NCAA Tournament Guide Part III

Well, it's finally here! The bracket is out, the experts have weighed in and it's time for this thing to finally get going. Now of course, despite the fact that I say all year long that I know what I'm doing when it comes to filling this bad boy out, I must admit there really isn't a more daunting task in all of sports, or gambling for that matter. Just when you think you have your "favorites", your "Cinderellas" and your "sleeper" teams picked out...BAM!...the committee goes and puts all those teams in the same grouping, and they all have to play each other before the end of the Sweet 16. DAMMIT! So what's a pimp to do now?! Well, never fear, my friends. While I won't give you my straight up picks for the early going in the Big Dance, here's a look at some of the teams, and games, that you'll want to be sweating if you plan on taking home that all important tourney pool casheesh. My region-by-region breakdown, at your disposal. Check it out...



EAST
Favorite
(1) North Carolina
-There's a reason the Tar Heels were given the #1 overall seed and a smooth path to San Antonio through Raleigh and Charlotte. That reason? They're ill, they're deep and they have a coach that's proven he can bring home the goods. OK, so that's 3 reasons, so sue me. A lot of people have been saying that the East may be the toughest region, but outside of Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 and Tennessee in the Elite 8, I don't see a team really capable of derailing UNC on their way to the Final Four. Sounds tough, but I just think it's a slightly easier road than any other #1 is going to have to travel. Oh and did I mention they play their first 4 games basically at home?? Yeah, I thought I did...



Most Overrated
(4) Washington St.
-The Cougars are a good example of a team that's best basketball is behind them. I'm not sure if Winthrop has what it takes to send them packing in round 1, but win against Notre Dame they will not. They don't have a ton of offense, and it's streaky at best even when it's on. I know I was high on them for a lot of this year, and I know they're tested "Pac-10 tough", but just chalk this up to a suspicious feeling. I know that's not much in the way of insight or analysis, but when I combine what I've seen with what I feel, it doesn't look good for Tony Bennett's boys...and that's the coach, not the crooner...



Sleeper Team
(5) Notre Dame
-I warned you about the Irish last week, and I'm stickin' with my guns. If you're really itchin' to drop one of the #1's from your bracket in a hurry, then ND vs UNC in the Sweet 16 would be as good a place as any to go out on that limb. They have the size, the shooting and the defense to make a game of it with the Heels, as long as Luke Harangody stays out of foul trouble...



Toughest 1st Round Game to Pick...
(7) Butler vs (10) South Alabama
-When it comes to getting the shaft, nobody has a bigger beef than the Butler Bulldogs. Ranked in and around the top 15 all season long, they not only get stuck with a #7 seed, but have to play what basically amounts to a road game in Birmingham against South Alabama. The thing that makes the tourney so great is the "neutral" sites, but when the teams are pretty balanced, and one of them is playing at home, then it's tough to bet against them. That is, if you think they are evenly matched. Both teams get great play out of their guards, but if USA keeps to their trend of slacking on the defensive end, Butler could expose them and prove to the country that they were disrespected on Selection Sunday...


-So there's the South. To give you a real sneak peak into my mind, I'll let you know I have exactly (3) teams beating a seed lower (better) than they are before the region sends a rep to the Final Four. Oh, and the team I sent there? Yeah, they were ranked at #1 at some point during '07-'08...


Next, it's on to the Midwest, where Kansas is gonna promise to make a lot of you rich, but likely make most of you rip you're hair out. Trust me, I know of what I speak...


MIDWEST
Favorite
(2) Georgetown
-I know everyone is all over the Kansas Jayhawks right now, but seeing as I can't trust that team further than I can throw Bartolo Colon, I'm goin' with the Hoyas. They aren't the same team that went to the Final Four a year ago, but they do return some key pieces. Match ups with Wisconsin or Kansas don't look all that great for G'Town on paper, but if my logic's right, they won't even have to face those teams en route to San Antone. Ooooooo was I giving away some picks right there? Or was I just foxin' witcha?.....I'd assume the latter, but beware of the former....



Most Overrated
(3) Wisconsin
-This is a tough one. I really don't think any of the teams in this region are "overrated", but if I had to pick one I think it would be the Badgers. They play great defense, which is always a plus, but I just think their lack of scoring could hurt them as they move past the first round. I hear through the grapevine that Cal-State Fullerton is getting a lot of early Cinderella buzz, but I think Wisconsin's issue will lie with their 2nd round meeting with USC. Should Kansas St. make it out of that Mayo/Beasley battle in Omaha, the Badgers could very well meet their seeding expectation with a Sweet 16 appearance. Like I said, I can't find anyone in this region to be overly critical of, so while I'm dumping on Wisco, I wouldn' take it all that seriously...



Sleeper
(6) USC
-Talent has a way of rising to the top this time of year, and there are few teams out there that can match the ability of the USC Trojans. A lot like G'Town, they return a few pieces from last year's Sweet 16 team, but are relying on a new group of studs to get the job done this time around. OJ Mayo was probably the most hyped freshmen before the start of the season, and combined with Davon Jefferson and Taj Gibson make USC a 6 seed that looks more like a 3 or 4. I happen to think the lower part of the Midwest is the toughest around with G'Town, Wisconsin, Davidson and Gonzaga all in the mix, but I like the Trojans chances against any of those squads if they can come out hot...



Toughest 1st Round Game to Pick...
(5) Clemson vs (12) Villanova
-When Nova gets hot from the perimeter, they can run with anybody. When they struggle from outside? Well, I guess that's why they barely made the field as a 12 seed isn't it? The tough part about this match up, is that I like whoever comes out of this game to give Vandy a good run for their money in round 2. Being wrong there could cost you a Sweet 16 team on day one, and that's never a good thing. My mind and my eyes tell me the Tigers are the "safer" bet, but it basically comes down to whether or not you think Scottie Reynolds and the Villanova Wildcats are gonna make any shots from beyond the arc...


-So there's the Midwest, or as I'm calling it, the section of the bracket where Kansas goes to die. After being burned for basically the last 5 years by the Jayhawks, I can safely tell you they will NOT be the region's rep in San Antonio. You can decide for yourself if that means I'm picking Georgetown, but at this point I'd much rather lose by going against Kansas, than lose by leaving them out of my Final Four for the first time in what seems like forever...


Now last year in the South, nobody gave Memphis a chance in Hell to get by Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Ohio St.. This year, even thought they're a #1 seed, nobody is giving them a chance to get by the "flavor-of-the-month" Texas Longhorns. Calipari's crew couldn't get over the hump last year, but might be primed to bring the coach to his first non-Marcus Camby Final Four appearance..


SOUTH
Favorite
(2) Texas
-I still really like the Memphis Tigers chances of making it to San Antonio, but given the fact that the Regional Final will be played in Houston, I give the slight edge here to the Texas Longhorns. They're riding high after battling Kansas in the Big XII title game, and I'm sure you've heard by now that they have an incredible RPI and tons of top 50 wins. I said it last week. If Damion James and the rest of the Texas supporting cast come to play, this team could actually be the last one standing, but if it's mostly the DJ Augustin show, then "Houston", could have a very big problem with the Memphis Tigers....Ha!...


Most Overrated
(3) Stanford
-I like Stanford as a team, I just don't like them to win any close games. Everyone wants to talk about how dominant the Lopez twins are inside, and that's all well and good, it's just not enough. Their presence will favor the slow-down style of ball that's often played in March, but the Cardinal just don't have the shooters to come up clutch down the stretch. I know, I know. You wanna know why they weren't exposed in the mighty Pac 10 if they have such a glaring weakness, right? That's easy. This is the tournament, where anything can happen. In a one and done format, you gotta try and pick out teams that have a fatal flaw. This may not have been a hole that was exposed on a regular basis during the rest of the season, I just think it's going to be one that's going to lead to their demise here...



Sleeper
(4) Pittsburgh
-If there's a hotter team in the country right now, I sure don't know who they are. Jamie Dixon has his boys clicking at exactly the right time, and as long as you don't think they'll have a Big East hangover, you have to like the Panthers to live up to their seed and waltz into the Sweet 16. Perimeter players LeVance Fields and Ronald Ramon are really hitting their stride right now, and big man DeJuan Blair seems to be the latest in the line of freshmen stars that's waiting to make a name for himself on the national stage. They're defense and rebounding is going to keep them in any game they play, and they're ability to change from up tempo to half court, is gonna make them a tough out for Memphis if the teams meet up in the 3rd round...



Toughest 1st Round Game to Pick...
(6) Marquette vs (11) Kentucky
-Much like the tough game in the Midwest, my problem with this game really lies in round 2. If Marquette is standing in Stanford's way to the Sweet 16, I like their chances to advance. However if it's Kentucky and Stanford, then I'd have to side with the Cardinal.


-So I only give 3 teams a real shot to make it out of Houston to San Antone. To give you a hint. The team I have representing the region in the Final Four, is a team that recently reached the finals of their conference tournament...


That last tip was about as helpful as a one legged man in a butt-kicking contest, but if I give you all the answers, how am I supposed to make any cakes? Right? Finally, we'll move on to the West. The final piece of the puzzle if you will. UCLA is the cream of this crop, and Duke is probably the most criticized #2 seed since the days of Bob Huggins' AND-1 Cincy squads. Damn. I just basically gave away everything I could possibly write in this next section...


WEST
Favorite
(1) UCLA
-If I wasn't already 100% convinced that the college basketball gods loved to fuck with me, then UCLA's Pac 10 tournament championship victory was the straw that broke this camel's back. For the last 3 weeks or so I've been telling you that the Bruins were the best team in the land, and had the best shot of taking home the title. They have the most balance, the most talent, one of the best coaches, and they will play their first 4 games in home environs such as Anaheim and Phoenix. Then...in a moment...they almost lost it all. In their win over Stanford in the conference tourney final, freshmen big man, Kevin Love, who's arguably the best player in the country, pulled up lame with back spasms. Fucking back spasms! Could there be a more mysterious injury? He could be fine for the whole tourney run, or he could be brought to his knees by one wrong juke in the opening minutes of game #1. If you wanna try and be supersmart, then predict the injury. If you wanna be smart like Rooch, give Love the benefit of the doubt, and make UCLA the favorite to come out of the West...



Most Overrated
(2) Duke
-They live by the 3, and they die by the 3. If you wanna pick the Dukies to go far, then just be ready to sweat it out...



Sleeper
(7) West Virginia
-Bob Huggins and his Mountaineers were the hottest team around until they ran into an even hotter Georgetown team in the Big East tournament. Joe Alexander is still playing like a house of fire, averaging about 26 a game over his last 8, and they have the great guard play that always seems to come up big this time of year.



Toughest 1st Round Game to Pick...
(4) UCONN vs (13) San Diego
-Seems a little bit out there, I know, but you can chalk that up to the inconsistency of the Connecticut Huskies. I said last week that UCONN has all the tools for a Final Four run, and while I still believe that, I think the last thing they needed was a first round date with one of the country's hottest teams. San Diego cruised to the West Coast Conference championship on their own home floor, and come into this game at 12-2 in their last 14. That tells me they're capable of winning, and any capable team is good enough to knock off UCONN. With the Huskies it's all about focus and showing up ready to play. I'll believe it if they're run out of the building in round 1, and I'll believe it if they represent the West region in the Final Four. Yeah, now you see why I'm having trouble with this pick...


-With Xavier sitting at the bottom, and UCLA sitting at the top, I thought this was gonna be an easy region for me to pick. Turns out I was right, too, at least in my mind. As far as seeding goes, I only picked (1)...count 'em (1) team to win a game in which they were not the favored seed. Not just in the first round, in the whole freaking region!


So there you have it, my final tips for filling out this year's bracket. I know you're all gonna make your own choices, which is obviously the best way to do it, but I hope some of the insight I provided was able to help you mold your bracket into a winner. It's cliche, I know, but the real important about filling out a bracket is having fun, so if for no other reason than to improve your viewing experience, I highly recommend doing so.....


(and now that those suffering from vaginitis are no longer reading...the REAL reason to fill this thing out is so you can take your friends money, and make it rain in front of them all while cursing them out and telling them how you're da man, you're da man!....boom-shaka-laka-laka-laka-laka......boom)



And frankly, I must say I'm for the most part very disappointed with my readers for not signing up to bring the funk in the March Madness pool. I KNOW there are more people reading this than there are signing up, and I can only assume that means you're all a bunch of posers, or at least too scurred to put your money where your mouth is. Some of you might want me to look at that as a sign that only tards wearing helmets and drug addicts wearing diapers read my shit, but I think that's just a lot of you being really mean to Frosco and Ian. Listen. You got 2 days left to sign up. If you're worried about getting the $$ to me, or whether or not you'll be paid if you win, you can rest assured. I know you're used to email, but the Postal Service isn't nearly as confusing as a lot of you think. And as for claiming your prize. My record speak for itself. Let's just say I've had far more trouble collecting in my day, as anyone has ever had trying to get their prize $$ from me...

So you got abou 24 hours. Here's the info one last time. If you don't sign up, then I refuse to acknowledge any upset's you claim to have picked, or that you got all 4 Final Four teams right. If you want the right to brag to me, then you're gonna have to toss down that twomp....

http://www.yahoo.com/ ------> Go To "Tournament Challenge" located in Fantasy Sports
League ID: 9283
password: glenriversmd

Hope to see you there! And good luck....you crazy bastards!