As you know, I’m clinging to my picks, leaving the angst to others while remaining on my favorite team’s bandwagon, and casually comparing the 2010 tournament to 2000 and 2002.
But a few pods still frustrate.
In the South, a potential Villanova vs. Baylor match-up vexes me. Talking heads everywhere are all over Baylor, (gulp), just like me. Computers love them and they’d be a great story. They also pass the eye test – though K-State beat them Friday, you couldn’t watch that team and think they wouldn’t be an enormous challenge to anyone. But they guard teams as passively as the Wildcats. And, looking at guards, wouldn’t I take the proven Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, and Reggie Stokes instead of Baylor’s guys, whom I can’t even name?
But that’s too much Big East love. I’ve already got West Virginia in the final game, and that alone gives me heart palpitations. And because of my open disdain for New Mexico and Steve Alford, Marquette, and that horrendous Clemson and Missouri matchup, I can’t even bear to ride anyone but the Mountaineers.
In the East, I’m flummoxed by the Wisconsin, Temple and Cornell logjam. All underseeded, and all guarding the hell out of anyone, and all unable to be blown out. I’m on record as backing Temple, but in each of my office pools (Thanks, mom, Ms. Faded Glory, and all you K-State fans) I’ve written Wisconsin into the Elite Eight, and I’m tempted to launch them into the Final Four. It’s my upset special. It’s faith of Bo Ryan, and I’ve now cursed the Badgers eternally. But to put them in the Final Four … Well, I’d have to pray for a Wisco-Baylor grudge match. And to be quite frank, that’s fucking hopeless, isn’t it?
Also, I’m clinging to my Kansas pick, despite the tons of chalk surrounding the ‘Hawks. In fact, I’m clinging to most of my knee-jerk reactions. Two reasons here.
One: Pat Forde, ESPN columnist (supposedly a Syracuse-hater, but I don’t see it), is notoriously dead-on accurate in these pools. Check his record, he’s amazing. There has to be a science. He’s really good. He’s the anti-Andy Katz. And for whatever reason, this year he and I match up nearly totally, and it was not intentional by either of us. Great minds, I hope. Coincidence, I assume. (Check my timestamp!)
But Forde further boosted my confidence, appearing on the Tony Kornheiser show to review his brackets, and uttering these two talking points:
I’d like to pick Northern Iowa to win two games, but not against Kansas.
This is almost verbatim what I said Sunday night, and leading up to the tournament. Go ahead, scroll down and back. I’ll wait.
I like Butler a lot, and would like to pick them to a regional final, but I can’t against Syracuse.
Now, you all know me, and you know I’m deathly afraid of Butler. But Pat affirms: Pick UTEP or Vandy at your own peril. As I’ve said.
(Also sharing similar picks to me and Pat? The Big Lead. Yes, I’m trying to block this out. Maybe they’ll be distracted by the brilliance of this week’s The Office, or a laudatory discussion of Crash. We can dream.)
Meaningless? Maybe. Hopeless? Probably. But it’s Pat Forde and trust of my gut that’s allowing me to cling to my picks. I suppose that’s enough. In two days, off we go. See you there.
