March Madness is here so this is how I am picking my bracket this year.

[cliftonparksufan]

I swear each year it gets harder and harder to fill out a successful bracket, so here is what I am thinking.

AP Top 25

• 1.Indiana (64) Might pick them for the FF but after 1987, can't root for them at all. Let alone have some money riding on their success.
• 2.Gonzaga (1) Last year I was down in Barbados and played golf twice with Kevin Pangos grandfather. Good karma, but it depends on their path. Could be my 2nd favorite choice to win everything.
• 3.Duke Wow. If I am going to pick someone from the ACC, it won't be them.
• 4.Michigan I've always like Maize and Blue. Plus I once spent an unforgettable night in Ann Arbor. Depends on if they can play all their games at home.
• 5.Miami (FL) Still has work to do, but a good team and Miami is one of my favorite cities. I could definitely see picking them to get to the FF. I won't be surprised if we are matched up against them somewhere down the road. I think that would be a fun game to watch.

6.Kansas I have a cousin (by marriage) that coaches at Kansas. However, not on the Mens side. Depending on matchups, could be my pick. I don't hate the Kansas program like a lot of folks do. Besides, we own the Big 12.

• 7.Georgetown No. Can't do it and won't do it.
• 8.Florida I thought these guys were the best team. Now they have work to do. We like Billy the Kid, however this isn't his best team. Flame out, elite eight.
• 9.Michigan St. Izzo is a great tournament coach. Or is that just a rumor. I'm not picking a team from the B1G just out of protest.
• 10.Louisville They had their moment last year. No way they get that hot 2 years in a row.
• 11.Arizona Had a niece who graduated from U of A. Always liked the Wildcats. Give me a couple weeks to decide it. Pac-12 is way down (how many years in a row is that).
• 12.Syracuse Every couple years I place a bet in Vegas for the Cuse to win the NC and then something bad happens. But, just remember that JAB has pretty good success when least expected. Hopefully we can take that to the bank.
• 13.Kansas St. I didn't even know they were ranked 13th.
• 14.New Mexico Could be this years surprise team.
• 15.Oklahoma St. Needs a very favorable match up but overrrated.
• 16.Ohio St. Had a couple relatives graduate from OSU. Hopefully we can redeem our loss to them from LY. Let us beat at least one B1G team.
• 17.Wisconsin Of all the B1G team, these guys are the ones not to face Not their best team but always tough tournament time.
• 18.Saint Louis Another sleeper. I usually pick at least one to get to the Elite Eight. Hopefully they don't get screwed with their path. A lot of emotion there.
• 19.Memphis No
• 20.Butler Not this year, but we say that every year. However, Gonzaga is this year's Butler.
• 21.Notre Dame We can group ND, Marquette and Pitt altogether. Had friends or relatives go to all three schools. I know the board is split on whether we root for the BE (or is it the ACC) come tournament time. I think Marquette is the best of the three but I want to play them again. No way they beat us a second time. Can't see any of these three teams getting past the sweet sixteen.
• 22.Marquette
• 23.Pittsburgh
• 24.Oregon The Mighty Ducks. I didn't know this but they have made the elite eight twice in the past eleven seasons. Plus I had to look up who their HC was. No idea. I thought after Ron Lee, they stopped playing basketball. Probably not this year for the Ducks.
• 25.Louisiana Tech Alma mater of Karl Malone and Paul Millsap. That alone is good for two wins. The Texters have won 16 straight but their best win is against USTA. That's scary since i always thought that stood for United States Tennis Association.

 

[jimsonjunction]

I think Marquette is the best of the three but I want to play them again. No way they beat us a second time.

 

[jimsonjunction]

Cool post though. I enjoyed reading your very personal take, and I often find that I do the same thing... I always pull for (and probably overrate) A-10 schools since my sister went to St. Joe's. And I used to pull for BE teams, but now that we're moving to the ACC, screw em.