. I figure at the very least we can chat the games up as they come around the bend - and if there is interest I'll collect everyone's picks and post scores for everyone.

Let the MADNESS begin!!

sleeper54 · #2 02-18-2002, 01:18 AM

How about some sort of confidence pool ??

Going into the predictions...here is one prediction for the field of 64 errr, 65.

All I know is the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones are no where to be found...:-(

I'm going to have to get my excitement from something other than watching them play. Of course #2 Ia. State lost to #15 Hampton last year...

My surprise performances of the year would be Indiana and Texas Tech.

sleeper54

dijinn · #3 02-19-2002, 08:27 PM

Interesting picks mister sleeper -
I have to start coalescing mine sometime soon here in the next week or two. I have to look at your picks more closely as well. There are a few I noticed right off that were interesting...

VIRGINIA 6th in the East?? Yowsers. You must not like the ACC. hehe. No, actually I guess that makes sense. They are the 5th team to make it to da madness out of the ACC. So that actually sounds right.

Like Gonzaga 4th in the MidWest? All though I am not sure where they should seed right now - I figure them for a final 8... better than their Sweet 16 birth last year anyway. I would guess 3rd or 2nd for the zags right now anyway.

St. Joes should seed higher than 11th in the MidWset I figure - especially the way they dusted B.C. the other day. No? I'd prolly put 'em 9th or 10th in the West.

As for Texas Tech - good 'ol Bobby to the rescue. It was fun when they bum rushed the top 25 from out of no where. But right now they are looking a little iffy. They played well against the Buffs this last weekend... (being from colorado and an obligatory CU fan - I watched intently (BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS INTENTLY AS THE DUKE/MARYLAND GAME - WOW! hehe.)) but we shall see. All bets are off with bobby though, he's got something to prove.

Great picks chief... as for a confidence pool - pools I know - but I don't know what confidence pool is?? Wha-dat? But, HEY SURE, any kinda pool sounds fine with me! Let's do it!

heh.
Dij

shadow8 · #4 02-19-2002, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dijinn

St. Joes should seed higher than 11th in the MidWset I figure - especially the way they dusted B.C. the other day. No? I'd prolly put 'em 9th or 10th in the West.

Dij

Actually, St. Joes is going nowhere near the Big Dance unless it wins out the Atlantic 10 tourney downright. The team you are referring to is St. John's of the BIG EAST. Sorry to sound picky, but just needed to correct you.

With that said, you have made a few interesting observations. UVa definitely belongs as a 5th or 6th seed. It's a talented, loaded team...but they haven't improved much--if at all--from last year. Expect them to lose early...

Gonzaga is over-seeded at number 4. They're a great team, but now that they have finally received recognition, every mid-major school who makes the NCAA will be gunning for them. I'm not a Zags fan, but I do like the team. Personally, I think they play better as a "giant killer". I would rather see them lower seeded, but make a deep run in the tourney than garner a high seed, but lose early...

Now hoe 'bout them TERPS! As a disclaimer, I'm a Penn State fan and I go to that school. But since we stink in Men's bball this year (this is what happens when we lose our top five players), I have to root for my second favorite team, the Maryland Terrapins. And incidentally enough, I have actually chosen to attend PSU over Maryland so don't accuse me of jumping on the bandwagon, a la Dick Vitale.

Texas Tech will be a giant killer. Bobby Knight has done a hell of a job with these guys...

dijinn · #5 02-20-2002, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shadow8
The team you are referring to is St. John's of the BIG EAST.

UVa definitely belongs as a 5th or 6th seed. It's a talented, loaded team...but they haven't improved much--if at all--from last year. Expect them to lose early...

Gonzaga is over-seeded at number 4. They're a great team, but now that they have finally received recognition, every mid-major school who makes the NCAA will be gunning for them.

I have to root for my second favorite team, the Maryland Terrapins. And incidentally enough, I have actually chosen to attend PSU over Maryland so don't accuse me of jumping on the bandwagon, a la Dick Vitale.

Texas Tech will be a giant killer. Bobby Knight has done a hell of a job with these guys...

With great amounts of genuflection and prostration I admit I was wrong on the whole St. Joes/St. Johns debacle, my bad... That's what I get for moving too quickly.

As far as Gonzaga goes- they have been the Cinderella the last three years (ok maybe not last year) but this year they are a great team in their own right. They are going to the sweet sixteen again this year - I guarantee it. I really think anyone that picks them to go out early will be scarring their charts drastically. I think I'll even put them up in the final eight - really.

Now Mister Shade - re: Penn State. Real Marylanders have always hated Penn State. Always. So no offense intended, but boy I can't stand them boys up there. Wow... think blood boiling and fire and brimstone type of hate. I even like Carolina more than I do Penn state - that ought to say something. heh. But hey - I am always open to fellow Terps fans. I personally didn't go to MD, but I did do some summer study work there...

Can't believe they are number one in the ACC ... too good to be true. I need to publish my picks here soon... have to find time here soon.

Dij

shadow8 · #6 02-20-2002, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dijinn

As far as Gonzaga goes- they have been the Cinderella the last three years (ok maybe not last year) but this year they are a great team in their own right. They are going to the sweet sixteen again this year - I guarantee it. I really think anyone that picks them to go out early will be scarring their charts drastically. I think I'll even put them up in the final eight - really.

Now Mister Shade - re: Penn State. Real Marylanders have always hated Penn State. Always. So no offense intended, but boy I can't stand them boys up there. Wow... think blood boiling and fire and brimstone type of hate. I even like Carolina more than I do Penn state - that ought to say something. heh. But hey - I am always open to fellow Terps fans. I personally didn't go to MD, but I did do some summer study work there...

Can't believe they are number one in the ACC ... too good to be true. I need to publish my picks here soon... have to find time here soon.

Dij

PSU has quite a few enemies. Pitt obviously, and also Notre Dame, Syrcause, Michigan...

Are you talking about actual Marylanders b/c Penn State has a lot of students from the state of Maryland?

And besides, my roommate is a transfer from the University of Maryland.

But why the hate? Is UMD and PSU a rivalry? It should be. Screw UVa, we want Maryland as our football opponent from the ACC!

Back to the NCAAs, Gonzaga is a team with a lot of heart and team chemistry. If you go to the ESPN website and check out their messageboard though, Gonzaga has received a LOT of backlash as of late, particularly from fans of "big name" schools who have their basketball teams on the bubble (one fan who disparaged Gonzaga was a Michigan State fan; another was from Arkansas). But I respect the 'Zags more than most arrogant big name programs (particularly a school in Durham, NC). I think they definitely have the chance to make a deep run, but they can't get ahead of themselves.

I'm a Nittany Lion, first and foremost. But as a high schooler, I watched the Terps on TV a lot and found their basketball team to have a lot of heart and character. That's why I think they're cool.

dijinn · #7 02-20-2002, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shadow8
Are you talking about actual Marylanders b/c Penn State has a lot of students from the state of Maryland?

Everyone that has left MD and gone to Penn to school has had their state rights revoked and are banished from the state. hehe. Or they should be. Actually LOTS of people from MD like Penn state - but I always hated them as well. hehe. No, MD and Penn are not rivalries per se... just locally a lot of people were split between MD and Penn as far as quality of the school itself. Lots of my friends went on to Penn (I should say EX-friends! hehe) Nah, its all in good fun. So don't take it too personally mister shade*

As far as the zips go - the reason I like them is BECAUSE all those big name schools with medicore programs are mad at them. Hahah 'a little revolution every now and then is a good thing'** and those pompous butts deserve it.

Gonzaga isn't a sensation anymore - and that is fine with me. I like their spunk - they are still new enough that they have drive... but have been around enough to have that much needed experience to go deep into the show. I was the only one that picked them to go two deep that I knew of that first year - I just didn't see them going THREE deep! haha.

In regards to Teha's tech - I don't seem them going more than one or two rounds. I don't know... They made it to the show - but outside of that, I don't think they'll perform when the pressure hits.

Dij
who was and is and is to come - a TERP fan

* A reference to edgar allen poe's poem 'El Dorado'
**quote from good 'ol Thomas Jefferson