March Madness 2015

[phan52]

I am leading a pool with one of my brackets because I went 13-3 in the second round. But two of my Final Four choices are gone and I can't see how I can hang in there. I still have Kentucky and Arizona but they would play in the semi-final and I would have nobody in the other game.

[Golfingdad]

I am leading a pool with one of my brackets because I went 13-3 in the second round. But two of my Final Four choices are gone and I can't see how I can hang in there. I still have Kentucky and Arizona but they would play in the semi-final and I would have nobody in the other game.

Yeah, me too.  They really should rank us by potential at this point rather than total points so far ... in which case, I'd be closer to the bottom of the pack.  My bracket looks just like @rehmwa 's second one except I had Virginia beating Gonzaga.  Oopsie.  (Also, I didn't take UCLA to win Saturday, only Thursday )

[rehmwa]

Yeah, me too.  They really should rank us by potential

I'm a bigger fan of that.  You start with the maximum number of points and then every miss they remove those points and lost points downstream in the later rounds if that applies.  Winner has the highest at the end.

tangent here:  the online one I use (just because the bracketing interface is very tidy) has scoring 1 point per game in the first round, 2 in the 2nd, 4 in the 3rd, then 8, then 16, then 32

that's WAY too slanted to just rewarding survival - I like a point system that's flat frankly.  Surviving gives you enough of a benefit already by at least being ABLE to pick the winner.

I'd like a system that has a point per win, extra point for picking an upset.  or maybe the points you get are the amount of the upset........ example - if a 16 beats a 1 = 15 points;  if a 6 beats a 3, then 3 points, etc

let's reward successful risk management.

[Golfingdad]

I'm a bigger fan of that.  You start with the maximum number of points and then every miss they remove those points and lost points downstream in the later rounds if that applies.  Winner has the highest at the end.

tangent here:  the online one I use (just because the bracketing interface is very tidy) has scoring 1 point per game in the first round, 2 in the 2nd, 4 in the 3rd, then 8, then 16, then 32

that's WAY too slanted to just rewarding survival - I like a point system that's flat frankly.  Surviving gives you enough of a benefit already by at least being ABLE to pick the winner.

I'd like a system that has a point per win, extra point for picking an upset.

Pretty much agree with all of this.  It pretty much comes down to "pick the winner of the whole thing and you're guaranteed to win the pool unless you picked the heavy favorite."  I like your alternative at the end there too.

or maybe the points you get are the amount of the upset........ example - if a 16 beats a 1 = 15 points;  if a 6 beats a 3, then 3 points, etc

let's reward successful risk management.

Nah, this goes a little too far.  Just looking at the first round last week.  If you were to have picked 100% favorites, you would have successfully picked 27/32 games correctly and received 27 points.  If you picked 100% underdogs, you would have got 5 correct out of 32, but still come away with 35 points.  (Quick math, apologies if I got something wrong)

And this year was a "down" year as far as upsets.  In a crazy year, the discrepancy would be even more.

Actually, hang on a second.  Never mind.  If you take this strategy out one more round, your total of 35 points "balloons" to ..........

35 points.  LOL.  So maybe that is a good idea!

[saevel25]

Nah, this goes a little too far.  Just looking at the first round last week.  If you were to have picked 100% favorites, you would have successfully picked 27/32 games correctly and received 27 points.  If you picked 100% underdogs, you would have got 5 correct out of 32, but still come away with 35 points.  (Quick math, apologies if I got something wrong)

35 points.  LOL.  So maybe that is a good idea!

Yep. If you are looking for Elite 8 teams go teams ranked 1-9 mostly 1-5. I know people like underdogs or the darkhorse team. In the end they are ranked for a reason, they are usually the better team. Ohio State had a Kenpom rating them as a 4 or 5th ranked team. They have only beaten one top 25 RPI team all year! So they get in as a 10th ranked team. They ended like they have all year round. Able to beat a good team, but get pushed around by an elite team.

I usually pick what I think are sure bets, usually giving edge to offensive teams over defensive teams (hello Virginia )  and then look at match ups on my 50/50. I do pretty decent. If luck goes my way I contend in my brackets.

[saevel25]

Way to be a douche-bag Calipari.

Lets see. If you lose to ND you are done for the season. A team that gave up a 20 inch differential in total height on the starting 5 players and only lost the rebound stat by 1, who tied at the half, who wouldn't back down didn't give you your toughest game of the season. Give me a break Calipari, ND outright gave you hell for 40 minutes and pushed your team to the limit. There were guys who were 6 inches shorter than your two forwards who were getting rebounds. Basically ND OUT PLAYED YOUR TEAM. Give them credit when they EARNED it.

I have absolutely no respect for Calipari. I hope he loses this tournament and goes home crying. His name doesn't need to be tied to any of the undefeated teams before him.

[David in FL]

Way to be a douche-bag Calipari.  Lets see. If you lose to ND you are done for the season. A team that gave up a 20 inch differential in total height on the starting 5 players and only lost the rebound stat by 1, who tied at the half, who wouldn't back down didn't give you your toughest game of the season. Give me a break Calipari, ND outright gave you hell for 40 minutes and pushed your team to the limit. There were guys who were 6 inches shorter than your two forwards who were getting rebounds. Basically ND OUT PLAYED YOUR TEAM. Give them credit when they EARNED it.  I have absolutely no respect for Calipari. I hope he loses this tournament and goes home crying. His name doesn't need to be tied to any of the undefeated teams before him.

Agree. ND played a helluva game and everyone except Calipari recognizes that. I hope my Badgers can send them packing on Saturday. How about an all Big-10 final....?!

[phan52]

Agree. ND played a helluva game and everyone except Calipari recognizes that.

I hope my Badgers can send them packing on Saturday. How about an all Big-10 final....?!

Two great coaches who I admire from afar. It would be great and I don't know who I would root for, just hope for a great game.

[saevel25]

Agree. ND played a helluva game and everyone except Calipari recognizes that.

I hope my Badgers can send them packing on Saturday. How about an all Big-10 final....?!

Not sure. I am not a big fan of Bob Ryan. With the way Calipari reacted I am now hoping Wisconsin beats them by 20.

Still I have money to win if Duke wins in the final, more so if Duke beats Kentucky.

[Golfingdad]

Not sure. I am not a big fan of Bob Ryan. With the way Calipari reacted I am now hoping Wisconsin beats them by 20.

Still I have money to win if Duke wins in the final, more so if Duke beats Kentucky.

I think you meant to say Bo Ryan??  Although, if you're like me, the statement is still accurate ... Bob Ryan is one of those obnoxious sports writers who's always yelling on ESPN on that "Around The Horn" show. ;)

[saevel25]

I think you meant to say Bo Ryan??  Although, if you're like me, the statement is still accurate ... Bob Ryan is one of those obnoxious sports writers who's always yelling on ESPN on that "Around The Horn" show. ;)

Yep

[Judah Ben-Hur]

Kentucky sent packing!

Life is Good.

[HastyElephant]

Kentucky sent packing!

Life is Good.

But wouldn't it have been awesome to witness an undefeated team win a championship?? I mean that hasn't happened since '75-'76? Could have used one of those in my lifetime. Especially with how young of a team they were. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Kentucky fan... but magical seasons like that are few and far between.

[David in FL]

Kentucky sent packing! Life is Good.

:dance::banana::dance::banana:

[Judah Ben-Hur]

But wouldn't it have been awesome to witness an undefeated team win a championship?? I mean that hasn't happened since '75-'76? Could have used one of those in my lifetime. Especially with how young of a team they were. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Kentucky fan... but magical seasons like that are few and far between.

I can live without it happening.  I see the Wildcats loss as a win because we don't get to see Ashley Judd for another year.

[Gipper]

But wouldn't it have been awesome to witness an undefeated team win a championship?? I mean that hasn't happened since '75-'76? Could have used one of those in my lifetime. Especially with how young of a team they were. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Kentucky fan... but magical seasons like that are few and far between.

Not me, I would love to see an undefeated team again but I just don't want it to come from a guy who is historically known for a dirty program. UK sold their souls when the brought him in.

[Golfingdad]

But wouldn't it have been awesome to witness an undefeated team win a championship?? I mean that hasn't happened since '75-'76? Could have used one of those in my lifetime. Especially with how young of a team they were. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Kentucky fan... but magical seasons like that are few and far between.

This is why I was leaning towards Kentucky ... Seeing history. Although the bright side is that at least those ****ers from duke got deprived of a chance to blow it for all of us again like they did in 1991.

[Jakester23]

Yep :whistle:

Why don't you like Bo Ryan? Hes a good coach who's players all seem to get better. Is it because he owns Ohio State?