Eight mostly exciting games are in the books, and that means it's time to look at the results from the Bracket Pickin' Kitties.
This year for the first time, we invited Priscilla Pufferson, cat-in-residence at friendly blog Here's What's Happening to play along. Click the link in the table below to read the post with the cat's original picks.
MPF: (MSU, OSU, Cuse, K-St, Ky, W.Va, Baylor, Duke): 6 of 8. Quigley: 4 of 8. Priscilla: 3 of 8. In a year of a chaos and upsets, I pull out another victory over housecats with no knowledge of sports or the world in general outside their comfortable abodes. Priscilla made a good showing for a rookie and correctly got Baylor vs. K-State. But in the paw-to-paw combat, Quigley wins by a whisker.
Thanks for playing, Priscilla! Enjoy the games everyone. $30 and beer is still on the line, so we'll be watching the games carefully over here.
We talkin about brackets. Brackets! Not the game. Not the game. Not the game. We talkin about brackets.
For the past two years, Quigley has shown off his knowledge of intercollegiate athletics by picking teams in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.
So what about Year Three of this annual tradition? Luckily, we do not have a monopoly on the holy trinity of cat, blog and brackets here in the upper Midwest. Our friends (and fellow married bloggers) Here's What's Happening and Another Damned Blogger recently adopted a cat! And since Kelly got talked into the brackets last year, and they've got the blog and all.....
CAT FIGHT!
Yes, Quigley has thrown down the wiffle ball, emboldened by his recent successes, and challenged Priscilla Pufferson of Madison, Wisconsin, to a Bracket Pickin' Kitty showdown.
The rules, as they were:
Each cat will pick the 8 games of the round of 16. One point per correct pick.
Each cat must have a reason for picking the specific team in each game. Being cats, the reason may be as flimsy as a yawn, a lack of interest, a designated chew toy, or some other method.
Each cat must make their own picks without looking at the other cat's picks for inspiration. (There's an honor code among BPKs you know.)
Yyyyeah, I think that's about it for rules.
Priscilla reads Yahoo! Sports to determine the latest on the injury to Syracuse center Arinze Onuaku.
And, of course, since it was originally Quigley vs. me, I'll offer my game analysis as well. (Although I get the feeling I'm gonna get upstaged by a couple of indifferent housecats.) Reminder that I'll use the logo/picture if I've already got it, otherwise I will improvise. Because I am lazy. Like a cat. (do not click this link at work, unless you have headphones and/or work alone)
First up, the reigning champion (by default): Quigley B. Katt!
Northern Iowa vs. Michigan State
MPF says: I've always been a fan of UNI, if only because my parents met there so if there was no UNI there would be no me. However, even the most diehard fan has to admit this is a huge challenge, even with Kalin Lucas out.
Quigley says: UNI is Panthers. Michigan State has the guy with the gigantic head. Kitties, please: Panthers!
Tennessee vs. Ohio State
MPF says: I've been impressed with how Ohio State finished the season and expect a close victory. However, Tennessee has been strong too, and vanquished the Ohio University with little trouble.
Quigley says: Buckeyes. Volunteers. Volunteers for what? I have cousin kitties in Ohio, and I'm sticking with my cousins: Buckeyes.
Bonus picture: Four guys from Illinois who went to the University of Iowa, spelling "Ohio."
Syracuse vs. Butler Hey Bulldog.
MPF says: Butler has had a nice little mid-major run, but if the Cuse plays the way they are capable, that run should end here.
Quigley says: Butler Bulldogs? No way. Orange guy? I bet that orange guy rolls ... which means he can be chased. Orangemen.
Xavier Xavier apparently made the Sweet 16 the first time I did BPK. Who knew?
vs. Kansas State K-State is in Manhattan, Kansas, aka the "Little Apple." Getit getit??
MPF says: I had K-State losing here to Pittsburgh. Xavier was impressive in knocking out Pitt, but while I don't believe in K-State as a team, I also don't believe the Musketeers are the right type of team to beat the Wildcats.
Quigley says: Did you say Wildcats? Purr. I don't even care about the other thing: Wildcats.
Kentucky Wildcats = Wildcats.
vs. Cornell Cornell is the Big Red. This blob is actually called Big Red.
MPF says: Nice run Cornell, congrats on taking out the Badgers. Now then: I can't imagine this game will be close.
Quigley says: More Wildcats? (rub rub purr purr) I pick Wildcats.
Washington
vs. West Virginia
MPF says: As much as we like to make fun of Bobby Thuggins, he does have a great team this year. Watching them power through the Big East conference made me a believer.
Quigley says: Washington is Huskies. That's a dog. I don't know about the bearded guy with the gun ... maybe it is to protect us from dogs? Mountaineers.
Bonus W.F'n Va. pic (for The Scott Miller and copy editors).
Baylor
Baylor is a Baptist school. I'm sure they appreciate Jesus riding a dinosaur.
vs. St. Mary's I really have no idea WTF St. Mary's is doing in the Sweet 16.
MPF says: St. Mary's is the Gonzaga for this decade, the small Catholic school from somewhere out West making deep runs into the tourney. I think Baylor is too strong, however.
Quigley says: Baylor is Bears....big furry animals. Awesome. St. Mary's is a girl's school across the street from Notre Dame. How the furry bleep did a bunch of girls make the Sweet 16? Chicago kitty says: Da Bears.
Duke Duck.
vs. Purdue Dwum.
MPF says: I figured Purdue would be running on fumes without Robbie Hummel, but they've had a nice couple of games. However, Duke looks incredibly strong. I can't see Duke falling here.
Quigley says: Duke Blue Devils. Purdue Boilermakers. No cat mascot. This is crap. (This was the last game he picked. At this point he literally crawled under the covers of the bed. I think he nodded though when I said "Purdue" so I'm gonna go with that.)
Allright, there you have it! Stay tuned after the weekend games for results, and be sure to check out Here's What's Happening for Priscilla's batch o' picks. Enjoy the games!
There are many things to say about 14-seed Ohio's win over 3-seed Georgetown. But in the spirit of 1000 Words, I'll let the pictures do the talking:
Ohio dominated this game from beginning to end. This was not a nail biter or a buzzer beater. It was not expected, to be sure, but this was no fluke. To paraphrase the president*, "We came here to kick some Hoya butt!!"
