In years past, my NCAA Tournament Bracket has always been a pathetic disappointment.
And I don't know why.
I mean, I'm not a college basketball expert, by any stretch of the imagination. But I do casually follow the college basketball season. I do watch at least an hour of ESPN a day. I do know who is good and who is bad. I do, generally speaking, know the strengths and weakness of the major schools in the major conferences. I do know who Digger and Dick and Jay, not to mention Tony and Mike...and Mike and Mike..., pick for their Final Four.
Yet despite all of that, my Brackets always end up looking like a first-grader with a crayon filled them out. I might as well have just flipped Heinz ketchup packets to decide the winners.
But this year is different. This year, luck has finally turned my way. As you can see above, my bracket is not perfect. But I think I am doing alright. And most importantly, for the first time in my life, I am winning my office pool. Granted, that office pool consists only of myself and Mark. But either way, as of right now...I'm winning.
And I'm not worried about jinxing myself by saying that either. Because outside of Speed Scrabble and Darts, I can't beat Mark at anything anyway. So what have I got to lose? Seriously, in almost two years of playing disc golf, I have beat him only once. Once! And even when I did that, he acted like it wasn't that big of a deal, which is almost worse than losing in the first place.
So I realize that the excitement over my bracket is a little pre-mature, but I needed to post this before the tournament action resumes this evening.
Because by tomorrow morning, I'll probably be losing to Mark yet again.
11 comments:
any insight as to why they're called (mike and mike sound effect) "Sheets...of Integrity". I don't remember hearing that until this year?
Hmmm...you beat me...oh yeah, that was 'left-handed day'....
If Washington state beats UNC, you know you're in trouble don't you...?
haha at your bracket! I have something for you. I'll give it to your Sunday. Don't count on it being your movie though.
"Sheet of Integrity" is a phrase coined by Mike Greenberg describing a single bracket entry created for wagering on the NCAA basketball tournament.
Greenberg holds the belief that if a person wishes to enter multiple pools, they should do so using the same picks for each entry. Golic has no problem with choosing different winners for each entry he submits, because, as he says, "I want to win the pool and win the caaash!"
The two have good-naturedly debated this difference of opinion each year since 2000. In 2007, Lowe's sponsored the Brackets of Integrity Sweepstakes, an online tournament pool which allowed listeners of Mike and Mike in the Morning to play against Greenberg and Golic using bracket sheets of their own. Amusingly, the rules allowed each participant to create up to five different "Sheets of Integrity."
The hosts' differences were summed up in 2005 in two separate parodies of Billy Joel's song "Honesty" (renamed "Integrity"), as sung by each host in support of their wagering philosophies.
actually, mark...you were playing right-handed. and in truth, i beat you twice that day. because we played a full 18 and then a quick 9. i just wasn't counting the 9.
but i mean, its cool. you know, its not like its a big deal to me. i barely remember that day...
A. beating is a very big deal. i don't care what he shows on his face.
B. speed scrabble is actually called "take two", but it's fine that you call it that.
C. is this really your best bracket ever? like, for real?
D. does mark REALLY have washington st. beating UNC?
E. i love you.
yeah...i know, its a pretty unspectacular bracket. i don't think that it is my best ever. but it is the first time i've ever led in an office pool.
Seriously Bill, don't let Mark fool you. He acts like it's not a big deal because he knows that will get in your head for next time. He's just that sneaky... but trust me, he remembers. He always remembers.
Not that I would know. I've just heard things.
actually, i just calculated your bracket's score based on my own office pool's rules and you'd be winning ours, too.
did you end up beating mark? just curious.
i beat mark.
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