Great. I can always use an excuse to be Mad.

[kellinator]

So technically, March Madness starts today with the play-in game. I have to say, the entire concept of the play-in game offends my sensibilities. It's like after all that bragging about Cinderellas in the tournament and how wonderful it is that East Podunk State gets to go to the ball, even though Duke/North Carolina/Connecticut beats them by 56 in the first round, the selection committee decided automatic bids weren't fair to the bubble teams from the big huge conferences and it was embarrassing to have some no-name school with a losing record win their conference tourney and get in, so they changed the rules so the two worst teams have to have a slugout at the door in order for one of them to get in so Duke can beat them by 56. Seriously. I bet you it's because the big greedy conferences starting whining that they shouldn't have to share with the tiny little conferences for whom just getting to the dance is enough. Stupid wussy big-name bubble schools. You know why you're on the bubble? Because you can't win on the road and you rolled over and let Auburn do you in the butt (no lube) in the first round of the conference tourney. Oh wait, that's Vanderbilt, who let's face it wasn't even a bubble team this year. And without Vandy in it, I can't muster enough interest to give a shit, so instead I'm just going to make fun of the NCAA, because heaven knows they deserve it.

So yeah. Telling two poor unfortunate teams that "you guys suck so much that we're going to change the rules so that only the one of you who survives gladiatorial combat can get in" is just plain adding insult to injury. Just for that, I hope 12-win Oakland wins tonight and then beats the stuffing out of whichever number-one seed they're supposed to get slaughtered by.

Come on. Say it with me. OAKLAND RULES!! OAKLAND RULES!!

Comments

[raistlinbrown.livejournal.com]

That women's 16 seed victory sounds vaguely familiar; I rarely pay attention to that tournament until the Final Four.

When are you planning on dying? My expected remaining lifetime (30 years, give or take a few...120 16 vs. 1 games) is an awful lot of basketball for the upset to never happen. Granted, most of them have been blowouts, but look at these close calls...

1989 Georgetown 50, Princeton 49
1989 Oklahoma 72, East Tennessee State 71
1990 Michigan State 75, Murray State 71 (OT)
1996 Purdue 73, Western Carolina 71

Back in 1991 the "rule" was to never pick against a 1 or 2. Since then (Richmond over Syracuse) the two seeds have gone down several times. Seems inevitable to me that somebody gets shocked.

[copycatjsh.livejournal.com]

When are you planning on dying?

I intend to live forever. So far so good.

I still haven't seen the parity in college basketball to think that a 16 will upset a 1 seed anytime soon. The 15 over 2 is so rare that you can bet the farm and still be ahead all of the time.

Of course, watch Washington lose in the first round now that I've said this.

-jsh