You don't say...very interesting.
NCAA Picks (Yes, I know...very, very, very late)
MIDWEST Bracket:
(1) Louisville X (16) Moorehead State: Louisville
(8) OSU X (9) Siena: I don't like OSU, but of course, they get a free home game. Siena is tough, but OSU has the unfair home advantage. OSU.
(5) Utah X (12) Arizona: Hmm, toss up, but I guess Utah, no Arizona, no Utah, no Arizona, no Utah...okay Arizona.
(4) Wake Forest X (13) Cleveland State: I like Cleveland State, and WFU has been pretty inconsistent since Feb.
(11) Dayton X (6) West Virginia: WVU
(3) Kansas X (14) North Dakota State: NDSU beat Wisconsin two years ago in Madison. These guys have been playing together for four years. Kansas is young but very talented...with a good coach. I has Kansas getting to the Elite Eight until I thought about it for five minutes. NDSU in a shocker.
(7) Boston College X (10) USC: USC got the hot hand at the right time-swept through the PAC-10 tourney and although Boston College gave Dook fits in the ACC tourney, I'm going with USC.
(2) Michigan State X (15) Robert Morris: I would love to see MSU lose, but they'll win this one.
WEST Bracket:
(1) UCONN X (16) Chattanooga: UConn...
(8) BYU X (9) Texas A&M: BYU
(5) Purdue X (12) Northern Iowa: Purdue...although they won only the Big Ten Tourney (supposedly that means you won't get past the second round or Sweet 16), but they have a good basketball team (pains me to say as a UW alumnus...and how I joke about the smelly Wabash River).
(4) Washington X (13) Mississippi State: Okay, I saw parts of this game on TV...and MSU was losing. So why bother?
(6) Marquette X (11) Utah State: So losing their leader has caused the team to skid...in the hyper-insanely-tough Big East. I think they can get past Utah State, despite the size of Utah St.
(3) Mizzou X (14) Cornell: If this was an academic competition, I'd say Cornell in a blowout, but its basketball, so Mizzou, but all the Cornell guys graduate and earn higher salaries.
(7) Cal X (10) Maryland: Maryland. ACC bias I guess, but Maryland's got a great PG...that always counts for something in basketball.
(2) Memphis X (15) Cal St. Northridge: Memphis (but I think they already played this game.)
EAST Bracket:
(1) Pitt X (16) East Tennessee State: Pitt. 16 seeds continue their "Oh fer..."
(8) Oklahoma State X (9) Tennessee: Yah, OSU did well this year, but I don't tend to go against Bruce Pearl. Tennessee.
(5) Florida State X (12) Wisconsin: I am pissed at my alma mater, but I can't help but see the quaint story of Wisconsin's two premier programs (basketball and football) having their season ignomoniously ended by Florida State. But knowing Bo Ryan, he'll actually have a game plan and have his players ready and be able to make adjustments (unlike some other expanding mass of a coach) and could pull this one out. But I'm still going with FSU.
(4) Xaiver X (13) Portland State: I know nothing about Portland State, but I know Xaiver has a good coach and good players, so that's enough to give this poorly researched pick: Xaiver.
(6) UCLA X (11) VCU: VCU was able to knock out Dook in the tourney two years ago. They have a good PG. UCLA has NCAA experience from the past three Final Four runs and Ben Howland...UCLA in a tight one
(3) Villanova X (14) American: You can't pick against America! No really, when I think of 'Nova, I think of the great Kerry Kittles teams in the mid 1990s that never quite broke through in the tourney. He was one of my favorite players in college basketball along with Lou Roe, Marcus Camby et al. Villanova.
(7) Texas X (10) Minnesota: Minnesota
(2) Dook X (15) Binghamton: Who? Oh yeah, Binghamton in a run away. Wait, I mean Dook.
SOUTH Bracket:
(1) North Carolina X (16) Radford: Although everyone is bagging on Ty Lawson now for sitting out of the game, I think UNC has more than enough to beat Radford.
(8) LSU X (9) Butler: Butler; and its not that LSU has been up and down since beating Kentucky to wrap up the SEC a few weeks back, I just like Butler. Sue me.
(5) Illinois X (12) Western Kentucky: Western Kentucky in a semi-shocker. But I wouldn't be shocked.
(4) Gonzaga X (13) Akron: LBJ sneaks in the second half and records a triple double to beat Gonzaga. I think Akron has a chance. Akron.
(6) Arizona St X (11) Temple: Well...I flipped a coin and Temple came up, so I have to go with the best 2 out of 3...which Temple lost. ASU.
(3) 'Cuse X (14) Stephen F. Austin: 'Cuse, although everyone is concerned that they have nothing left in their legs.
(7) Clemson X (10) Michigan: Both inconsistent teams. Both started well and stumbled down the stretch. I flipped a coin again and Michigan won.
(2) Oklahoma X (15) Morgan State: OU and Blake Griffin announces that he will be entering the NBA draft after dropping a 30-10 in this game.
Round Two:MIDWEST:
Louisville X OSU: I don't like Ohio State, and niether does Rick Pintino. He runs a full court press all day and Louisville blows out OSU. Louisville.
Arizona X Cleveland State: Ennie, Meenie, Miney, Mo...Cleveland State is a Cinderella.
WVU X NDSU: I don't go against Huggins in the tourney. Boy does Cincy look stupid for firing him.
USC X MSU: So sorry Tom Izzo...USC (okay, I don't feel sorry for putting that there)
WEST:
UConn X BYU: UConn. Thashem Shabeet blocks 20 shots and the Mormons pray for Joseph Smith to smite the heathens, but since he's just worm food now, nothing happens.
Purdue X Washington: Purdue. Again, good basketball team.
Marquette X Mizzou: I think Marquette is still good enough to get past Mizzou and Mizzou does not fare well away from their home building.
Maryland X Memphis: Memphis proves that just because they play in Conference USA does not mean they cannot beat up on ACC teams. Memphis.
EAST:
Pitt X Tennessee. Pitt's tough. Bruce Pearl wears a bright orange blazer. Pitt's still tough in the inside. Pitt smash. Pitt win.
Florida State X Xaiver: And Xaiver keeps going. But at least Florida State blew out Wisconsin by 20 for my viewing pleasure.
UCLA X Villanova: I struggled with this one. But I just think UCLA is going to tease us all with a hint of being able to make a 4th straight Final Four. UCLA just edges 'Nova.
Minnesota X Dook: Tubby Smith is a great coach, despite what the loud mouthed, mouth-breathing morons in Kentucky think (and should realize now since they are now in the NIT...never went there with Tubby...hmmmm). But Dook still has a bit more talent to outshine Minnesota. But I think Tubby can pull this one out. He's got Ralph Sampson (the III). It's gotta count for something! I think. Minnesota in a semi-shocker since Dook never gets past the second round these days.
SOUTH:
UNC X Butler: Well, I'm going to say UNC and Dook will be watching the rest of the NCAA tourney. Butler.
Western Kentucky X Akron: I flipped a coin again and Akron came up. Again. I think LBJ is really going to suit up for them and average a triple double in one of his LeBron's alter egos.
Arizona State X 'Cuse: I like Syracuse in this game.
Michigan X OU: OU isn't going to get upset yet, not until the round of sixteen or so. OU
Sweet Sixteen. I call it, Sixteen teams better than the NIT Winner.
MIDWEST:
Louisville X Cleveland State: Louisville. Rick Pintino manages not to wear the horrific white suit.
West Virginia X USC: John Denver's Country Home defeats Paris Hilton with a offensive surge in the second half and good hands-up defense.
WEST:
UConn X Purdue: Gene Keady never made it to the Final Four. But I don't think they can get past UConn, but it's a tight one down the stretch. UConn just squeaks out.
Marquette X Memphis: Memphis continues to prove they belong among the top teams in the US.
EAST:
Pitt X Xaiver: Pitt strong. Xaiver not mid-major. Pitt smash. Xaiver not mid-major. Pitt strong. Xaiver not mid-major. Pitt can't get past the Sweet 16. Xaiver go to Elite Eight.
UCLA X Minnesota: Kevin Garnett, though an alumnus of the Timberwolves, was not a Golden Gopher. UCLA gets lucky because Dook lost. UCLA.
SOUTH:
Butler X Akron: The Battle of the Mid-Majors, a clash in Memphis with Elvis watching. Butler wins.
'Cuse X OU: To prove that they still have stamina, 'Cuse beats OU.
Elite Eight. Sounds kinda pompus eh?
MIDWEST:
Louisville X John Denver (er, I mean West Virginia): Louisville wins another Big East game.
WEST:
UConn X Memphis: Memphis wins by 15 and later states that UAB played them tougher.
EAST:
Xaiver X UCLA: So close, so close to a fourth straight Final Four, but I think Xaiver breaks through.
SOUTH:
Butler X 'Cuse: Butler continues to shock the world, while I am not surprized at all.
Final Four:
Lousiville X Memphis: I thought about this one for a bit. It reminds me of 1996 when Kentucky faced off with UMass in the Final Four. I thought it should have been the Nat' Championship game. I'm not sure how to pick this one. Both teams play suffocating defense. I just think this is Lousiville's season.
Xaiver X Butler: In the undercard, the mid-majors, although Xaiver is not a mid-major, battle it out. Between these two teams, I see Bulter taking them down.
National title game:
Louisville X Butler: A great game, but Louisville has too much for the mighty Bulldogs. Hopefully, Rick Pintino avoids wearing a white suit again.
Of course, I know that there is a 100% chance I am wrong in these picks. I'm willing to boldly state that I can 100% guarantee that I will be at least 90-100% incorrect in my picks. But that's the fun of the NCAAs.
Tokyo Marathon:
I know I have not even mentioned anything about the Tokyo Marathon: it was not until last week that I knew I was going to be able to run the race, based on my work schedule. It's pretty exciting to think about actually doing this, after losing about three and a half weeks of training because of an injury. Moral of the story: I should have just gone with Mizuno or Asics right off the bat. Nike shoes are good, but I like Mizuno and Asics better (I tend to think they are the best running shoes in the world). The only reason why I stuck with Nike was because of the Nike+ system.
I'll try to take as many pictures as I can while trying to maintain my pace and post them as soon as I can on this blog. Maybe I'll give a running commentary from what I can remember as well after the race.
Lastly, I hope that the weather (which was nice all week) holds up on Sunday. The torrential rain today is causing just a little concern now.
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