My Bracket Sucks

The tournament starts tomorrow (wrote this last night, posted today). I already hate my bracket.

First of all, allow me my Al Bundy moment. Every year I try to recapture the glory of 1991, when I picked 15 of the Sweet 16, 8 of 8, 4 of the Final Four and the two teams in the championship (picked the wrong winner ... I think the teams were Duke and UNLV, can never remember who won/who I picked). Over the years I have come close ... oh, OK fine I've hardly ever come close. Hell, the novice I advised will probably do better than I.

Yoda makes his champion pick known.

I'm a believer in a Bracket Of Integrity, a term popularized in 2008 by two guys both named Mike who have a radio/TV show. I realize it's all guessing anyway, but if I had it to do all over again*, this is what I woulda done:

Pay more attention to injury reports. I'm not revealing who my national champion pick is (OK, it's the same as the president and everyone else in the country), but oh by the way the point guard has an ouchie toe. There's enough talent on the team to survive without him for a game, maybe two, but ultimately his lack of health, even if he plays, will catch up to the Tar Heels.

Actually look where teams are playing. I've learned from football and previous March Madnei that travelling across the country wears on even the most talented athletes. East Coasters in California, West Coasters in the East, anybody from this side of the Mississippi in Boise--it's a recipe for disaster. Someone on this list is going down: Utah or Arizona State in Miami; Marquette, Xavier or Florida State in Boise; UCLA in Philly.

If you want to mock my bracket, it's right here ... as long as you're willing to reveal your own for mocking.

Boy my overlapping passions of sport and music make this so much fun.

Finally, one question: Finley, how far do you have Binghamton going? And can you find Binghamton on a map?

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* Even though technically I COULD do it over again, I don't believe in multiple brackets. Besides, changing your answer is death, because then you kick yourself when your original pick pulls out the victory.