Friday, March 22, 2013

Mad About March Madness

I went to a college that didn't have a lot of popular sports teams. We didn't/don't have a football team so there was never any tailgating. It was mainly a commuter school so there wasn't much camaraderie on campus.

However, when I got my first office job back in 2007, I fell deeply and madly in love with March Madness. Why? I have no idea. It's not like my college team consistently participates in the tournament (they did make it to the tournament when I was attending college there but they were eliminated in the first round). I can't really explain my love of the tournament, but it is something I always look forward to in spring. I have shirts for some of my favorite college teams (as a result of the tournament). I always pick Butler to go one round too far. I oust my least favorite teams too early (a 7 seed doesn't often beat a 2 seed in the second round).. But it is March Madness. Anything is possible!!

One year, I chose my bracket solely based on who's mascot would win in a fight (that didn't work out so well but it was still a fun tactic). It doesn't matter how well you know or don't know about college basketball, it is always fun to watch the fast paced games. In fact, in the first few days of the tournament (which actually started yesterday), there are multiple games going on at once so you can switch back and forth.

Do you partake in these lovely festivities? If not, I recommend it for a fun time, even if you aren't a huge basketball fan. Although, by the time this post goes up, the tournament will have already started. However, here are some handy dandy tips to use for next year:

Kelly's March Madness Bracket Picking Tips:
1) In the first round, always chose the 1-4 seeds to win in each of the four conferences. It is rare that a 4 seed will be upset.
2) Pick teams you're familiar with. Have a friend that lives in Nashville, close to Vanderbuilt? Why not pick them?! Vacationed in Colorado and had a great experience, pick them! A school that one of your favorite runners attended? Go ahead! The sky is the limit to the reasons you can come up with to chose a team!
3) In the second and third rounds, go ahead and take some risks on the suggested upsets (a high# seed beating a low# seed). If you're right, the payoff will be huge. If you're wrong, let's hope you're not wrong too many times. :)
4) If you're unsure on which team to pick, chose which mascot will win in a fight.

I have yet to win a bracket and I've been participating in March Madness pools since that first lowly office pool back in 2007. So my tips are definitely not foolproof, but the do lead to a fun time during the tournament. Who do you have winning this year? I picked Louisville. Why? We always drive through there on our way to Nashville. Everyone always seems so friendly and the restaurants are delicious. Go Cardinals!

4 comments:

  1. I guess we're in the same boat. I have never won a bracket tourney. I guess I probably take a risk like you suggest in #3! Love #4, hilarious!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haha, I was so surprised by that 14-3 upset yesterday with New Mexico and Harvard. You never know what can happen during March Madness!?!?

    ReplyDelete
  3. My school has made it to the tournament 4 times EVER - the last being in 1980! So obviously I'm not watching because of my alma mater :)

    But I've been doing brackets for years! I love that anyone has a chance to win. I did win $90 in our work pool a few years back, and that was just for coming in third, so there's big money in that one. I do the one for work, one with my gym (winner gets a free month!) and one with my family, where we just play for bragging rights. Winning the family pool is awesome, because they're all sports nerds who pay attention to things like stats and records and I put absolutely no thought/research into mine.


    Did you jinx New Mexico with #1? I think another safe rule is to usually not pick Ivy League schools, but I guess Harvard showed us! And I do go with rule #2 a lot when trying to pick upsets. And on #4, that's awesome. My friend let his 2 year old daughter fill out his bracket this year, based on which mascots she thought were cuter. I'm curious about how that will pan out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loyola's basketball team isn't that great, HOWEVER, Loyola is the only school in Illinois to win the NCAA basketball tournament. In 1963. So that's kind of a source of school pride.


    I've filled out a bracket here and there. Vera forced me to join her online bracket this year and is all excited that IU (Indiana - where she went) is a #1 seed.

    ReplyDelete