The brackets are out for this year’s NCAA tournament. Here is what you need to know as you fill out your brackets:
- How did Oklahoma get in this tournament? 18-13 record, 4-11 in their last 15 games. SU says ridiculous.
- And the same goes for Syracuse who no-one was talking about as even being a bubble team. Clearly the NCAA did not want some other bubble teams in there as they are the subject of the FBI investigation into the NCAA. Let’s face it: this is not an exact science despite all of the “quadrant” wins and losses.
- SU says the experts are not expert. They are like you and me – trying to forecast this year’s upsets and who will get hot for 3 weeks. Jay Bilas of ESPN is predicting Michigan State. Maybe he knows something the rest of us don’t but even when winning 13 games in a row, they were not blowing people out in the Big Ten.
- Be bold and this is the year to do that. There is no one clear favorite despite Virginia being the #1 overall pick.
SU sees it this way. I think Villanova is a seasoned, veteran, experienced tournament team that if they can stay fully healthy should win it all. I also think Michigan will have a deep run as teams don’t like to play them in the tournament and John Beilein does a good job of preparing his team. SU’s final 4: Villanova; Auburn, Virginia; and Michigan (OK, I prefer to pick them to go far vs. predicting with my head and having to root against them). Villanova over UVa in the finals.
Key upsets: Loyola over Miami; St. Bonaventure over Florida; Michigan over everyone; and Auburn over Kansas. Make your predictions and if you are right you will have the enduring admiration of thousands of SU subscribers around the world.
Yankees sign Neal Walker as clearly Cashman is concerned that Glayber Torres will not be ready to start the season at 2nd base. They will keep him at Scranton for a few weeks until Walker is injured (who is from the Jacoby Ellsbury school of not playing a full season). SU actually likes Walker and is ok with the move. Clearly an upgrade over Danny Espinoza. But Torres needs to get hot in Scranton and then make the case for getting the call to the majors showing he deserves it. Hitting .130 in March is not cutting it.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
So many teams that are good. No one really stands out as the domimnant team all around. I agree on 3 out vvory if your Final 4. Don’t really like Auburn to go that deep.
I see UNC’s Berry providing leadership for that team and for some reason I like Arizona with Ayton leading the way, advancing far into the tournament, and becoming the number 1 pick in the draft. Oklahoma is in so everyone can watch Trae Young and ‘Cuse is in as there is always a chance that Boeheim could be retiring. How bad is the UConn men’s program? Geez.