Yes, I know we're all focused on spring training, but I just found out there's this college basketball tournament about to start and I thought it might be interesting to set up a TwinsDaily community bracket challenge.

 

If you're interested, go to the ESPN Tournament Challenge and select "Join Group" where asked to do so.

 

http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2015/en/game

 

The Group name you're looking for is TwinsDailyChallenge (all one word) and the password is Buxton.

 

Winner gets - well - nothing. But you can brag all you want.

In. 

Well, that makes a whole THREE of us, mike.

 

Yikes.

 

Maybe people need some incentive.

 

Tell you what - IF we end up with at least 20 entries (which, really, considering the size of the community here is not too many to ask for), I'll toss in a 2014 Cedar Rapids Kernels "Star Wars Night" jersey to the winner.

 

I'm sure it's autographed by someone, but I honestly don't recall who.

I saw that long list of names. At least this way I can brag about finishing no worse than 3rd in one of my pools.......

 

I saw that long list of names. At least this way I can brag about finishing no worse than 3rd in one of my pools.......

True.

 

I was thinking that only having 3 entries imroves my chances of winning to at least 1 in 10.

I'm in as well.

 

As of 2:26pm on 3/17/15 - I GUARANTEE that I won't finish any worse than 4th in this pool.

 

 

Please disregard the fact there are, in fact ,only four entries. It seems less "bold" when framed in that context.

In.

 

I barely even follow College BB anymore but I always fill one of these out.  I refuse to pick a team like this year's Kentucky because I just can't stomach the thought of them winning and going undefeated.  I'd like to threaten some of you with the possibility of now finishing fifth, but my track record the last few years says that's not likely.

We are now up to 6 entries! That's double what we had last time I checked! 

I haven't watched college basketball in like 8 years, but I'm in!  Oughtta be fun!

I haven't watched college basketball in like 8 years, but I'm in!  Oughtta be fun!

8 years????? There's more to winter months than shoveling snow, Seth!

 

OK, maybe not in Warroad.

OK - good news and bad news...

 

Good news is that we now have 19 entries, so let's assume we'll get 1 more before tip off on Thursday and that means the winner gets an autographed Kernels jersey.

 

Bad news is that it turns out the Star Wars jersey is a 2013 version, not the 2014 version I promised above.

 

I've got so dang many of these things laying around, I can't keep them straight.

 

Regardless, I'm sure I can find a jersey here somewhere that will make the eventual winner happy (or at least not feeling like I ripped him/her off).

 

 

OK, so I did find a 2014 Star Wars jersey, too. So the winner can choose the 2013 or 2014 version. 

If I watch a game in the tourney, it will be the first I've watched all year. I used to watch sports all the time......I'm actually much happier now that I don't.

I think it's a matter of whether you can separate yourself and your fandom from the actions on the field.  Too many cannot, which leads to the jerks on Twitter that hound 16 year-old kids incessantly about attending their favorite college for sports or people sending tweets that'd make the Curt Schilling tweets blush to an athlete when he struggles.  One of the last tweets (since taken down) that Oscar Tavares received was a fan telling him how his performance in the playoffs showed how he was a waste of Cardinals roster space and that his mother should have just not carried his pregnancy to term (to put it in much, much kinder terms).

 

College tourney time is one of my favorite times of the year, though, as you get more of that pure passion like you see in high school athletics as well among athletes.  Fans are what fans are, but even those who don't have a team in the tourney can enjoy the energy of the young men (and women) playing the games.  I will agree that it's pretty rare that I watch a college basketball regular season game unless I'm in person.

I have no problem finding the time and interest to split among professional and major college sports. Does that mean I think the people running things are doing it right? Not at all. There are many ways that college sports could and should be changed, just as I feel the same about professional baseball.

 

And yes, there are jerk fans in all sports.

 

But in terms of interest in how an organization runs its championship, I can't top NCAA basketball. The mix of big schools and small schools (which you don't even get in high school tournaments any more) and the "one and done" nature of the tournament make it superior theater to any other playoff in major sports, imo.

 

Until MLB added the single-game wild card "play-in" game, there could be years where MLB had zero games where it was win-or-go-home for both teams - no assurance that any series would go to a final deciding game. Doesn't mean the series weren't fun to watch and you are certainly more likely to see the "best team" prove itself over the course of a month of almost-daily playoff games, so that's fine.

 

But college basketball has 65 games, where it's win-or-go-home for both teams, over 3 weeks. I love it.

Edited March 18, 201511 yr by Steven BUHR

I did love the tourney. Not sure what I'll do this year. Guess I'll start finding out tomorrow......but to me, the less sports I watch, the happier I usually am.

South Dakota's basketball tournament certainly has small school fun.  I know because my alma mater is in the midst of the smallest-level championship this year, and I know how crazy the town has become.  Multiple businesses have put out notices for tomorrow (the first day of the state tourney) that they will be closed.

I'm in. Thanks SD.

I think I'm in, unless I've run afoul of yet another GUI. Last place here I come!

I think we're over 40 entries, now. Good luck, everyone (except those of you who picked Davidson over Iowa, of course).

March Madness is awesome but I just don't have the time to follow it from overseas.  I haven't turned my TV on since the Super Bowl and will be traveling this weekend and during the final four but probably back in time for the championship.

40+? Dang......now I could be worse in this pool than my other one!

 

South Dakota's basketball tournament certainly has small school fun.  I know because my alma mater is in the midst of the smallest-level championship this year, and I know how crazy the town has become.  Multiple businesses have put out notices for tomorrow (the first day of the state tourney) that they will be closed.

 

And just like that, the #8 seed in the small class tourney (a team in my alma mater's conference) upsets the #1 seed.  Could have conference foes facing off in the second round of the state tournament.  Gotta love small school basketball!

And within 3 hours of the tournament beginning, I lose my first "Final 4" pick.

 

I hate Iowa State.

 

Who's stupid f'ing idea was this bracket thing, anyway?

Edited March 19, 201511 yr by Steven BUHR

Never trust any team from Iowa....

I had ISU in the Elite 8..........

 

Never trust any team from Iowa....

Certainly never BET on any of them.

 

BTW, for those who care, we ended up with 46 entries. After the first two games, 45 of us were in a tie for first place.

Dear Big 12...........

 

hahahahahahahahaha*

 

*see, fans suck!

And within 3 hours of the tournament beginning, I lose my first "Final 4" pick.

 

I hate Iowa State.

 

Who's stupid f'ing idea was this bracket thing, anyway?

Don't feel bad. I had the Gophers into the regional final.

Day 1 and I'm almost winning.  I wish I wasn't traveling for 2 out of the 3 weekends but I have some pretty awesome trips planned.