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MM09:

Lanif Final

Thursday, April 09, 2009 - 12:30 AM

So here we are, in the brilliant and inevitable aftermath. In what was hoped to be a glow turned out instead to become a morning gilded with snow instead of glorious gold hardware. It was to be so much different, yet oh so the same. But forever it is not. Because the reality is that this day and this week and this wonderful and spectacular tournament are neither of those things exclusively. It is simply a new day in which to motion your way from the high post to the pick-and-roll of life without college basketball. Neither different nor the same in its completeness. It is the sentence and license of this tournament, of hoops and sports in general. And even more. It is the duality of life.

MM09:

Down Tutu

Sunday, April 05, 2009 - 03:02 PM

The stage was set. Two number ones, two teams from the greatest conference in the history of conferences, powerhouse UNC and no-adjective MSU descended upon Detroit like rain in a nightclub. Or arson on Devil’s Night. And with their arrivals, the economic woes of the state were forgotten, forgiven, and no longer foreclosed. Kwame came clean in the overnight, the UAW voluntarily disbanded, and Kevorkian practiced medicine upon himself. Michigan was cured. Or something equally ridiculous.

MM09:

F4 Prelude

Wednesday, April 01, 2009 - 06:23 PM

It only comes around once a year, and in your town once in a lifetime (unless you live in a Blue Hair City), so what are you gunna do?? Well, I can't speak for you...for the sunny-destination vacationers and the mass-exodus Spring Breakers...but I can tell what Bracketboy will be doing for the Final Four in Detroit. He'll be in attendance, boys and girls! Rooting the Spartans to hopeful victory, bringing with it all the glory of a (couple?) Final Four battle(s)!!

And if it goes down, much to the elation of Spartan Nation and the joy of the Green and White everywhere, we'll be there. Cuz you know dis...Sportsguise is going BIGTIME at the Final Four. And if the Spartys...somehow...someway...keep this magical dream alive and roll into a battle royale on Monday, you can be sure that The First Family of Bracketville will be all joy & smiles....cuz if Sparty wins it all, Comet Girl will finish this thing in her rightful place of glory (again). In Detroit. At the Final Four. With another Championship for Michigan State and another Top Finish for the Comet.

So bring your tired, your weary and your huddled masses to Detroit, yo. I'll be inside watching hoops, but don't worry, you can blend in with all the other bums in Motown. And if you're goin in, call me.

I'll let you buy me a beer.

GO STATE!

MM09:

The Final Four

Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 10:29 PM

It used to happen every year…you pick your teams, you pick your dreams, and you get crushed like an empty at one of the Russell Girls’s birthday parties. The reality is, the only reason it doesn’t happen perennially anymore is that you wised up. No more riding the sexy story, and honing in on the Homer hunch. At least, not if you want to win this thing. So we’ve all moved to a more prudent approach. Check your Green, your White and your maize and blow at the door, folks. And most of the time, you won’t be sorry. But these days, while your pride is checked at the threshold to the dance, you go with the smart pick, the likely winner…and look back over your shoulder with longing eyes at the Green and White you left with the janitor.

MM09:

Round III Final

Saturday, March 28, 2009 - 12:22 PM

When you make it this far in the tournament, there’s a little luck mixed in with a couple of good calls salted over the talent and desire your team puts forth. And every team in the Sweet 16 fit that mold (besides Arizona of course). Arizona, on the other hand, got the greatest gift of all from Mike Slive’s gang when the Wildcats were invited to the dance in the first place. And before you try it, don’t gimme that “even the acne-adorning, fat chic tuba player with braces was allowed in to the dance,” as an argument for Arizona entry into the tourney. Arizona didn’t belong in this thing to start, and they proved that resoundingly on Friday. And besides, that tuba player wasn’t invited to the dance either. The only reason she got in was becuz she was Carmelo’s date!

MM09:

Round III Update

Friday, March 27, 2009 - 12:52 AM

There is no greater time for a fan of the game than this time. And there is no greater stage for the young hoopster than this stage. Those two pieces of magic come together and every spring they're placed upon the great stones that frame the flames of the sporting hearth...to simmer. And each year, the added spice of a Moc, or a Vampire, or a Spider or two are mixed in to what can often become a caustic mess of a bracket. But you never know what the mix will bring. Glory and upsets, or losers and bedshats. You never know. It just takes time.

Such was the case on the first night of Round III. And such was the time in this year's tournament.

MM09:

Round III Notes

Thursday, March 26, 2009 - 06:47 PM

Round III kicked off Thursday night...after days of toiling in the workplace an answering to your wife's beck and call, it's back. The madess returns. And steps it up.

Each game carries the weight of a University and the frenzy of its fan base. Each game means another sho at glory, or a one-way ticket back home. And each game is now worth 10 points. And before you ask, cuz I'm sure you wanna know, here's how it shakes out.

As expected, nearly everyone has UConn and Pitt. So here's who doesn't:
Rudy, Speedy, Leo D, Dark Ninja, Goiter and the original cockless all have Purdue beating UConn. But they're not as interesting as the other two pickers pulling for Purdue. Cockless 2 and Ese are both underdogging it tonight. So here's to hoping they know nothing we don't and that these two tops wellers thought the UDogs went another round. A UConn win and this group suffers a bow to their title hopes. A Purdue W and this thing is going to get a lot more interesting at the top.

In Thursday's other early game, Pittsburgh is an overwhelming favorite amongst the pickers. Only two went with Xavier in the upset. A third, Sesspool got crazy and picked the Tenessee frickin Volunteers in this one. Ooops Sess! I guess Sess is no Seuss. At least the doctor's got some glory on his resume. Sess has nothing on this pool. Nothing. JRAC2 and AB6 also picked Xavier into the E8. JRAC2 held down 20th place after RII, so Thursday might become a night to forget in the world of JRAC2. Twentieth to toast is a real possibliity.

I'll post the picks for the late games in a bit, so stay tuned.....
-bracketboy

MM09:

Round II Final

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 09:48 PM

As much as the points in Round I don’t really matter and the U Dogs, which close out in Round II come to an end, the most important thing is simple: you need your 8’s and 4’s to advance. Cuz if those big number chances start dropping like their hot, it’s gunna get reeeal tough for you. On Sunday though, the favorites held serve. And with the favorites come the majority. Kansas, Pitt, Xavier, Michigan State and Louisville all advance. To ones, a two, a three and a four seed if yer counting. And we were. Cuz majority might imply a lot, but it doesn’t mean all. So who’s NOT in the majority????

MM09:

Round II Update

Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 10:40 AM

Saturday started off like any other Saturday of opening weekend, to be sure. As you wiped the crusted hang over out of the corner of your eye and flushed the cotton in your mouth back with a couple of Tylenol and a litre of coffee, you knew what Saturday was going to be. It's Round II baybee!! So get your hand out of your Hanes and get back to the games!! Just wash that hand first.

MM09:

Round I Final

Friday, March 20, 2009 - 02:50 PM

It took a lot less longer than previous years, but Friday introduced us to the madness in ways tht only March can. Overtimes and overtimes and nail-biting action brought home the memories of our precious spring. As it arrived Friday night with all the vengence of Chris Brown...with your bracketed Cinderalls playing the perfect Rhianna to his roundhouse.