I'm baaack... with first round picks

It's been too long, but I've been uninspired lately. Looks like March Madness came along at the perfect time!

So I figured I'd share my picks, and my reasons of them. I'll start with the first round today. ACTUAL OUTCOME IN ORANGE UNDER ORIGINAL PREDICTION


Let's start with the East.

Carolina is clearly the class of the field, but Tennessee could give them a run for their money.

(1)UNC over (16) Mt. St. Mary's -- I really don't think I even need to explain this one. Plus, a 16 seed has NEVER beat a 1 seed. UNC by 20
APPARENTLY I WASN'T GIVING NORTH CAROLINA ENOUGH CREDIT -- 39 POINT WIN

(9) Arkansas over (8) Indiana -- I'm a sucker for 8 over 9, I can't really explain it. Plus Arkansas plays in a tougher division, IMO. It will be a close one, but I'm taking the Razorbacks by 7
I WENT 2-FOR-4 ON MY 9 OVER 8 SELECTIONS! INDIANA TOOK A TAILSPIN AFTER THE LOSS OF COACH SAMPSON. EASY WIN BY THE PIGS - 86-72.

(5) Notre Dame over (12) George Mason -- two years ago GM stunned the world and made the Final Four. George Mason will NOT be this year's George Mason... ha. Notre Dame played a tough Big East schedule, and probably would have gone undefeated in Mason's CAA. Irish by 10.
RIGHT ON THE OUTCOME - ND BY 18

(4) Wash State over (13) Winthrop -- Washington State played in arguably the strongest conference this year, and Winthrop never makes much noise. Wash State by 6.
RIGHT ON THE WINNER, WAY OFF ON THE SCORE - WSU BY 31

(11) St Joe's over (6) Oklahoma -- Oklahoma isn't coming into the tourney on a good note, and though this looks like an upset pick, many Vegas boards have St Joe's as the favorite. They'll take it to the Sooners and win by 11.
OFF ON THIS ONE... I THINK THE SOONERS HAD THE OLD "NO ONE THINKS WE CAN WIN!" CHIP ON THEIR SHOULDER, AND TOOK THE GAME 72-64

(3) Louisville over (14) Boise State -- Rick Pitino coaches a good college team, and they will walkover the Boise State Broncos in the first round. Boise State put together a good little season at 25-8, but they didn't face the same game-in-game-out pressure of a Big East schedule like Louisville. Cards by 14
RIGHT ON. L'VILLE WON BY 18

(10) South Alabama over (7) Butler -- for one reason, and one reason only - the game is in Birmingham. Butler is a decent team, worthy of a 7 seed, but they couldn't have gotten a worse 10 to play than the scrappy South Alabama squad playing in their own state. It will be close, but the crowd with make the difference in this one, and S. Bama will take it by 4.
APPARENTLY THE CROWD WASN'T ON S. BAMA'S SIDE. BUTLER ROLLED TO A 20 POINT WIN.

(2) Tennessee over (15) American -- Tennessee is a strong squad, American has never been in the Big Dance. Looks like a massacre to me, UT by 20.
I WASN'T OFF BY MUCH ... TENNESSE WINS BY 15, 72-57



MIDWEST

Again, there are two teams that are the class of the field, Kansas and Georgetown, but they won't have an easy road.

(1) Kansas over (16) Portland State -- just looking at this makes me laugh. Poor Portland State. Jayhawks by 21
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MUCH CLOSER -- KU WINS BY 24

(9) Kent State over (8) UNLV -- I told you I'm a sucker for 9 over 8. UNLV won their tourney - again- at home - again, but Kent State is a strong team and will win for the first NCAA tourney game in 6 years. Too bad they face Kansas in the second round.
OUCH, WRONG! UNLV HANDED IT TO KENT STATE, 71-58

(5) Clemson over (12) Villanova -- Clemson is on a roll, Villanova is young and inexperienced. Tigers by 9.
WRONG WRONG WRONG. NOVA HAS BEEN THE SUPRISE OF THE TOURNAMENT SO FA, IMO. THEY DEFEATED THE RED-HOT TIGERS BY 14

(4) Vanderbilt over Siena (13) -- Siena is quick and many think that Vanderbilt is overrated... but I can't forget the Commodore's win over Tennessee, who is not only an in-state rival, but was also, at the time, the #1 team in the land. Siena could keep it close, but Vandy's schedule will help them and they'll pull away at the end to win by 6.
OUCH! I AT LEAST AM COMFORTED BY THE FACT THAT NOOO ONEE PICKED SIENA OVER VANDY. COMMODORE'S CHOKE AGAIN, AND SIENA SAILS TO A 11 POINT VICTORY.

(11) Kansas State over (6) USC -- My potential bracket buster. Battle of the frosh, with Trojan OJ Mayo taking on rookie of the year Michael Beasley. I think Beasley has the Kevin Durant-esque willpower to take it to a good team in a big game, and I think he leads his team into the second round. K State by 6, with Beasley putting up over 30.
MY FAVORITE PICK OF THE FIRST ROUND - A BIT OFF ON THE SCORING, KSU WON BY 13, WITH BEASLEY SCORING 23

(3) Wisconsin over (14) Cal-State Fullerton -- Won't even be a game. Badgers by 17.
RIGHT ON - WISCONSIN WON BY 15

(10) Davidson over (7) Gonzaga -- the Zags won't get me this year. A "risky" pick, and probably an unpopular one, but I CAN NOT go for Gonzaga again until they win a big game. Davidson by 4.
I WAS SO RIGHT ABOUT THIS ONE IT KILLS ME... DAVIDSON PULLS THE "UPSET" YOURS TRULY CALLED WITH A 6-POINT WIN, 82-76.

(2) Georgetown over (15) UMBC -- As a Boston University grad, I should go for the America East school... but as a BU grad, I'm also no dummy. Georgetown in a rout.
DUH. GU SAILED IN THE FIRST ROUND BY 19... DIDN'T LAST LONG THOUGH.

SOUTH

Memphis is #1, but they have probably with toughest bracket, with the liklihood of facing red-hot Pitt in the Sweet 16, and, if they somehow get beyond that, Texas and DJ Augustin in the Elite Eight.

(1) Memphis over (16) Texas- Arlington -- Any D1 school with a city name after the state doesn't stand a chance, with the exception on UCLA. Look it up. Memphis by 16
SPOT-ON. MEMPHIS BY 14

(9) Oregon over (8) Mississippi State -- I again went with 9 over 8. This was the toughest, but I think Oregon was underrated in a tough Pac-10. It will be close, but I give it to the Ducks by 5.
I WAS DRAWN IN BY 9 OVER 8, AND THIS ONE WAS OFF. MISS STATE WON 76-69

(5) Michigan State over (12) Temple -- Temple has two good players - and that's it. MSU is a good team, and will exploit the Owl's weaknesses, lowpost, and win by 9.
RIGHT ON AGAIN -- MICHIGAN STATE WON BY 11

(4) Pittsbugh over (13) Oral Roberts --A team with a person's name doesn't stand a chance in the NCAA tournament. Pitt shocked the NCAA world by defeating Georgetown for the Big East title, and are probably the hottest team in college bball. Pitt by 15
RIGHT -- PITT WON 82-63

(6) Marquette over (11) Kentucky -- Kentucky shouldn't have even made the tournament. An experienced Marquette squad will take it by 11.
ANOTHER FAVORITE PICK... A THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE BLINDED BY THE MYSTIQUE THAT IS KENTUCKY, BUT AS I SAID THEY SUCK THIS YEAR AND LOST BY 8.

(3) Stanford over (14) Cornell -- Battle of the smarty-pants will be taken by the "a little less" smarty-pants, ie the school that can give scholarships. Stanford by 13.
RIGHT ON THE WINNER, A BIT OFF ON THE SCORE - STANFORD TOOK IT BY 24

(10) St. Mary's over (7) Miami -- The Hurricane's are one giant question mark, while St. Mary's is battle-tested. They advance to the second round for a tough rematch against Texas, where they will lose - again.
HOW VERY WRONG I WAS... THERE WILL BE NO TEXAS-ST MARY'S REMATCH, AS MIAMI TOOK IT TO THEM WITH A SOUND 78-64 WIN. CONGRATS MIAMI, NOW YOU GET TO TAKE ON THE LONGHORNS.

(2) Texas over (15) Austin Peay -- I wouldn't even know where Austin Peay was if I hadn't met a friend at Fort Belvoir who was stationed at Fort Campbell and went to Austin Peay (it's in Clarksville, Tennessee). That said, I will reiterate - a team with a person's name doesn't stand a chance in the NCAA tournament. Plus, Texas is nasty. Horns by 15.
TEXAS BY 20


WEST

UCLA is my pick to take it all.

(1) UCLA over (16) Mississippi Valley State -- unless it's a major state school (ie Penn State, Ohio State), they don't stand a chance in a D1 tourney. Kevin Love and co. will glide into the second round with a 24-point rout.
COME ON, OF COURSE I GOT THIS ONE - BUT EVEN 24 POINTS WASN'T GIVING UCLA ENOUGH CREDIT (OR GIVING TOO MUCH TO MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ) - MY PICK TO TAKE IT ALL WON BY 41

(9) Texas A&M over (8) BYU -- I picked every 9 over 8, I don't know why I do that. But I do know I have more faith (ironically) in A&M than BYU. I dunno, Mormon's just don't seem that tough to me, and you know those boys from Texas are. Aggies by 8.
I WENT 1-FOR-2 ON 9 OVER 8 ON DAY ONE, WITH THE AGGIES WINNING BY 5

(12) Western Kentucky over (5) Drake -- Why? Call it a hunch. Drake is overrated, coming from a mid-major, and the Hilltoppers will exploit their lack of experience with a 6 point victory.
GOOD PICK. GREATTT GAME. WKU IN A 2-POINT OT WIN.

(4) UConn over (13) San Diego -- Is there even any doubt? Come on. What's up. Huskies by 12.
SHOCK OF THE FIRST ROUND, RUINING THOUSANDS OF BRACKETS. SAN DIEGO BY 1 IN THE CLOSING SECONDS.

(11) Baylor over (6) Purdue -- Call me a sucker, but I love me a feel-good story. The Bears are playing on emotion, and Purdue's best players are underclassmen. Baylor by 4.
OUCH, PRETTY OFF ON THIS ONE... I LET MY EMOTIONS GET THE MOST OF ME. PURDUE HANDILY BEAT BAYLOR 90-79

(3) Xavier over (14) Georgia -- As a resident of the peach state I'd love to pick the Bulldogs, and I have to admit their unexpected SEC tourney win was shocking, especially by winning 3 games in less than 30 hours. But the buck stops here for the Dawgs, cause Xavier is better than the SEC. Xavier by 9.
CORRECT - GEORGIA STARTED OFF STRONG, BUT COULDNT KEEP UP THE INTENSITY. XAVIER TOOK OVER IN THE SECOND HALD TO WIN BY 12

(10) Arizona over (7) West Virginia -- BEST GAME OF THE FIRST ROUND, bar none. I went back-and-forth on this game about 8 times, no joke. The teams have played evenly all year, but if Zona is at full-capacity, they are better than the Mountaineers. Look for this team to make a nice little run. 'Cats by 4.
WRONG - THIS COULD BE THE GAME THAT COSTS ME. WVU TOOK IT BY 10. I HAD ARIZONA GOING TO THE ELITE EIGHT, OUCH.

(2) Duke over (15) Belmont - I hate Duke, but even I couldn't take them to lose this one. Devils by 13.
RIGHT - BELMONT MADE IT VERY INTERESTING, WITH A 1 POINT LEAD WITH SECOND ON THE CLOCK... BUT THE DUKE EXPERIENCE WON OVER, AND THE DEVILS WON BY THE SLIMMEST OF MARGIANS - 71-70.

Utter disbelief

I am still in shock.
Too depressed to write about sports.
Haven't turned on ESPN since Sunday night.
Haven't listened to ESPN Radio or read ESPN.com.
I have nothing to say about it.
I'll let you know when I am over the biggest upset in football history.

Is there such thing as a happy-medium?

I've long been told there is a happy-medium for men, between a woman who knows too much about sports, which apparently can be intimidating (whatever), and a women who knows absolutely nothing about sports (annoying).

So if I know all of the rules of football then I'm intimidating or somehow less feminine? Here's what I have to say to that - get over it. Just because I'm a woman and can't actually play football doesn't mean I can't like and know a lot about it. I'm sure very few of the men who watch their team actually played in the NFL, and they can still appreciate the talent, so what's the difference?

I get the latter -- trying to watch a game with someone who knows nothing about football can be frustrating. Like today - I was talking to my best friend, who is of course from Boston and considers herself a Patriots fan, and I mentioned Wes Welker, to which she replied "who is that?"

I'm not kidding, I nearly had a heart attack. I can't even fathom how someone living in Boston can not know who Wes Welker is, especially someone who considers herself a Patriots fan.

Granted, I know she's not a huge sports fan or super knowledgeable about football, but how can you have watched any Patriots games this season, and have to ask who Wes Welker is? It literally blows my mind.

I know that most women aren't as into football as I am, but I still can't understand how you can watch a game and not remember who the leading receiver on the team is (and yes, I know Randy Moss had more touchdown receptions, but Welker led the team, and the NFL in total receptions).

Then I tried to think of it from her side - she probably thinks I'm a freak and can't fathom how I know, or why I care, that Wes Welker's 112 receptions this season is an NFL record for a receiver in his first year with a team.

I've long ago realized that I can't sit around with my girlfriends and talk about football, because after about three minutes their eyes glass over and I realize I've lost them - so the only people I can really discuss football with are men (if you are a woman who likes football too, don't be offended, we just haven't met).

Some guys think it's cool that I know as much as they do about football, but I'm sure there are many who think I should shut up and get back in the kitchen. I've read from a lot of sports writers, including my favorite columnist Bill Simmons, that a woman who knows to much about sports is suddenly less attractive because women are supposed to be feminine or something stupid like that.

Clearly I'm not the woman to sit on the couch during a football game whose only comments coming are how hot Tom Brady is -- not that I don't think it. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate Tom Brady for his chisled features, but I also appreciate his rocket arm, and I'm proud of that fact - if you can't handle that, you can't handle a real woman.

edit: I was just told that I don't have the male perspective quite right - that it's more that the guy is emasculated if the girl knows more about sports, not that the girl isn't feminine enough. To that I also say -- get over it. Just cause you're a guy doesn't mean you have to know a lot about sports, and just cause you're a woman doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Real fans don't wear pink

I am a woman, and I like sports. However, I do NOT like pink jerseys... or pink hats... or pink t-shirts, or anything that is pink when it is supposed to represent your team.

The pink paraphernalia thing has gotten out of control, made even more ridiculous by Jessica Simpson wearing a pink Tony Romo jersey to a Cowboys game. All of a sudden women think its not only OK, but that it's actually cute to wear pink team jerseys. Ladies, I'm here to tell you that it is NOT.

Here's why -- your team's color's aren't pink.

I have a lot of Red Sox stuff, and I have a lot of Patriots stuff, but you will never, under any circumstance, find a piece of pink sports paraphernalia anywhere in my house. And it's not because I have a problem with pink as a color - I just have a problem with pink representing your team, when their actual colors are green and gold, or orange and black, or blue and white.

Here's the other major problem with pink jerseys: they are all the same. The Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys do NOT have the same team colors, so why are Annie and Sally wearing almost identical jerseys, but cheering for opposite teams?

I don't care if you are a Cleveland Browns fan and hate the teams awful brown, orange and white colors -- team spirit should always, I repeat, ALWAYS, trump fashion.

ESPN.com posed this question in a poll: Are pink jerseys acceptable?The overwhelming answer (71%) was No. And what is the majority that reads ESPN.com? Men, or women who like sports. So, therefore, if you're trying to impress a guy who is into football, he most likely does NOT think you look cute in your pink Colts jersey -- he thinks you look stupid, as do all women who like sports.

I would like to quote an article I read about a year ago by ESPN.com's Mary Buckheit:
"I'm not one to stereotype -- OK, maybe I am -- but a pink jersey shows the world that you are not actually a fan, since you either don't know your team's colors, or worse, you just don't understand the importance of wearing them." Here, here.

So, you can be a fashionista from NY, but come gameday, I want to see you in the Jets green or the Giants blue and red (well actually, I don't ever want to see anyone in a Jets jersey, but that's a whole other story).

I posed this question to a couple of my girlfriends, including C., who is a HUGE sports fan, and also a HUGE lover of the color pink:
"Yes, I love pink... but I believe that if you are supporting a team, that you should wear said teams' colors. Especially when it comes to a jersey."

Let's move onto S.:
"That's as lame as getting your own name on a football jersey."

There you have it: Just because you are a girl doesn't mean you need an extra dose of stereotypical femininity when you sport your team.

So, ladies, if I can give you one tip, here it is: if you want people to take you seriously when it comes to watching or talking about sports, put down the pink jersey and purchase the authentic one.


Let me know what you think -- take the poll in the top right corner of the page.

Those Hated Patriots

In 2001, the Patriots won the Super Bowl and were touted as "America's Team." Remember how everyone cheered when the Patriots were announced as a single team in New Orleans, instead of as individual players? And how entire country celebrated when Vinitieri split the uprights to defeat the "greatest show on turf."

How much has changed in six years.

Now 16-0, the Patriots are the most hated team in football, the evil empire of the NFL.
What the heck happened?

The whole "Spy-Gate" thing causing such an uproar really bugs me. I get it, they did something they weren't supposed to ... but what team doesn't? Every time a player is elbowed at the bottom of a huddle, or when Fox airs a team's audibles (I'm not bitter at all), or when a coach calls a time out as the kicker is about to connect with the ball, or when a certain team pipes in extra noise to their stadium during a game, or when the sound for the visiting quarterback and his coaches is mysteriously not working (yes Indianapolis, I'm talking to you) ... these are all acceptable forms of getting an unfair edge. And yes, even YOUR team does it.

And what about those other "cheaters" such as Shawne Merriman. He has a Nike commercial, and is flown to Honolulu for the All Pro team after being suspended for using steroids (ie CHEATING) , then his teammate, LaDanian "cry baby" Tomlinson can whine and whine about how the Patriots are the cheaters ... well, that just bugs me to no end.

But yeah, I can see how the Patriots are the most hated team in the NFL: really unlikeable players, no work ethic, no competitive spirit, no team unity, and clearly the players can't stand each other or their hated coach.

Oh wait...

I guess Tom Brady is apparently too perfect. I can see how he is annoying -- just completed the most prolific touchdown season of any quarterback; won three Super Bowls before the age of 30; makes millions upon millions of dollars; dates one of the most beautiful women in the entire world. But, deep down he is still a 7th-round draft pick with a chip on his shoulder -- and don't you forget it.

Bill Belichick, admittedly, is pretty much an a-hole, and difficult, if not impossible, to like. But he is also a football genius, and will go down as one of the greatest coaches ever. It's too bad that this incident will taint his reputation, because there is no way that any unallowed activity that he has done with the Patriots has effected any game enough to change the outcome. I honestly believe that.

But look at what the team has done -- they turned Randy Moss, prior to this year, one of the greatest "what could have beens" in the history of the game. Well, with the help of Belichick and Brady, we now know what he is capable of - having one of the best receiving seasons in NFL history (no one will top Rice's 21 TD in 12 games).

The linebacking core is defying nature - and not in the steroid-using, Roger Clemens kind of way - by keeping up with the younger players they are attacking, not by taking illegal supplements, but by using their heads and their hearts to out-think, out-hussle, and out-play their junior opponents. Junior Seau, just two years after nearly retiring, is a starter on the best team in the NFL. Tedy Bruschi came back last season after suffering a stroke in 2005. If those aren't feel-good storys, then what are?

It's a team that every veteran wants to play for; that players take a pay cut to suit up for; that has an owner who spares no expense, on his players and coaches or on their facilities.

Yeah, you really gotta hate these guys.

Instead of hating them because they're so good, perhaps other teams should take a page from their book. Then maybe someone else would win a Super Bowl once-in-a-while.

But not this year.