ESPN Tourny Challenge/Pre-Tournament Open Thread
T-Minus 1 hour and 35ish minutes until the start of the tournament and brackets lock. Here is the LINK - http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/2014-espn-tournament-challenge-back - fo that.
I'll be watch the games on my computer and/or phone at work using this --> www.ncaa.com/march-madness . Unfortunately taking time off has been blocked by the superiors. Also an app available on the Apple Store and GooglePLAY.
Apparently it's popular for guys to schedule a vasectomy this time of year --> www.cnn.com/2014/03/16/us/march-madness-vasectomies/
Some matchups that I'm looking forward to watching (besides the obvious):
Dayton vs Ohio State - Dayton is a trendy upset pick here. We'll see.
Pittsburgh vs Colorado - this could end up being the game of the day
NC State vs St. Louis - this is my upset pick, if it can be considered an upset based on seeding
Arizona State vs Texas - scouting our potential next opponent
What are other games you're keeping an eye on?
March 20th, 2014 at 10:29 AM ^
You're might be the only person looking forward to that Pitt/Colorado game...not even sure they're looking forward to it.
March 20th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
But, to answer your question, I'm looking forward to: Seeing if WMU can make it interesting against a struggling Syracuse team, LET'S GO BLUE HENS, and Pitino vs. his former assistant (which he's complaining about to the NCAA...loser).
March 20th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
The same can be said for all of the 8-9 matchups. Nobody looks forward to those games if you're a player/coach. But, they're fun for the fans!
March 20th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^
Interestingly, Dayton is +3.5 against Ohio State per Massey, with Ohio State having an estimated 61% win probability. Actually would have thought it to be higher, but it lends credence to the upset talk. Also at Massey, Wisconsin is -12.5 against American with an 88% estimated win probability, so Bo Ryan is against America as we suspected. Michigan State is getting similar numbers to Wisconsin against Delaware, and we've got a 92% estimated chance against Wofford.
March 20th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^
Watching my fantasy golf picks struggle (looking at you Bubba) at the Palmer Invitational.
March 20th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
So I have about an hour and a half before all of my productivity at work ends. I actually bought a TV for my office just so that I could watch the tourney while pretending to get some work done during commercials. Sadly, the firm would probably frown upon a cooler and beer, or a small BBQ indoors.
March 20th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
I don't understand why drinking alcohol is frowned upon at work. It used to be fairly common back in the day. Clearly getting drunk at work is a bad thing, but I feel as if I were to have ONE beer at work, people would flip out.
March 20th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
It should be of at least some measure of comfort to all other participants that my track record in NCAA pick ems is about as bad as it gets. Not even "normal" bad...we're talking "superbad."
March 20th, 2014 at 11:04 AM ^
Last year was epically bad for a lot of people. Thank you FGCU!!!! At least the title run made me forget about how bad my bracket actually was.
March 20th, 2014 at 11:08 AM ^
Took today off. Already have tomorrow off. Then took the entire weekend off as well. Is that bad?
N.C. State is my "big" up set as well. I found myself, even before the front page post by Brian, Seth, Ace, Mathlete, etc. about their brackets and a few of them noting how it was hard to pick upsets this year, saying that exact thing. There really weren't just many for me to pick. In a few of the ESPN brackets I have Kentucky and/or Okie St. advancing to the Final 4, but again my biggest upset in my real bracket is one measley 12 over a 5.
This may all come back to bite me in the ass and I'll realize I didn't know the teams as well as I thought I did (I watched a lot of college basketball this year...again) but to me this year's bracket is different. The teams are different. There isn't a great one, but a few can play that way, when the moons align, but when all's said and done the better teams to me will likely prevail most of the time. It's all down to the matchups and what the players had for a pre-game meal at this point, and a little fate and I'm just pumped to be able to watch for four-straight days!
March 20th, 2014 at 11:29 AM ^
Why would it be bad taking days off? That's what vacation time is for.
March 20th, 2014 at 11:28 AM ^
I am working today and tomorrow, so the ole cell phone will have to do for me, but the radio coverage is actually pretty good for the tournament.
March 20th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
I'm sick of the Louisville love. Down with Pitino!!!
March 20th, 2014 at 12:08 PM ^
Ohio has been mediocre the whole 2nd half of the Big Ten season while Dayton has been hot, going 10-2 to finish the season. OSU's terrible offense is only going to get them so far, maybe to an epic offensive pillow fight with Cuse later this weekend but not much further than that
March 20th, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
The recovery sucked, but was made better by watching basketball all day with frozen peas on my sack, vicodin, and miller lite.
I recommend this to all those considering the snip.
March 20th, 2014 at 12:17 PM ^
Minus the Miller Lite choice!
March 21st, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^
You cant drink Bells Two Hearted or you will be wasted....all day drinking requires a watery beer IMHO.
March 20th, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^
I could afford a vasectomy if I were not being charged by the inch.
March 20th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
I've heard that, the smaller the more difficult the surgery, prices go up of course!
March 20th, 2014 at 12:18 PM ^
Never have seen a tourney where top seeds are so frowned upon. Most are all sports sheep thinking MSU pisses the MIssissippi cause Izzo says so - they got some long rebounds vs UM and have long stretches where they don't score. Kansas, Wisky, Virginia could definitely be good value picks. Picking MSU, Louisville and Florida wont win any bigger pools. I'd be happy to lose my pools to see Dayton beat OSU though. Best two sports days of the year!
March 20th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
Not I. They are out in round three with my bracket.
I think they're a top-five team and I still have them out in the third round.
This tournament draw sucks. Most unbalanced set of regionals I can remember since the days they actually distributed the teams geographically.
March 20th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
Massey thinks this is more one-sided than any of the 5-12 games--he has Pitt by 9.
Kenpom has Pitt #17 and Colorado #68 and has Pitt by 10 1/2.
Not sure why this is the game of the day.
All I meant was that I personally think that game is going to be closer than the experts think. I believe they are underestimating the talent in the PAC12. I think Colorado is better than the rankings say they are. Just my thoughts.
March 20th, 2014 at 12:22 PM ^
I still hate Aaron Craft. I don't have any money on this tournament and I picked Ohio to beat Dayton, but so want Ohio to lose. I'm happy to know that Craft lost to Michigan three times in a row to end his conference career and I'd love to see them lose today. Good riddance.
March 20th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
Helluva move by the big dude Kavanaugh (sp?)
with the Buckeye's loss to Dayton?