MARCH 12,2020 “Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships,” the NCAA said in a statement. “This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities.” This marks the first year the NCAA tournament has not been played since its inception in 1939. That year, the event featured only eight teams, and Oregon beat Ohio State to win the first championship. National Championship ]This is where you can print your “OFFICE POOL” Bracket, Check the scores, etc. Yes I will have “MY PICKS” so you can compare your picks to mine. (And Laugh or Cry)I will have A “MASTER BRACKET”, “WHAT IF YOU CHOSE THE HIGH PICKS” for each game. Yes I will have MY PICKS. .An “UPSET” will be RED on “ALL HIGH PICKS” Bracket. GREEN indicate HIGH SEED Win 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 Michigan St 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. To print BRACKET: HOVER OVER SHEET. You will see a window at bottom with an arrow pointing down (second from right). Click this button. It will open a new window with the bracket then click the printer icon or go to file, and PRINT. TO Enlarge each sheet: Hover over and select the square on the far bottom RIGHT. To return to PAGE Repeat. MASTER BRACKET 2020 NCAA tournament schedule and locations: DATES ROUND WATCH CITY, STATE HOST(S) FACILITY March 15 Selection Sunday 6 p.m. ET on CBS N/A CBS will broadcast the Selection Show at 6 p.m. ET N/A March 17-18 First Four March Madness Live Dayton, OH University of Dayton UD Arena March 19/21 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Albany, NY Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Times Union Center March 19/21 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Spokane, WA University of Idaho Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena March 19/21 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live St. Louis, MO Missouri Valley Conference Enterprise Center March 19/21 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Tampa, FL University of South Florida Amalie Arena March 20/22 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Greensboro, NC Atlantic Coast Conference Greensboro Coliseum March 20/22 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Omaha, NE Creighton University CenturyLink Center Omaha March 20/22 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Sacramento, CA Sacramento State University Golden 1 Center March 20/22 1st/2nd Rounds March Madness Live Cleveland, OH Mid-American Conference/Cleveland State Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse March 26/28 Midwest Regional March Madness Live Indianapolis, IN Horizon League/IUPUI Lucas Oil Stadium March 26/28 West Regional March Madness Live Los Angeles, CA Pepperdine University STAPLES Center March 27/29 South Regional March Madness Live Houston, TX University of Houston Toyota Center March 27/29 East Regional March Madness Live New York, NY St. John’s University/Big East Conference Madison Square Garden April 4/6 Final Four and title game TBS/ March Madness Live Atlanta, GA Georgia Institute of Technology MASTER BRACKET ALL HIGH PICKS MY PICKS Post Views: 85
Tag: Louisville
NCAA MARCH MADNESS 2017
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. 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… Continue reading NCAA MARCH MADNESS 2017
NCAA 2015 MARCH MADNESS
NCAA MARCH MADNESS TOURNAMENT. Right now it appears that Kentucky will receive the overall number one seed. Which guarantees them the easiest path to the final four. Here is where I make many of you mad. Might just as well get it out of the way right now. After careful consideration I predict KENTUCKY will be the first NUMBER ONE seed out. Kentucky is a good team and appears as of now they will go undefeated in regular season. But if you look at their schedule…..WHO have they played. A few teams that may be in the Tournament. But looking at their overall schedule, it has been pretty much of a soft schedule. In other years it could have been a tough schedule. But this year, well it was a disappointment. All teams have these years….maybe. But it may work out for them. While they have pretty much coasting, and other teams have been going toe to toe. They may be the most rested team entering the Tournament. Is it possible for a team with a losing record be in the BIG DANCE? Just ask MEAC Tournament Champion Hampton Pirates. With a 16-17 record. The answer is yes. Can they wear the Glass Slipper? 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 Kentucky were to be seeded as a number 16. They would still have to win all games to be CHAMPION ! OKAY. so I was wrong Villanova was first number 1 out. So That makes Kentucky 2nd Number 1 seed out. I called it right the second time!! Kentucky was the second number 1 out. They did play well. But their weak regular season schedule did not prepare them for the stronger teams. It took a last second desperation shot to overcome Notre Dame. But Wisconsin’s tough season made them ready. The behavior of the Kentucky “FANS” back in Kentucky I am sure did not reflect the feelings of the Wildcat Coaches and Players. However their acts do reflect back to them, the University, and The STATE. I still do not understand this type of childish behavior. It does not change the outcome of the game. Maybe “TOO Much ALCOHOL” is an excuse. But that would be all it was. NOT A REASON! Kentucky did make it a lot farther than I expected. Hats off to Kentucky Team for not quitting. Maybe next year (for a change) they will return with experienced players, and not have to rely on Freshmen. Here is to next year Kentucky. Season is over. Congratulations to DUKE. It is hard to say one bad call changes the outcome of a game. However a couple of bad calls and NO CALLS. Can alter a game. In what I saw was DUKE get more than their share the last 3 minutes of the game. I saw them commit charges that were mis -called BLOCKS. I saw Duke throw up there forearms to clear space. I really think the REFS let the game get out of control. Of course You can make the excuse that they were letting the teams play. HOWEVER, the Most Questionable Non Call was with about 2 minutes +/-. It was plenty obvious the Ball went out last touched by DUKE’s Winslow I think. I am not really good with names. But no one can say for sure if that really made a big difference, DOWN by 5. It would have given the BADGERS a chance to score and cut the lead by 2 or 3, (if they scored). This could have changed the momentum, or not. Who can say? But it is over no going back. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT UNLIKE KENTUCKY, I SAW NO BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF EITHER TEAMS FANS. (hope I’m not speaking too soon). But Hats off to them for showing maturity. Well THAT IS HOW I SEE IT. Check back for other articles throughout the year. Maybe some Public Service Announcements, or who knows what may strike my fancy. Maybe a few sports articles. but I Just have not been able to get into baseball since the strike which brought about the PED thing when they allowed Mark McGuire to hit those home runs to generate interest in the game. Just like the NBA let MJ get by with making his own rules to create interest in their arena. I can’t really call them sports any more. But will be back with our usual Football coverage. ACTUAL / RESULTS http://fromthemiddleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2015-MM-Brackett-Actual.pdf ALL-High-Picks. http://fromthemiddleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2015-MM-Bracket-ALL-High-Picks1.pdf UPSETS http://fromthemiddleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2015-MM-Brackett-Upsets1.pdf MY PICKS http://fromthemiddleblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2015-MM-Brackett-My-Picks.pdf Post Views: 84
The Final Four
APRIL 9, 2013 We have come to the conclusion of this year’s installment of MARCH MADNESS. The new Champion is LOUISVILLE! From what I could tell from the bits and pieces i was able wake up and catch it seemed to be a truly good competition. Michigan started out strong. Then Louisville made their charge. Nip and tuck til the end. The game could have gone anyway. But it was Michigan which found itself on the short end in the closing minutes. Which meant they were forced to foul to extend the game. As happens in this situation, more often than not, The team trying to catch up gets beat, and that is what happened here. Per my definition of being beat or losing. I see no loser here. I see a strong team that got BEAT. NO LOSERS. We should have also learned a valuable lesson. Kevin Ware, who proved during the season to be a star player for the Cardinals was unfortunately injured during tournament play, could only supply moral support to his team most of the tournament games. The players rallyed around his injury. But as good as Kevin Ware is, the team from Louisville proved they were not a one man team. Many teams would have been lost without a player of his caliber. But they showed that they could all, every player, be a key member to the team. When I was coaching I always told the boys ‘Be ready. We have no set starting team. It depends on the team we are playing, what skills are needed. Each player has a different set of skills”. As a player I preferred not to start. As this took pressure off me. (Everyone expects more out of starters than subs). I usually sat for the first minute. Then finished the game. Great tournament, many upsets, and the overalll number one seed emerges the victor. Although not as bad as many the celebrating fans tarnished the schools win with their irresponsible after game behavior. That is all I have to say about this. See your newspapers for details. If they dare to put the story in without whitewashing it. PROGRAM NOTE: APRIL 8,2013 As Much as we would love to see the game tonight. We will be unable to BECAUSE of the lateness of the start time. You see we live in the Central Time Zone. However our illustrious state leadership has decided in its INFINITE wisdom we must observe ATLANTIC TIME, They call it Daylight Saving Time. But there is just so much daylight in a 24 hour day. So no one has been able to save any. Putting us TWO hours ahead of the sun. So The game should be on at 7 pm instead of 10 pm. So to all of you lucky people who get to see the game ENJOY. 4 am comes pretty early when you are two hours ahead of the sun. UPDATE APRIL 7, 2013 And then there were TWO. LOUISVILLE, and MICHIGAN. The stage is set..I am looking for a close game. One that will keep all fans on the edge of their seats. As you know I have said Michigan will be the new NCAA Basketball Champion. Good Luck to both teams. I must hope that the end of this game and season is not marred by in inappropriate action by the ones who consider themselves fan, yet take away from the the pride of their teams by rioting and tearing things up. Both teams deserve better. These outlaw demonstrations SUBTRACT. from the dignity of the respected teams. REJOICE IN THEIR FEATS. UPDATE: We nearly had another upset. A well played game by both Witchita St. and Louisville. Now we must see if Michigan can overcome the Syracuse Press. Usually I give a lot of trivia here but this year I won’t. Suffice it to say this has been one heck of a tournament. So many upsets. Made a tournament season worthy of watching. I Still stand by my original conviction that all four final teams should have come from the Big Ten. Regardless of what my old NEMESIS Sir Charles thinks. (which was always a little far out). The Big Ten had its best shot at an ALL FINAL FOUR shootout. Only team that really let me down was WISCONSIN. They truly had the best shot bur as noted they also have the spells of non-concentration, of which they fell victim. Did they get beat by a better team? NO! They LOST because they did not give their all. As I have said before and will say again. You only get BEAT if you give it all you have and and still end up on the short end of the score. But you LOSE if you don’t leave it all on the court. Granted somedays you may not have as much to give as other days. But Wisconsin just completely melted down. I really don’t feel they respected their opponent. ENOUGH. Locally I find we have one person who had 4 of the final 8. And believe it or not has 2 of the final four. Some of you may have done better. I don’t see how. As much as I would like to see another upset. Odds are really against it so as it stands I see Louisville Vs Michigan in the final game with MICHIGAN the Champions. Both teams are really good. But it will come to MENTAL and PHYSICAL Toughness. I think both team are pretty equal in the MENTAL toughness…. But Physical toughness? Again you have to go back to their conferences. Big Ten definitely the most physical Conference in the country. Michigan has proved they have this PHYSICAL toughness throughout the Big Ten season. Scale tips to Michigan. RESULTS FAVORITES MY PICKS WHY? Because…. I really don’t know. Just a glutton for punishment, I guess Post Views: 96
It Is MARCH MADNESS TIME
Finally it is MARCH MADNESS!!!!!. Who will be the Number One team this year? Who will be the CINDERELLA team? Could this be the year a 16 seed upsets a number 1 seed? Who will be the most upset minded team? Could we see a one Conference final game. Maybe even a one Conference FINAL FOUR. Will SOMEONE Come Up with a PERFECT PICK SHEET. WOW! Lots of possibilities waiting for us. Maybe your favorite School Will WIN First we have to have our 68 teams. So Knowing you can’t account for the NCAA’s Comittee, THEY have an altogether sometimes strange reasoning for their picks. One thing I really don’t like is this. The committee has decided to add 4 teams they would not have included in the original 64. They may take one of these teams to play into a 12 seed spot. They may have 2 of these teams play into the same SET OF 16. The way I see it they should have these teams play in by having them play the 16 seeds. That way you have one play in, in each block of 16. But; Going out on a limb. I have selected these 68 teams to play in the NCAA Tournament of 2013. In Alphabetical Order. [table]1st 16, 2nd 16,3rd 16,4th 16 1. Akron, 18. Hampton, 35. Memphis,52. St. Mary’s 2. Arizona, 19. Harvard, 36. Miami,53. San Diego St. 3. Belmont, 20. Illinois, 37. Michigan. ,54. S. Dakota 4. Boise St, 21. Indiana, 38. Michigan St. ,55. Southern 5. Bucknell, 22 Iona, 39. Minnesota. ,56. Stephen F. Austen 6 Butler, 23. Iowa St. , 40. Missouri. .,57. Syracuse 7. California, 24. James Madison.,41.Montana ,58. Temple 8. Cincinnati, 25 Kansas, 42. New Mexico ,59. Tennessee 9. Colorado, 26. Kansas St, 43. N.Carolina,60. UCLA 10. Colorado St., 27. Kentucky, 44. N. Carolina St.,61. UNLV 11. Creighton, 28 LaSalle, 45. Notre Dame,62. Valparaiso 12. Davidson, 29. Liberty, 46. Ohio St.,63. Va. Commonwealth 13. Duke, 30. Long Beach St., 47. Oklahoma, 64. Vermont 14. Florida, 31LIU Brooklyn., 48. Oklahoma St., 65. Villanova 15. Florida Gulf Coast, 32. Louisiana Tech., 49. Oregon,66. W. Kentucky 16. Georgetown, 33. Louisville, 50.Pittbursgh , 67. Witchita St. 17.Gonzaga,34. Marquette,51. St. Louis,68. Wisconsin [/table] Now my Picks for Number one seeds. (which will not happen due to the NCAA’s need to spread the wealth). The most deserving (as I see it) Indiana, Michigan St., Michigan, and Gonzaga. I Know a lot of you will wonder why I have 3 teams from the Big Ten. Simply because, The strength of the Big 10 this year. I think if any of these teams were in ANY other conference they would have been the number one team. That is the way I see it. Join me for our annual Picks un-contest SEE if you can beat me. I once again will have my picks using the upper ranked team, my personal picks, and the actual finishes. Post Views: 95
Down To Four
Down To Four. We started with Seventy Two Teams and now there is only Four. We have seen Sixteen Upsets. (Ironically the same number as in SWEET SIXTEEN). We have but one number One SEED team remaining. U. Kentucky. Two number two seeds, and One fourth seeded team. We have three teams in a conference named “BIG…..”. Odd man out is …….Kentucky, representing the SEC (South Eastern Conference). Their Opponent, Louisville, represents the BIG EAST CONFERENCE. While Ohio St. is appearing under the BIG TEN CONFERENCE. With their opponent, Kansas, is with the BIG TWELVE CONFERENCE. Side note the Big Ten Conference has twelve teams. The Big Twelve Conference has but ten teams. Go Figure. For all intents you could say all four teams are from the midwest. The distance between Kentucky, and Louisville is a mere 77.56 miles. In contrast the difference between Kansas and Ohio St. is 696.8 miles. Now let us see whom according to distance would be the closest to HOME team. Care to guess………..? Which team will have to travel the farthest………….? With Sixteen upsets if you had played your bracket with the upper seed all the way this is what your brackets would look like. To this point. Just a little bit of trivia, I guess, after all who really cares, about these little tidbits. Oh yes. Before I go, here is the answer, to the Home, (closest to New Orleans) would be LOUISVILLE, to travel 706.22 miles. U.Kentucky, will travel 743.97 miles. So we know these two are the closest. Thus giving Louisville, the “HOME COURT” advantage. Which means we now have Kansas, and Ohio State University. Ohio State, will travel 909.4 miles. Kansas a mere 874.12 miles. Thereby giving Kansas the “HOME COURT” advantage. I’ll bet most of you thought Kansas would have the longest trip to New Orleans. Louisville thusly will have “home court advantage” as long as they last in the tournament. Remember the higher seed team is usually billed as the “home team”. That Is How I See It. Post Views: 143
