I like baseball and pro football. That pretty much sums up my sports knowledge. So why do I enter an NCAA pool every year? Good question. I’ve yet to get back a dime!
One of my co-workers, Swami, has run this pool for years. We used to check off our results on Xeroxed sheets. Those days are long gone. We’re all digital now. Are all pools? Is anyone still using paper?
Our pool is hosted by tournamentpools.com. It’s a pretty good example of finding every way possible to slice and dice a database. There are enough stats even for a stats junkie like me.
With no knowledge I revert to my math background. This year I also read a few articles on finding ‘unappreciated teams’ to help me along. With the first afternoon played I’m still in! Trust me that’s more than the pre-research Geoff would have accomplished.
Will I cash this year? Doubtful.
Pool Card #1
NATIONAL CHAMPION – Kansas
FINALS
Kansas over Kentucky
FINAL 4
Kansas over Syracuse
Kentucky over Duke
ELITE 8
Syracuse over Pittsburgh
Kansas over Georgetown
Kentucky over West Virginia
Duke over Baylor
SWEET 16
Pittsburgh over BYU
Syracuse over Butler
Kansas over Maryland
Georgetown over Ohio St
West Virginia over New Mexico
Kentucky over Wisconsin
Baylor over Villanova
Duke over Purdue
ROUND OF 32
Butler over Murray St
BYU over Kansas St
Pittsburgh over Xavier
Syracuse over Gonzaga
Kansas over UNLV
Georgetown over San Diego St
Ohio St over Oklahoma St
Maryland over Michigan St
New Mexico over Washington
Kentucky over Texas
Wisconsin over Temple
West Virginia over Clemson
Baylor over Old Dominion
Villanova over Richmond
Purdue over Utah St
Duke over California
ROUND 1
BYU over Florida
Murray St over Vanderbilt
Kansas St over North Texas
Butler over Texas El Paso
Xavier over Minnesota
Pittsburgh over Oakland
Gonzaga over Florida St
Syracuse over Vermont
UNLV over Northern Iowa
Georgetown over Ohio
Kansas over Lehigh
San Diego St over Tennessee
Oklahoma St over Georgia Tech
Michigan St over New Mexico St
Ohio St over UCSB
Maryland over Houston
Kentucky over East Tenn St
Washington over Marquette
Texas over Wake Forest
New Mexico over Montana
West Virginia over Morgan St
Temple over Cornell
Clemson over Missouri
Wisconsin over Wofford
Old Dominion over Notre Dame
Villanova over Robert Morris
Baylor over Sam Houston St
Richmond over St Marys
Purdue over Siena
Utah St over Texas A&M
Duke over Ark Pine Bluff
California over Louisville
————————————————–
Pool Card #2
NATIONAL CHAMPION – Villanova
FINALS
Villanova over Kansas
FINAL 4
Kansas over Pittsburgh
Villanova over Texas
ELITE 8
Pittsburgh over Syracuse
Kansas over Ohio St
Texas over West Virginia
Villanova over Duke
SWEET 16
Pittsburgh over Kansas St
Syracuse over Vanderbilt
Ohio St over San Diego St
Kansas over Michigan St
West Virginia over Washington
Texas over Wisconsin
Villanova over Baylor
Duke over Utah St
ROUND OF 32
Kansas St over Florida
Vanderbilt over Texas El Paso
Pittsburgh over Xavier
Syracuse over Gonzaga
Kansas over Northern Iowa
San Diego St over Georgetown
Ohio St over Georgia Tech
Michigan St over Maryland
Texas over Kentucky
Washington over Montana
Wisconsin over Temple
West Virginia over Clemson
Baylor over Notre Dame
Villanova over Richmond
Utah St over Siena
Duke over Louisville
ROUND 1
Florida over BYU
Vanderbilt over Murray St
Kansas St over North Texas
Texas El Paso over Butler
Xavier over Minnesota
Pittsburgh over Oakland
Gonzaga over Florida St
Syracuse over Vermont
Northern Iowa over UNLV
Georgetown over Ohio
Kansas over Lehigh
San Diego St over Tennessee
Georgia Tech over Oklahoma St
Michigan St over New Mexico St
Ohio St over UCSB
Maryland over Houston
Kentucky over East Tenn St
Washington over Marquette
Texas over Wake Forest
Montana over New Mexico
West Virginia over Morgan St
Temple over Cornell
Clemson over Missouri
Wisconsin over Wofford
Notre Dame over Old Dominion
Villanova over Robert Morris
Baylor over Sam Houston St
Richmond over St Marys
Siena over Purdue
Utah St over Texas A&M
Duke over Ark Pine Bluff
Louisville over California
Well, considering that a host on ESPN radio announced that of 4.8 million brackets they’re hosting online, only 11 are still perfect after the Cornell upset of Temple this afternoon, you’ve got as good a chance as anyone!
http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/leaderboard