First up, here’s something you may find interesting. Julia Keller, a cultural critic at the Chicago Tribune, called me a couple of weeks ago to get a few quotes for a piece she was working on about the irrationality of hate in sports rivalries. Seeing how she’s won one of these thingies, this was the most flattering request I’ve gotten in a while.
Anyhoo, give the piece a read here. In spite of whatever I had to say, it’s strong work. (Registration required, I think)
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Here’s my Tournament prognostication. Those with office pools but no clue what to do, feel free to use my picks. But say not shit if they’re wrong. Shoulda done ’em on your own, cheater.
First-round winners
ATLANTA
Duke
GW
Syracuse
LSU
WVU
Iowa
Cal
Texas
OAKLAND
Memphis
Arkansas
Kent State
Kansas
Indiana
Gonzaga
Marquette
UCLA
WAshington, DC
UConn
UAB
Washington
Illinois
Mich State
UNC
Wichita State
Tennessee
MINNEAPOLIS
Villanova
Arizona
Negada
BC
Wisc-Milwaukee
Florida
G’Town
Ohio State
Second Round
ATLANTA
Duke
LSU
WVU
Texas
OAKLAND
Memphis
Kansas
Indiana
Marquette
WASHINGTON
UConn
Illinois
UNC
Tennessee
MINNEAPOLIS
Villanova
BC
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (this has been added. copied it off my bracket wrong)
Ohio State
Third Round
ATLANTA
LSU
Texas
OAKLAND
Memphis
Marquette
WASHINGTON
UConn
UNC
MINNEAPOLIS
BC
Ohio State
FINAL FOUR
Texas
BC
UConn
Memphis
CHAMPIONSHIP
Texas
Uconn
CHAMPION
UConn
6 Comments
by Kirk
This is the most astounding thing I’ve ever seen. Bomani Jones is picking a U of Texas team to lose in a championship (or any other) game. That’s like…well, nothing, really. Nothing that unbelievable has ever happened before.
That Tribune piece is a really good one, too.
I’m a fan, not a fool.
by **RPM**
WAT? No Penn in the Sweet Sixteen??
Ok ok ok…don’t stat beating on my head again dammit. It was just a joke.
– C
by Rex
I don’t think Texas will make it to the final (Maybe the elite eight). Not a “UT-hater” thing, but just going off of their losses this season. They’ve lost REALLY bad when they’ve lost.
Hmmm… Suuuuuuuuuure you miscopied that OU v. UW-Milwaulkie game wrong off your bracket and didn’t update it when they lost.
Suuuuuure!
;^D
Always had ’em over OU. Forgot to put ’em in the Sweet 16. As for Texas, it’s just all about the shakeout of the bracket. Under slightly different circumstances, I could see them going home in the second round.
by Rex
I know, you and everyone else had that upset a brewin’. When I decided to check ESPN’s scoreboard, I had a bad feeling without having any clue as to how the game went. That bad feeling was quickly confirmed as being warranted.
I just don’t want Dook to win it all. It wouldn’t even kill me if UT won. I’m finally coming around to a “Big XII” sense of brotherhood, where before I was only loyal to the old “Big 8” before the Texas schools crashed the party. I think many OU fans turned a corner at the Rose Bowl this year as far as UT is concernred.
by If all teachers were this hot...
Our brackets look a LOT alike, kid. I even had Texas going into the big game. That’s what I get for switch-hittin’, huh?
by If all teachers were this hot...
Our brackets look a LOT alike, kid. I even had Texas going into the big game. That’s what I get for switch-hittin’, huh?