Nobrainer’s Think Tank

After watching basketball for most of the day yesterday, I finally got back to my office this morning to update my brackets. I have 4 brackets, 2 of which have money on them.

First, is the Craig Warner bracket. There are 61 people in at $5 each with updated scoring via the internet. As of this moment, I’m in dead last. I went 19 for 32 in the first round. I’m 3 for 8 so far in the 2nd round. My final four is alive, but 3 of my elite 8 are gone and/or long gone (ie. Stanford and Alabama). My eventual champion is Kentucky. If my remaining picks can hold, I can make up a lot of ground later on, but I still think I’m dead in this one. Now I’m rooting more for my other bracket.

I had a pretty good start in the Wha invitational. 33 people are in for $5 a piece. I hit 25 of 32 in the first round. Unfortunately 5 of those misses were all in the Austin bracket. I went 5 for 8 yesterday. 3 of 4 Final Four teams remain. The painful losses were Syracuse (a F4 team) and Stanford who I had picked to upset Duke in today’s game. Today’s games can have a serious impact on the rest of my bracket. I have Ok. St. as my final champion.

In the just for fun category, I’m in an ESPN bracket with about 20 people from the Tigernet Lounge. I went 23 of 32 in the first round. Yesterday I hit 6 of 8. I’m in 2nd place in this bracket, mostly because of hitting more 2nd round games. My losses were more evenly spread here. The Kansas lost hurts the most. Duke is my eventual champion. In all, I’m ranked in the 93rd percentile in this one.

And in the Tigernet Donor Board contest, I’m not doing so well. I only went 20 of 32 infirst round action. And I only hit 3 games right yesterday. 3 E8 teams and 1 F4 team are gone.

One of the most important things right now for for Illinois to lose to UW-Milwaukee in the 3rd round. Tons of people have the Illini picked to take the whole thing, and I seriously doubt anyone has UWM picked to advance as far as they have. Otherwise, I pretty much need good runs by UConn, Ok. St., and Louisville.

Unfortunately, I still probably won’t win. Having multiple brackets also cheapens each game. Instead of having to pull for only one team, I have to take a more middle of the road type approach. So I’m pretty much giving up on my first, and most potentially lucrative bracket in the hopes that my entry into the Wha invitational can pan out. As for bragging rights? Who cares. I just want to win some money.

Update: I’ve always hated UConn. They did not redeem themselves this year. I’m now miss 4 E8 teams and 2 F4 teams. Duke really needs to lose tonight, even though that will take me out of both my free contests. Since I’m really not sure which bracket I have the best chance with now, I don’t know if I want GT or Louisville to win. A Wisconsin win would be very good, though.