Tourney Pick'Em Tips

Good Morning,

If you live in Kansas, there is one thing you are guaranteed this time of year. Wherever you go you are likely to run into random groups of people huddled around a TV looking intent or mildly concerned as they mull over the words to "Rock Chalk Jayhawk!"-a haunting victory chant.

Rooooock chaalk Jaaaaay Haawk...Kaaaay Uuuuuu

The mood and tone of a city is indeed set by the outcome of the madness.

MARCH MADNESS!!!

The NCAA Men's (and Women's!!!) basketball tournament is set to begin this week. I have my sheets of integrity here ready to fill out (aka the "Pick em' Pool" Tournament brackets). Over the years in doing this it has become my theory that knowing the most about sports does not make the best Bracketologist. My Grandma, routinely a top finisher the family pool, relies on a steady viewing schedule and then I think selects based partly on whether or not a team has a cute coach or handsome players.

Since this has proven an effective strategy, I've decided to put away my stat sheets and try a new approach this morning. Amidst the MADNESS an analysis of team nicknames and mascots seems a saner approach.

So...after research and analysis of the 2011 NCAA's 68 teams I've culled together some tips I hope you too will find helpful for filling out your brackets.



10 Tips for Tourney Pick'Ems!...using team mascots

1. Look for Indiana State "The Fighting Teachers" (although currently the Sycamores) to make a long run into the Tournament. As demonstrated by the current political battles in Wisconsin, a cohesive group of Teachers are hard to knock off their committed course...


2. Write this down somewhere handy...next to your sheet.

A Tiger beats a Wildcat (too generic) and a working dog (Huskies, "Reveille" the Collie) beats a domestic non-sporting dog (e.g. Bulldogs or Terriers).

In all there are 11 cat teams, 9 dog teams, 5 bears...and at least 2 rodents. In a cat vs. dog fight go with the cats.

3. Also, a man with a gun beats animal unless it is a grizzly...

4. There are several interesting match-ups in the first round I am excited to see:

"The Commodores" against the Spiders. Here I feel at least one of them, probably Lionel, would step on a spider...or possibly in choreographed dance moves inadvertently squash the spiders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Pocket_(Commodores_album)

The Texas A&M "Aggies" will be clashing with the Florida State Seminoles. I believe FSU after losing in the conference tournament might be ready to beat the "land grant" Aggies over the uppity white mans proliferation of farming.

5. Purdue vs. St. Peter's. A trained craftsman beats a peacock. (You might also report this to PETA)

6. Looking to outwit your friends by nailing the tricky 8-9 seed matchups? No problem. How about out in the West region the #8 seed Wolverines vs. #9 seed Volunteers? A fierce rodent like animal fighting on it's back verses the helpful volunteer. Go with the Wolverines.

7. I have not yet been able to come down with a ruling for battles of mythical creatures so my advice is flip a coin or consult the oracles for contests between, Blue Devils, Pirates, Leprechauns, Redstorms, Bruins and Blaze a Fire Breathing Dragon

8. A Buckeye is a poisonous nut. They are also the #1 overall seed...coincidence? no, pick them!

9. Akron ZIPS!!!!!!! this team will run faster, jump, higher etc. Down side, if they win, it is Akron. Remember "It's gotta be the shoes money!" No MAC team is a good bet.

10. So,...my Final Four Includes a mythical bird (Kansas), a gator (Florida), huskies (U Conn), and dirty feet (North Carolina)? With the overall champions?...

Dirty Feet vs. a Baby Jay?

Dirty Feet.

okay, good luck and Happy Monday,

Amanda

p.s. Zips refers to a particular brand of kids shoe