Thursday, March 17, 2011

my very late shot at a bracket

With only two hours before the tournament begins for real, here is my bracket for March. Just for the record, I instituted three rules for bracket-picking, when in doubt. If you're still picking, feel free to play along (note: these rules are for games you don't have a definite feeling about one way or the other).
When in doubt ...
Ask yourself if one of the teams has a transcendent player who might go crazy. Call it the Carmelo Anthony Rule (after Carmelo carried a so-so Syracuse team to a national championship in 2003). If you think Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker or Jacob Pullen (that's his name, right?) stands a chance of throwing his team on his back and grabbing the attention of the nation this March, don't pick against them or you'll hate yourself.
Seek the popular opinion and go the other way. I stole this rule from Simmons' NFL Playoff Gambling Manifesto because I think it works here. What's fun about picking every game just like everybody else? You're not winning anything that way.
Finally, if you still can't decide, just pick the team you want to win. Look, bracket pools are ultimately about having fun. And it's absolutely no fun to pick a team to win when you know in your heart you'll secretly be rooting for them to lose. That kind of cognitive dissonance can kill a person.

With that in mind, please enjoy my bracket. And the rest of March.

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