Let The Madness Begin!

Ah yes. It's here. The single greatest even in all of sports. For many of us, this coming Thursday and Friday rival Christmas and Thanksgiving as the top two holidays of the year. I for one have not worked or gone to school on the opening Thursday and Friday of the tournament since I was old enough to know what was happening. That, sadly, will change this year, but oh well.

So, yesterday we finally got the brackets and all the guessing as to who was in and who was not is finally over. I will get into what I thought were some terrible errors and omissions by the committee, including what I think is the single worst of all time, later. For now, lets look at who did get in, make a few comments and see how I think things will shake down.

First off let me say that I have not won a pool since I was about 8. I have been very close. One year I didn't miss my second game until the second weekend (and then the wheels just totally fell off). Another year I got everything but one right from the Elite 8 on. That being said, I have been the bridesmaid many times of late, and have resigned myself to doing it again. But, this is one of the most fun things I do all year, so here we go.

Lets first look at some of the more interesting seeding. I was not at all surprised with the four #1's. I know some people still had UCLA as a one, and I think had Kansas or Ohio State lost, they would've been. Some of the more interesting things I saw involved many "power conference" teams getting higher seeds than I thought they deserved.

Maryland as a four seems way high to me. I know they were very hot at the end of the year, but then they lost to Miami in their conference tourney. Also, with the exception of the final week of the regular ACC season, they had been little more than a bubble team. Now they are a 4?

Sticking in the ACC, I thought both Duke and Virginia Tech were higher then they should be. I, for one, thought the ACC was largely average this year and may not have deserved 6 teams. I really think Duke is being seeded on their name more than what they did this year. They lost most of the big games they played including getting rolled in their first round ACC tournament game. I think a 7 or an 8 would've been more correct. Virginia Tech seemed to really tail off at the end of the year. they have some good wins (UNC, @ Duke, @ BC) but couldn't beat an injured NC State team in the ACC tournament.

Another conference I thought got more than they deserved was the Big 10. This hurts, being an IU fan, but I am stunned that both Illinois and Purdue got in. I thought one might, but both was a surprise. No one in the conference won on the road, with the exception of Ohio State, and I just think there were some teams from other conferences that deserved a ticket more than these two.

Now, for how I see things shaking down. I see a lot of upsets. This year, more than most, the top seeds are very flawed. I think there are quite a few higher seeds that are ripe for an upset. Wisconsin at a 2 is a possible quick out. Yes they have Alando Tucker but they struggle to score and are missing one of their best players in Brian Butch. I think both Duke and V Tech are ripe for upsets as well as almost everyone from the Midwest region. I have #4 Maryland, #5 Butler, and #6 Notre Dame all losing in the first round and I have Wisconsin losing in the second round.

As for the power teams I think that Florida and Kansas will be the only #1's to make it to Atlanta. I have Texas beating North Carolina (before losing to Georgetown), Ohio State losing to Tennessee (who only lost to the Buckeyes on a last second 3 from Ron Lewis in Columbus earlier in the year) before Tennessee falls to Texas A&M. Once we get to Atlanta I think the best game will be the rematch between Kansas and Florida (Kansas won early in the year). I see Florida winning this one while Gerogetown has little trouble with Acie Law IV and the Aggies. Florida will then battle Georgetown in what promises to be one of the better title games in recent years.

There you go. I have Florida cutting down the nets again. I know it is near impossible to repeat these days (only Duke has done it since the great UCLA teams) but this team is just too good. That being said, I am no longer shocked by anything that happens in this tournament, and that is what makes it great. George Mason anyone?

Now that we have looked at the good, I want to voice my frustration with the selectioncommittee. Let me first say that I know they have a terribly difficult job. I think there are always teams that should be in or out in each tournament, but for the most part I think they do a good job. Well, this year I think they really messed up.

First off, they seemed to further the stigma that the "BCS" conferences are the most important. This year there were only 6 mid-major, at-large teams invited, down from 8 last year and 12 the year before. Left out were worthy teams such as Drexel, Appalachin State, and Missouri State. This seems especially strange given the amazing story that was George Mason the year before. You would think that the committee would want to capitalize on this and maybe give the benefit of the doubt to a few more of the smaller schools, but I guess not. They even have two mid-majors who people were talking about as "bracket busters" playing each other in the first round (Butler vs. ODU). Are they trying to ensure that the Elite 8, Final 4 and title game are full of power conference teams?

Then there is the amazingly puzzling absence of Syracuse. Now, let me admit from the jump here that I am very biased. After Indiana, Syracuse is one of the few teams that I really follow. I think Jim Boeheim is one of the more under-rated coaches in America which is sad considering his record. Anyways, this team went 10-6 in the Big East which was, statistically, stronger this year than last. Last year they were the 3rd ranked conference according to the RPI and got 8 teams in. This year, they were second and only got 6. They had more teams ranked at the end of the year this year too, but this does not just boil down to the strength of the Big East.

Syracuse has been knocked for not leaving the state of New York until the Big East started. However, they had a stronger pre-season schedule than Stanford, Indiana (I was shocked at this), Maryland, Illinois, Purdue, and Texas Tech, to name a few. All of these teams got in.

Illinois and Purdue finished with 9-7 records in their conferences, neither beating either of the top two teams, Ohio State and Wisconsin. As stated above, Syracuse was 10-6 and had wins over Georgetown (1) and Pittsburgh(1), the top two teams of the Big East. The Orange won a game in their conference tourney, unlike Stanford, Texas Tech and Maryland. They had 4 wins against teams that were ranked at the end of the year which is more than Illinois (1), Purdue(1), Indiana (3), Texas Tech(3), and Stanford(3). To me, if Indiana is a 7 seed, which I think they deserved, and those other 4 teams got into the tournament, then Syracuse is not worse than a 9.

Factor in that they finished the season 8-2 going into their conference tournament, including Georgetown's only loss in its last 16 games and I think you have to agree this was a slight. To me, this is the biggest error of omission in tournament history. But that is just my opinion, I could be wrong (Thank Dennis).

Now that i have griped a bit, let me again say how excited I am for this tournament. I don't know if there will be a George Mason this year, but there should be some absolutely amazing games. It should be lights out fun for the whole family. BTW, for those of you wondering what I see happening for my beloved Hoosiers, I see them beating Gonzaga and then getting crushed by UCLA. However, the last time I foresaw this big of a beating for them, they beat Duke and started their magical run to the final 4. Oh yeah, it was in Atlanta that year too.