My March Madness Predictions

Yes, I realize I'm about four hours too late but hey... better get these in before I take at peek a the winners thus far.

East Region (Syracuse)- While almost everyone has Kentucky getting out of this region alive, I'm going to go with the pesky West Virginia Mountaineers who got shafted out of a #1 seed in favor of Duke. I like their style of play and also, unlike most of the pundits out there, I'm not buying Cornell as this year's sleeper. I see them getting ousted in the first round. Let's not good looking for hidden treasures now, folks.

South Region (Houston)- Perhaps it's due to my hatred towards Duke, but I'm banking on another Big East team advance to the final four in the form of Villanova. Their guards are speedy- even Obama says so. Sleeper hit in the region includes Old Dominion and Siena.

Midwest Region (St. Louis)- You might as well hand this one over to the overall #1 seed Kansas. I don't see any team in this region giving them problem maybe besides Georgetown, but they would have to get through Ohio State first before doing so. Upset special: Georgia Tech over Oklahoma State.

West Region (Salt Lake City)- It's a tossup between Kansas State and Syracuse, but I'm going to give in pick the Orangemen even when they're on a decline. I just think they have a tougher road to the Elite Eight with the possibility of playing Gonzaga, Vanderbilt and Butler and will catch Kansas State offguard.

National Champions: Yes, the best team in the nation will prevail this year again. Kansas Jayhawks it is.

My March Madness Predictions ('09 Edition)

For the first time since I've acknowledged college basketball, both Florida State and Syracuse made it to the big dance with amazing conference runs that stopped in the finals. No fear though, I'm sure their heroic wins (Syracuse's 7 OTs in 2 nights, FSU's debunking of then #1 UNC) are confidence boosters going into this weekend. Here's my quick take of this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

East Region: I'm pretty sure FSU will make it to the Sweet 16, but seeing how Pittsburgh is going to meet them there, their run will most likely end there. This marks the second sport FSU and Wisconsin will meet in postseason, with our football teams butting heads in December at a bowl game. Poor Binghamton, my friends are all excited their school made it to their first dance only to face Duke in the first round. Anyway, my pick is for the much hated Greg Paulus and the rest of his Dukie Posse.

South Region: Syracuse to the Elite Eight to lose to North Carolina- only if Ty Lawson returns. If not, I have Devendorf (watch for his name in the NBA) and gang marching to Detroit. Upset special? Western Kentucky to the Sweet Sixteen.

Midwest Region: I still think Louisville is overrated. They got really lucky in the Big East Tournament. I have the very consistent Kansas Jayhawks moving on even though I'm rooting for the Mountaineers of West Virginia. 

West Region: It's all going to come down to Memphis trying to prove everyone wrong for placing them as a #2 seed and Connecticut trying to prove to everyone why they're #1 instead. In the end, the inevitable meeting with probably end with the Memphis Tigers as survivors. My only reasoning, UConn's half of the draw is much tougher and by the time the two teams meet, they'll probably be too tired to play Memphis' aggressive game. 

In the end, I'm going to go with North Carolina winning it all. Now, watch me be all wrong and not making it past this weekend....

My Duke Lost

Despite having them much deeper in the tournament, I am ecstatic that Duke and perhaps the most hated college basketball player, Greg Paulus, lost in the second round this afternoon. Now Paulus can take the off season to practice his acting skills to perfect that "flop". (ESPN)