Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Bracket Is Busted: BPK 2011

Once a year at TMMPF.com, we talking about brackets.


Last weekend was an orgy of hoops watching, to the point that I'm hoping I get "N-N-N-apa know how" out of my head before retirement (which will be funded using either a green line or creepy, digitally animated faces). I mean, I did enjoy hearing the soaring vocals of "The Only Living Boy In New York" ... the first one or two times. We spent our evenings this week reading, listening to music and trying to stop figuring out what the hell that "Sucker Punch" is all about. (Movie? Video game? LSD-fueled nightmare?) Also there were some great nailbiters, some cursing and a whole lot of red lines through my picksheet.

Anyway enough of the past, let's get to the main event: Bracket Pickin' Kitty!

For those who don't remember, every spring Quigley and I preview the Sweet 16 games of the NCAA Tournament, and pick our winners. Generally I've done a little better than the cat, but Quigley is on a bit of a roll from football season. Who will get household bragging rights in 2011? To the matchups!

Quigley gets prepared to make his picks.


Ohio State

vs.
Kentucky
Wildcat? ...
More to the point, can you believe this is Kentucky's first Sweet 16 in the four years of BPK? That's why I don't have a pic for them.

MPF004: Ohio State is my national champ and I have no reason to doubt them on their march to a championship. OSU.

Quigley: Solidarity with my Ohio cousins, Go Buckeyes. OSU.

MarquetteJesuits. Eagles. Whatever.

vs.
North Carolina

MPF004: UNC has looked damn good so far. I would like to see the Big East advance deeper, but I do not think it'll be Marquette. UNC.

Quigley: These Tar Heels must be good, I see them every year. Okay, I will choose them. Must be better than a bird. UNC.

Duke
vs.
Arizona
Arizona, wild cat. (click to see bigger)

MPF004: Duke, like OSU, has looked pretty unstoppable for most of the year. I don't expect Arizona to put up much of a fight, especially with a week for Coach K to prepare. Duke.

Quigley: Wildcats. Meow.

UConn

vs.
San Diego State

MPF004: UConn has been crazy hot. No way I'm picking against them here, despite a strong opponent. UConn.

Quigley: I have heard the humans talking about UConn and this "Kemba" guy. I think that's the lion from Lion King? Whatever. I've seen that slobbering dog on TV. I'm all for animal unity, but I ain't picking that dumb dog. SDSU.

Kansas
vs.
Richmond
Spiders?

MPF004: Dammit I NEED KANSAS TO LOSE AND QUICK or else I'm going to lose a bet. Richmond.

Quigley: Birds or Spiders. Hmm, well, as much as I do not like birds I am not picking something that I eat for sport. So, Jayhawks it is.

VCU
Virginia(n and the) Commonwealth.

vs.
Florida State
Lee Corso, Florida State University, Class of 1957.

MPF004: Ugh, the ol' 10 vs 11 Sweet 16 game. (Just kidding. I think this is the first time ever.) FSU knocked out ND and looked good doing it, but VCU's takedown of Georgetown and Purdue is hard to ignore. The coach is named Shaka, and will probably have a better job very soon. VCU.

Quigley: Rams scare me. But the crazy guy on the horse with the spear kinda freaks me out. At least they don't bring the ram into the basketball arena. I will go with my fellow member of the animal kingdom. VCU.

Butler
Hey bulldog.
vs.
Wisconsin
MPF004: I am impressed with Butler's takedown of No. 1 seed Pitt, but I do think the Badgers lull them into submission with a 36-33 type game. Wisconsin.

Quigley: Bulldogs? No. Wisconsin, home of the gentle, peaceful, black-and-white cow? And home of fellow BPK'er P. Puff? Purr.Wisconsin.

BYU

vs.
FloridaFlorida makes me think of former quarterback and noted Jesus freak Tim Tebow, and by extension this picture.

MPF004: Jimmer Jimmer Jimmer Jimmer Jimmer Jimmer Jimmer. Plus the other four guys, and the coach, and oh yeah Jimmer Jimmer. Jimmer. BYU.

Quigley: Jimmer this, Jimmer that. Humans always talking about Jimmer. Makes me tired. Alligators are scaly and ugly. Again, I'm all for unity, but I'm drawing the line there and sticking with the Mormon kitty (Cougars). BYU.

Aaaand, he's done.

Wow, only three disagreements, and an all-time-high five we agree on. Either I've caught some of his success, or my bad bracket mojo has infected his thinking.

This, too, was an all-time High Five.

The Sweet 16 starts Thursday night. We'll be in DC for the weekend, getting all patriotic and screaming "USA! USA!" But we'll check in on the results when we return. Enjoy the games!