So, more details into the Lunatic’s life in March. So, I was watching the end of the Gonzaga / TCU game. I vaguely remember Gonzaga hitting a free throw to go up 77-70 with a minute to go as I watch the game in bed on my computer. I have the other 15 teams in my form to set up the Second Chance bracket and I am just waiting for the end to finish the site. Next thing, I know, my computer screen is no longer playing the game and on a screen saver, it is an hour later, and apparently I missed a pretty exciting minute with Gonzaga hanging on for a 3 point victory – including the classic Vegas bad beat as the Zags hit two free throws with a second left to cover the spread by 1.5 points only to watch TCU hit a three pointer to only lose by 3 instead of 6.
So, I entered Gonzaga into the form close to 1 am, and since I was sleep deprived, I logged in and made some preliminary picks – this lets me make sure the entry form is set up correctly. Since I had checked all the links were matching up to the right teams, I made a preliminary quick pick, and went to bed. I figured I would do ridiculous amounts of analysis over the week and would edit it later.
On to Monday, where Charlie needed to be picked up from soccer practice at 6 pm and Katie needed to be dropped off at rugby practice at 6 pm. So, drop her off, go get Charlie, take him home, head back to the rugby practice at J Sarge Reynolds, get home around 7:45, and by the time we finish dinner, it is almost 9 pm. So, I tell myself, why don’t I go upstairs,, say goodnight to the kids, and write my bracketology wrap-up on the blog. I also wanted to rewrite one of the Taylor Swift songs going through my head. I take my computer up to my bed, open up my blog site, and next thing I know it is after midnight, my screen saver is on, and nothing is written in the new blog post. Even the Lunatic can take a hint – closed the computer and went to bed.
On Tuesday, Charlie had his JV soccer game at 6 pm. So of course, we don’t get home until 8 pm, and by the time we can finish dinner and watch the new episode of Ted Lasso that all of us were excited about, it is after 9 pm. I know I need to also do my handicapping page, so I copy the Taylor Swift lyrics for I Almost Do into a post. Obviously, my prioritization skills are lacking in March. That goes quickly and I finally start looking at lines. Kansas State is considered an underdog to Michigan State – seems kind of rough to take a 7 seed from a conference that lost all their other teams in the first two rounds over a 3 seed from a conference who got multiple teams to the Sweet 16. Then again, maybe Vegas wants people who don’t want to bet against Tom Izzo in March to really have to give points for that luxury. Of course, by the time I have looked at all 8 games and think I am ready to start writing things, it is 11 pm. I think we all can figure out what happened next. Maybe in my sleep deprived state, I should not be taking my laptop to my bed.
So here we are on Wednesday – with the rugby / soccer practice dilemna. I also know as I am apparently getting old, my ability to blog in a sleep deprived state is failing. I think to myself – lets get the reminder out before practice, since I have a lot to write about and have failed miserably blogging past 9 pm. After years of doing this, I have jokes that I reuse. With so much going on, even the Lunatic has to have important administrative steps done with a template. So, I make my edits on the site, and move to send out the email – I luckily still have 10 minutes before rugby. Except I don’t copy the edits from the site and send out jokes from 2015 to 2 of my 3 email lists. Great start to a busy evening of blogging! I begin carpool for the kids.
As I wait for rugby practice to end, I look at what I entered Monday at 1 am. I have basically the same picks as my ones being beat my over 2/3rd of the entries with the only upsets being Sweet 16 games of Gonzaga and Miami. Seems bad to go with something doomed to fail. But I also seem to jinx any one I pick based on analysis. So I realized there is only one solution. I will pick my second chance bracket based on which team is closest to the site they are playing based on Google search (the regional sites for the next two rounds and Houston for the final four). It might still lead to the favorites since they are supposed to have a geographic advantage – but we already lost Purdue and Kansas, so maybe it will surprise me. As I come to this solution, rugby practice ends and Katie and I drive home. On the way home, we start singing along to Taylor Swift’s All Too Well, and ideas for next week’s lyrical project already come into my head. Realize this is not meant as a spoiler. I had been thinking of only changing a couple words of I Almost Do since Friday, so by the time next week comes along, I might have already moved on to something else. We have already seen the Lunatic’s prioritization process lacks any level of logic.
The South region is in Louisville, KY
1) Alabama (421.1 miles)
5) San Diego State (2067.1 miles)
6) Creighton (690.2 miles)
15) Princeton (703.9 miles)
So that means Alabama will beat Creighton to win the South.
The East region is in New York, NY
9) Florida Atlantic (1237.1)
4) Tennessee (707.2)
3) Kansas State (1311.9 once you go to Manhattan Kansas instead of Manhattan NY)
7) Michigan State (677.7)
So, Michigan State will upset both Kansas State and Tennessee to claim the East
The Midwest is in Kansas City, MO
1) Houston (744.6)
5) Miami FL (1463)
3) Xavier OH (589.4)
2) Texas (737.7)
So Xavier will upset Texas and Houston
The West is in Las Vegas, NV
8) Arkansas (1333.9)
4) Connecticut (2649.4)
3) Gonzaga (1037.9)
2) UCLA (270)
UCLA will beat Arkansas
Final Four is in Houston, TX
1) Alabama (614.8)
7) Michigan State (1269.8)
3) Xavier (1049.1)
2) UCLA (1547.2)
Alabama beats Xavier for the National Championship. So, looks like that means Houston and UCLA are still saved from the Lunatic curse – think that probably makes them still the favorites (unless this statement has added them to the curse’s sights – it can’t curse everyone, can it)
Well, I have almost caught up. It would be smart of me to get the Handicapping done tonight for all the Sweet 16 games, but worst case, I really only need tomorrow’s 4 games. I also would like to get the site updated on the payments I received tonight. I am still conscious enough to get that done – maybe I should do that first before sleep catches up to me. Oh – shoot, I never made the kids fill out their second chance entry. I will start with Katie since she is still downstairs. She picks a Final 4 of Princeton, Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas, and is very proud of her random clicking. At least, her final ends up Texas beating Tennessee. Then again, what do I know, she probably will do better than me.
Guess I should make Charlie fill out his entry before I continue on my journey to the Sweet 16.