Filling out your brackets: Any good tips?

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March 12th, 2012 at 11:00 AM
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profitgoblue
Joined: 09/01/2009
MGoPoints: 19416
Filling out your brackets: Any good tips?

March Madness has us all in its grips, squeezing the picks out of us.  Every year I sweat and swear as I fill out my bracket, knowing all along that my first round picks will be decent and then my bracket will go to sh-t.  Its all I can do to have even just one team in the damn Final Four.  So I was wondering if you all have any interesting ways of picking "toss up" games or filling out your backets in general.

One interesting tidbit I found on Yahoo is this"

Make difficult picks using the "mascot fight" theory

Two of the hardest games to pick in last year's first round were UCLA-Michigan State and Vanderbilt-Richmond.  They were veritable toss-ups. But looking at these games in retrospect, they were all too easy to pick. Bruins vs. Spartans?  Hmm, a vicious bear or a person who shuns the conveniences of modern living?  I saw "Grizzly Man."  I know how that story ends.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-the-dagger/fill-2012-ncaa-tournament-bracket-024636059.html

(I deleted the reference to "Friends" in that blurb because, well, "Friends" and NCAA basketball should never be uttered in the same discussion.)

Fork over your secrets!

 

 

Disgruntled former moderator.  I got a lot of problems with you people!

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March 12th, 2012 at 11:07 AM | I use a combination of (Score:4 Normal)
MGoCombs
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Joined: 08/13/2009
MGoPoints: 620

I use a combination of RPI(s), KenPom and gut upset picks to inevitably come up with the worst bracket ever.

Some teams deserve higher seeds because they won their conference or beat a couple of good teams, but aren't necessarily that good when you watch them. I try to spot those teams for upsets.

By round 3, I am usually disgusted with myself for being so stupid.

"And when we play as a team, when the old season is over, you and I know, it's gonna be Michigan again, Michigan."

March 12th, 2012 at 1:14 PM | I put as (Score:4 Normal)
ijohnb
Joined: 09/21/2009
MGoPoints: 2857

much stock into KenPom and RPI as I do a president who says he is going to "bring change."  There are lies, damn lies, and then statistics.  Come tourney time, those numbers don't mean a damn thing, literally nothing.

Stick with these:  1. Wisconsin will go further than you think, 2. Purdue will not go as far as you think 3. Coaching beats athleticism every time 4. Barring a miracle, Michigan State will be in the Final Four, and 5. Fergodsakes, never pick Villanova to win anything, does not apply this year, but it is a rule to live by.

March 12th, 2012 at 1:35 PM | Agreed about their (Score:1)
MGoCombs
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MGoPoints: 620

Agreed about their meaninglessness, but I know I will inevitably put too much stock into the numbers and end up with a terrible bracket. It's tradition.

"And when we play as a team, when the old season is over, you and I know, it's gonna be Michigan again, Michigan."

March 12th, 2012 at 1:46 PM | Wisconsin chokes every year (Score:2)
orobs
Joined: 10/03/2010
MGoPoints: 1734

Wisconsin chokes every year in the tourney (they've made it to the sweet 16 twice since 2005 despite having 3-5 seeds most years).  MSU is a hot team right now, but so is Mizzou.  I watched them play a couple times, and they are a legit team.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:09 AM | The one year I won, I picked (Score:3 Normal)
joeyb
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MGoPoints: 11377

The one year I won, I picked Florida to beat OSU in the finals because that's what happened in football that year. Is LSU even in the bracket this year?

March 12th, 2012 at 11:30 AM | I usually win money in my pool (Score:5 Normal)
pdgoblue25
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Because I live in Ohio and I'm the only person that picks OSU to lose.  It's always 15 other brackets of Ohio winning the national championship.

Janeane Garofalo (Film Actors Guild): "As actors it is our responsibility to read the newspaper, and then say what we read on television like it's our opinion"

March 12th, 2012 at 11:57 AM | ....I just moved to Kentucky (Score:2)
thisisme08
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....I just moved to Kentucky :)

 

1. Pick Kentucky to Elite 8/Final 4

2. Watch Kentucky choke

3. ??????

4. Profit because this entire state picked them to go all the way

Blue is Faster

March 12th, 2012 at 2:23 PM | UK fans are more annoything (Score:1)
TheDirtyD
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UK fans are more annoything than Ohio fans

If you see someone in an airport with Michigan logos on luggage and they are wearing a pilot uniform come say hello.

March 12th, 2012 at 10:10 PM | The Big Football matchup is (Score:1)
Picktown GoBlue
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in the NIT.  #3 Oregon hosts #6 LSU at 9:30 Eastern tomorrow on ESPN.  Winner plays the Dayton/Iowa winner.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:09 AM | Base all of your picks on (Score:5 Normal)
robbyt003
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Joined: 10/25/2010
MGoPoints: 2625

Base all of your picks on these two key components:

The teams school colors and the teams mascot.

Girls use that philosophy and I swear they win the pool every year

“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing” - Bo Schembechler

March 12th, 2012 at 11:22 AM | What the girls who win don't tell you (Score:2 Normal)
YouremyboyBlue
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What the girls who win don't tell you is that their boyfiend or best guy friend told them who to pick for upsets.  Then they pick the rest based on the above.

"Some people break under pressure; others break records."

March 12th, 2012 at 12:59 PM | No sadly that is not the (Score:2 Normal)
victors2000
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Joined: 03/21/2009
MGoPoints: 2324

No sadly that is not the case. They'll pick the lowest number or the cutest sounding or some team they remember hearing something about in the past. Then the
y win.

You have to play this game like somebody just hit your mother with a two-by-four. ~Dan Birdwell

March 12th, 2012 at 1:25 PM | I got killed couple years ago (Score:1)
ken725
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MGoPoints: 4681

I got killed couple years ago because my ex-gf picked the team just on the name of the school. That was the year when George Mason made their run.

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

March 12th, 2012 at 5:01 PM | I actually know a guy who had (Score:2 Normal)
Volverine
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I actually know a guy who had a perfect bracket that season. He needs to replace Doug Gottleib on ESPN. 

University of Tom Brady, B.A. '10; University of Peyton Manning, J.D. '13.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:10 AM | Best tip: Michigan will win (Score:3 Normal)
Trebor
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Best tip: Michigan will win it all.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:11 AM | Yes (Score:2 Normal)
RollDamnTide
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Don't pick Slippery Rock.

Roll Tide.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:12 AM | Write-in Candidates? (Score:0 Trolling)
March 12th, 2012 at 11:11 AM | I'm not qualified to give (Score:2)
WolverineHistorian
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MGoPoints: 5152

I'm not qualified to give bracket advice. 

I used to love filling those out every year.  But every year, my bracket was already shot to hell by the time the Sweet 16 started.  I think I'm going in to early bracket retirement. 

Go Blue!  Always!

http://www.youtube.com/user/WolverineHistorian

March 12th, 2012 at 11:14 AM | FWIW (Score:2 Insightful)
Craze for Maize
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I have Detroit going all the way to the Elite 8. Macallum (sp?) is really good.

March 12th, 2012 at 2:21 PM | Are you talking about the (Score:1)
ken725
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MGoPoints: 4681

Are you talking about the coach or son?

Greetings from Bolivia.

"It's special how the real true people hang together. And if you don't support the program you're not a true Michigan guy. It's that simple."  - Gary Moeller

March 12th, 2012 at 11:14 AM | Try and get lucky (Score:2)
Center Ice
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MGoPoints: 2892

There was one year when I broke down every single team based on every stat available, style of play, star oriented or team effort and I ended up with a busted bracket because offensive anemic UNI took down UNLV and Kansas. I could have saved a lot of time by just flipping a coin.

Twitter

March 12th, 2012 at 11:17 AM | BIG HINT! (Score:5 Funny)
Croatian_Blue
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1 seed always beats a 16 seed!

March 12th, 2012 at 11:18 AM | Pick ND to lose (Score:4 Normal)
pdgoblue25
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MGoPoints: 2655

I will never pick them to win a game in the tournament ever again.

Janeane Garofalo (Film Actors Guild): "As actors it is our responsibility to read the newspaper, and then say what we read on television like it's our opinion"

March 12th, 2012 at 11:19 AM | At least Pitt isn't in the (Score:3 Normal)
ForeverBlue
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Joined: 12/05/2010
MGoPoints: 175

At least Pitt isn't in the tournament, otherwise I would pick them to do well again. And they would get upset early again. Which Big East team will let me down this year? Syracuse? Marquette? I'm looking forward to another team messing up my bracket this year!

March 12th, 2012 at 1:09 PM | All of them will fail you. (Score:2)
brandanomano
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All of them will fail you.

Special Teams means special times!

March 12th, 2012 at 11:22 AM | Pick the teams that you think (Score:5 Normal)
Swang on These
Joined: 01/25/2012
MGoPoints: 176

Pick the teams that you think will win each game to advance into the next round

I apologize about the dress code, sir, but my next party is a hayride

March 12th, 2012 at 11:22 AM | Don't put too much stock in (Score:2 Normal)
GoBlogSparty
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Don't put too much stock in either Kansas or Vanderbilt. They give me high hopes every year and then end up losing to a random mid-major that I've never heard of. Oh, and more than half the Big East tourney teams normally suck.

Your friendly neighborhood Sparty

March 12th, 2012 at 11:24 AM | I wish you would have posted (Score:3 Funny)
sULLY
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Joined: 01/29/2010
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I wish you would have posted this 10 min ago, before I submitted my work bracket with Kansas as my eventual champion.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:35 AM | I have Kansas beating UNC (Score:3 Normal)
triangle_M
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MGoPoints: 1685

I have Kansas beating UNC because after UNC beats Michigan I'll need some sweet schadenfreude that my girlfriend's team didn't make into the final four.

 


 
March 12th, 2012 at 11:58 AM | Detroit is ridiculously (Score:2 Normal)
OmarDontScare
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MGoPoints: 1541

Detroit is ridiculously mis-seeded at 15. I see them taking down Kansas

I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right?

March 12th, 2012 at 6:49 PM | Texas too (Score:3 Normal)
Center Ice
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MGoPoints: 2892

I know they made the Elite Eight a few years ago, but Rick Barnes underachieves the most during tourney time.

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March 12th, 2012 at 11:22 AM | Step 1:  Get hilariously (Score:5 Normal)
MGoneBlue
Joined: 05/30/2011
MGoPoints: 328

Step 1:  Get hilariously drunk.

Step 2:  Fill out bracket

Step 3:  ??????

Step 4:  Profit.

March 12th, 2012 at 3:01 PM | Nope (Score:1)
BluePants
Joined: 12/27/2009
MGoPoints: 740

I tried this last year. I filled in my bracket on St. Patty's day after a morning at the jug. Syracuse and State ensured my early and enormous failure

M '11

March 12th, 2012 at 11:22 AM | The team that always seems to (Score:2)
sULLY
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MGoPoints: 393

The team that always seems to get me in trouble is Georgetown.  Like Wisconsin, they seem to be perpetual tournament under-achievers.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:26 AM | Last year I knew nothing (Score:2)
MGoNOLA
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Joined: 11/01/2010
MGoPoints: 110

Last year I knew nothing about what was going on in basketball. I took President Obama's bracket and just switched it so Michigan advanced to the Elite 8. 

I did fairly well with that method. 

Also Esquire Magazine came up with these basics:

 

1. Advance all number-one seeds to the second round.

2. And the third round.

3. And the regional semifinals.

4. Find the mid-major team you've never heard of and put it in the Elite Eight.

5. Your alma mater goes to the Elite Eight, no matter what.

6. When in doubt, Big Ten.

7. Do not ask for rule clarifications from the commissioner.

8. Do not refer to the office-pool coordinator as "the commissioner."

9. If you make your assistant fill out your bracket, your assistant gets the winnings.

10. Trash talk shall be confined to the urinals.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:27 AM | Michigan over Kentucky in the final (Score:2 Normal)
MLaw06
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Joined: 02/29/2012
MGoPoints: 300

I have Michigan over Kentucky in the final.  Got $2,000 riding on this one.  Let's Go Blue!

March 12th, 2012 at 11:59 AM | Why not use the $2000 to fly (Score:4 Normal)
sarto1g
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Joined: 08/28/2010
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Why not use the $2000 to fly to nashville and watch UM play?

March 12th, 2012 at 12:02 PM | Not sure if serious. Yes, I (Score:1)
OmarDontScare
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MGoPoints: 1541

Not sure if serious. Yes, I may pick Michigan to surprise but $2K!?!

I got the shotgun. You got the briefcase. It's all in the game though, right?

March 12th, 2012 at 11:29 AM | Spend a lot of money on (Score:3 Normal)
ReadYourGuard
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Spend a lot of money on brackets and pick MSU to win it all. if they do, you profit and if they don't, it'll be worth it.



Win-Win

"the Spirit of Michigan...is based on a deathless loyalty to Michigan and all her ways....and a conviction that nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours" - Fielding Yost
March 12th, 2012 at 11:31 AM | If you want to win a bracket pool... (Score:1)
French West Indian
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Joined: 12/28/2011
MGoPoints: 958

...just go with the seeding and don't pick any upsets.  Most of your competition (friends, coworkers, etc.) will manage to shoot themselves in the foot.

 

March 12th, 2012 at 12:04 PM | Better be a small pool. (Score:1)
M-Wolverine
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Joined: 10/04/2009
MGoPoints: 39225

While I generally agree a little more chalk helps more than it hurts in most cases, and people try and be too smart and kill themselves, I've kept track of how all chalk would do in my pool, and show it along with everyone else's point total, and not once would going all chalk have won the money.  Good for a nice average score, but not if you want to profit.

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

March 12th, 2012 at 4:46 PM | Ok, I guess... (Score:1)
French West Indian
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Joined: 12/28/2011
MGoPoints: 958

...it depends on your competition.  I've actually won twice doing that and have been a victim of it another time.

March 12th, 2012 at 7:20 PM | i think (Score:2 Normal)
Nick
Nick's picture
Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 985

you need mostly chalk with a little differentiation from the rest of your pool.

Far more often that last year's miracle runs, cinderellas only go a round or 2.   Any upset I pick I cap them at jsut that upset and have them lose next round.

This gives me some variance from others, but also limits downside.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:32 AM | Avoid Vandy like the plague! (Score:1)
MAgoBLUE
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Avoid Vandy like the plague!

 

 

"fumbles the snap, takes off. . ."

(9/5/09)

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March 12th, 2012 at 11:44 AM | I never take chalk all the (Score:2)
triangle_M
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Joined: 03/09/2011
MGoPoints: 1685

I never take chalk all the way but this year I also don't have any outside teams (a la VCU of 2011) getting into the final four.    I'd say pull all the 1 seeds into the elite 8, and that's where they tend to be upset.

 

EAST:

Florida State is really really good and matched up well against the top talent of the ACC.  I have them going to the final four after beating Ohio State and Syracuse.  

 

WEST:

Sparty over Missouri after beating New Mexico. Yuk.

SOUTH:

Baylor over Kentucky after getting by Duke. I think this is the toughest one for me to call.  Duke is a good basketball team, but I hate Duke, so I have them losing to Baylor.

MIDWEST:

UNC has a tough bracket and I see them getting by Michigan just because they play above the rim and Henson will be back and we have no answer for him inside. 

I have Michigan facing Temple in the second round.   This game is interesting for me if it winds up happening since its both of my alma maters (MS is from Temple).  I won't be pulling for Temple.  I have Kansas beating UNC out of the Midwest after beating SDSU.  

 


 
March 12th, 2012 at 11:34 AM | In all my years of (Score:3 Funny)
MaizeAndBlueWahoo
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Joined: 07/02/2008
MGoPoints: 11915

In all my years of bracket-picking, win or lose I've only found one really good ironclad rule that works every time: When in doubt, never ever ever bet on Oliver Purnell.

Sadly, he's not in the tourney this year, so I'm on my own.

"We've beaten Michigan the last four years.  So where's the threat?"

- Mark Dantonio

Blogging the Virginia Cavaliers at http://fromoldvirginia.blogspot.com/<

March 12th, 2012 at 11:36 AM | The last good bracket I filled out was 1992 (Score:5 Funny)
restive neb
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Joined: 04/06/2009
MGoPoints: 535

When I picked the Fab Five to face Duke in the finals.  My homerism hasn't really done well for me since.

March 12th, 2012 at 11:36 AM | Texas and Notre Dame are (Score:1)
Run 2 Daylight
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Joined: 09/01/2009
MGoPoints: 2384

Texas and Notre Dame are Final Four locks. 

Go Blue!

March 12th, 2012 at 11:39 AM | not sure if serious (Score:3 Normal)
triangle_M
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Joined: 03/09/2011
MGoPoints: 1685

not sure if serious

 


 
March 12th, 2012 at 11:43 AM | My bracket was so bad after (Score:1)
Allin4Blue
Joined: 02/04/2012
MGoPoints: 572

My bracket was so bad after the first 2 rounds I stopped following it.  However, when it was all said and done, my bracket won!  I was the only person in the the contest to have at least 1 team in the final 4.  It really is all about luck!

 

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