I’m in an NCAA Tournament pool again this year. There’s a guy at Channel 8 who’s run a pool for decades. I know nothing about college hoops. Nothing! Every year I come back for my punishment.
For me, hope springs eternal. For the people in the pool I’m dead money. Either way it’s enjoyable and helps make meaningful games which would otherwise be meaningless.
“Who are you rooting for?” Helaine asked during the Marquette-Miami game.
“I forgot.”
“Uncle Rules-3” leads the tournament at this moment with 51 points. Speaking of meaningless, that number means nothing! Because each successive round in the tournament is worth twice the round before, scoring potential is the number to check. “Uncle Rules – 3” is a little short on potential.
If “Uncle Rules – 3” runs the table he will have 131 points. There are others, myself included, who can score over 160 points. Leading today is a Pyrrhic victory.
This makes no real sense, but in my pea brain it’s more important to not lose than to win! Losers go home. They can’t help you score more points.
The second place entrant, “Gymnast,” chose Gonzaga to win the tournament. Gonzaga lost early. “Gymnast” can only score 98 points and will finish back in the pack. Enjoy second place tonight.
Even folks who are math averse start doing the numbers during tournament time. I do. It keeps me watching the games.
That may be why the NCAA does little kvetching about one of the biggest gambling events of the year!
It would be amusing if you won all their money while they were… um… distracted.