NCAA MARCH MADNESS 2017

  1. You will see scores here when I am away from the computer

Gonzaga 65  NORTH CAROLINA 71

North Carolina came from behind with a 9-2 run. To become your 2017 NCAA MENS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS !!

This is number 6 for the Tarheels.  And number 3 under Coach Roy Williams.

Congratulations to the LADIES of South Carolina on becoming the 2017 NCAA Womens Basketball CHAMPIONS !!!

The table is set. Two number One Seeds will face off tor the 2017 version of the NCCA 2017  Campionship Jump ball set to begin at 9pm (EST), Monday April 3rd, On CBS

As I pointed out earlier; this will be GONZAGA’S 19th,consecutive tournament appearance. (It will be their 20th appearance counting their one and done, in 1995).  Could this be their year?  As I previously pointed out If they could score more than 62 points in that crucial  (for them), 4th game.  They would have a really good chance of winning their FIRST EVER Men’s NCAA  BASKETBAL  TITLE.

I must admit the Gonzaga Bulldogs, if not considered a Cinderella team ; THEY have to be a SENTIMENTAL favorite.  

Good luck to both teams.  Although I will be rooting for my sentimental favorite and SPIKES Favorite, GONZAGA.  (For those of you who didn’t  know, SPIKE is the name of Gonzaga’s mascot).

North Carolina ended Oregon’s run, edging them out by a single point 77-76.

Gonzaga, (a mid major college), withstood a 16-0 charge by South Carolina to eliminate South by 4 points. 77-73

Does it say anything that both finalist scored the same (77), number of points.  In their respective Semi-Final games,  Wouldn’t it be a great game if after 40 minutes the two teams were tied 77-77.  WOW!

USA Today appeared a mite bias today.  I counted four headlines regarding the North Carolina game and zero regarding Gonzagas game.  If they had any I missed them.

HOW about those Musketeers!  From an eleven seed to Elite Eight berth.  Of course I will still root for my TEAM, or any of its fellow conference members, as long as they last. It would be nice to see an eleven seed win it all.

Gonzaga is  a sentimental favorite.  Having made the tournament EVERY year sine 1999.  Amassing 25 wins in the prior  17 year span.  Their best years were 1999 and 2015 with 3 wins advancing to to the Regional Final.  In 1999 they were ousted 67-62 by UCONN.   2015 saw the Zags Return to the regional final only to be defeated 66-62 by Duke.  Seems if they reach the Regional Final again and can score more than 62 points, They just might win their region.

I really hate to add this item at this time.  But I Think it is relevant.  The Biggest Tourney the NCAA has.  is now going on.     The NCAA is trying to exert their  power of  FINANCIAL GAIN to the CITIES, and STATES.  Example is the  threat to North Carolina.  Change your STATE LAW: regarding restroom use OR…ELSE !!    No hosting of  NCAA Events.  They did this with College mascots…and got by with it.  NOW!  They are pressuring States to…  DO AS WE TELL YOU.  NOT WHAT YOUR RESIDENTS WANT.  It seems to me the NCAA has outgrown their britches and either needs to be ousted or NEW leadership that does what the organization was set up to do, and not overstep their bounds.

I don’t know how to fight this.  We could boycott all NCAA events.  But that would also hurt the Schools, its Athlete, and punish the FAN BASE.  The only real answer is for the colleges,and universities to withdraw from the NCAA and set up a new organization to oversee the SPORTS, and leave it at that.  But that will never happen.  They apparently can not see where the NCAA is leading them.

It appears North Carolinians have bowed to the almighty    dollar.  NCAA money apparently speaks louder than the  citizens voice.  North Carolina ceded to the GIANT  NCAA to  repeal their bathroom bill.   

While I am on my stump.  There is all this talk of  “Student Athletes”  being paid to play.   THEY ARE BEING PAID, They are getting an education,  for all intents and purposes FREE.  ONE other thing I will inject here, (like it or not).  Enough of these athletes going to school, (basically free), then abandoning their education, for the big bucks of  PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.  I have no problem with them jumping for the big money they are offered.  BUT!!!  They have taken  scholarship money from students who really need it to get an education.  I PROPOSE.  Any student athlete, not completing school, (to go pro),  should REPAY the scholarship money.  OR The Professional Team/Organization, employing them should Repay the scholarship.  These Professional teams USE College/Universities as a “MINOR LEAGUE” to develop players.  Not so much Baseball, Hockey, or other sports, HOWEVER, it seems FOOTBALL, and Basketball are the big offenders of this use.

  1. As always this is just my opinion.  That Is The Way I See It.

NORTHWESTERN WINS FIRST NCAA MARCH MADNESS GAME EVER.  Defeating Vanderbilt 68 to 66.  Congratulations NORTHWESTERN

WELCOME TO OUR 2017 MARCH MADNESS.  I am not sure How many years we have been doing this.  I will have to look it up.  I do know all totaled I have been having this same POOL since, 1991.  Just not sure how many years I have posted on this blog.  

Two years in a row I had a female player win my pool.  When I asked her method that made this result possible , her reply was, “I just pick the team with the best looking coach”.  So everybody has their own way and reasoning of picking the winner.

This is where you can print your “OFFICE POOL” Bracket, Check the scores, etc.

I will have these… “MASTER BRACKET”,  “What if you chose all  HIGH PICKS”  for each game.  An “UPSET BRACKET”  (if the favored team wins it will be in Green, if it is an upset it will be listed in RED”.  And, Yes I will have my picks so you can compare your picks to mine. (And Laugh or Cry)  (My picks are usually comedy relief,  as I rarely do well (anymore)

What is a seed?  Merely a starting place.  Although unlikely, IT is possible for two 16 seeds to meet in the final game.  Would lets say ViILLANOVA were to be seeded as a number 16.  They would still have  to win all games to be CHAMPION !  

 SEEDING attempts to give a more favored team an easier path to the CHAMPIONSHIP.  Seeding should lead to  the best 2 teams playing in the final game.  However there  is always that upset minded team;  or  the chance that the favored team has a bad game, a stand out player is sick or injured.  I am reminded of one year in our STATE High School WRESTLING Tournament.  The Athletic Assn.  decided to go with a draw, rather than seeding.  The Result?  Two wrestlers with one defeat each faced each other in the first match.  Loser of a first round match goes home.  It was a 3 OT match.  One of these wrestlers went home, while wrestlers with more losses during the season advanced.  The winner of this match had no competition left.  Easy wins.  He won the CHAMPIONSHIP  that first match.  Not much excitement.

Will this be the year a 16 seed, or a play in winner go all the way?  I still don’t think a play in winner should be seeded higher than a SIXTEEN SEED,  but that is the way the NCAA does it.  I can’t figure their reasoning for doing that.

I see Mr. Buffet has offered $1 million A YEAR FOR LIFE to any employee correctly predicting the SWEET SIXTEEN”.  I sure would like to be an employee and win that.  WOULDN’T YOU?

More to come as I progress setting up brackets and any news breaks

I will have a MASTER BRACKET , Which I will post the play in and 1st round games  Then I will post the advancements as they happen.

SELECTION SUNDAY WILL BE SUNDAY MARCH 12, 2017

TO PRINT THE BRACKET OF YOUR YOUR CHOICE HOVER OVER  BRACKET .   AT BOTTOM YOU WILL SEE A GRAY POP UP BAR.  JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE ZOOM YOU WILL SEE A PAGE ICON. (SIMILAR TO  THIS   ) CLICK THIS BUTTON TO DOWNLOAD.  A page will pop up wih the selected bracket and you can print the Bracket.

MASTER BRACKET

2017 march-madness MASTER bracket

HIGH PICKS

2017 march-madness HIGH PICKS bracket

UPSETS

2017 march-madness HIGH PICKS bracket

MY PICKS

2017 march-madness MY PICKS bracket

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Copyright © 2010-2023 - Wayne Lawrence - All Rights Reserved!
Wordpress Theme Design and Hosting by GraiteHost.com
FromTheMiddleBlog.com is in no way affiliated with the National Football League, NASCAR, the NCAA, or any of their Properties.
This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not an official web site for the National Football League, NASCAR or the NCAA.