The Official 2009 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament Thread!

Figure we needed one

Right now we got a potential bracket buster situation with Memphis, they are died with Northridge 55-55.
Me being a UCONN alumni, I  am picking them to go all the way, even though they stalled in the Big East Tourney.  Who do you guys like for champs?

I can't believe Memphis pulled that one out! Their man really stepped up and played above his head.

This is my favorite sport. The next few days I won't be fit for anything!
 
Who do y'all see in the final four?

My Final 4 is Memphis, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Oklahoma with Pitt beating Memphis for the championship.

Cal State gave Memphis a good fight but I'm not surprised the Tigers pulled away.  Unfortunately Butler couldn't get the job done against LSU but A&M beat BYU, so after 3 games I'm 2-1.

Brad

UNC over Louisville for the National Title.Hansbrough defends his Player of the Year Title.Turn out the lights please

Brad_Olson


with Pitt beating Memphis for the championship.

I knew I liked you for a reason!

I will go with Michigan State, Memphis, Villanova and North Carolina, with the Tarheels winning it all.

We do have something of an expert on the subject in our midst and it is Cecif.  She is very much into it and knows more about college basketball than anyone I know.  And I have some buddies who coach college b-ball.  I hope she comes out of hiding and gives us her picks.

Of course, if her Cal Bears go down too early, she may continue in hiding until next year's tournament.

Don't have much hope for my Clemson Tigers, but would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see them beat Michigan.

Sorry Scorereader..At the last minute I went chalk (Louisville vs Pitt with Pitino taking it) 

I have the Orangemen getting to the Sweet 16 and losing to NC.  I know I know.  I just felt I was too hyped up on them and that usually means a loss...Based on my former betting tendencies.
 
Three for three in early games...LSU finally doesn't choke.  Maybe the SEC surprises?

A&M always gives a good performance. 

buffetbuster

Don't have much hope for my Clemson Tigers, but would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see them beat Michigan.

I thought you'd be pulling for Robert Morris??? 

My Final Four has U of L, Memphis, Duke, and Syracuse, with Duke losing to the LOUISVILLE CARDINALS in the Championship Game.

So far my errors have been Cal over MD. and Butler over LSU.

So far  I have picked all the winners  but    as I have  Syracuse  vs  Connecticut in the national championship game,  I  expect my ship to sink very soon.

The Travelin Man

buffetbuster

Don't have much hope for my Clemson Tigers, but would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see them beat Michigan.

I thought you'd be pulling for Robert Morris??? 

Of course I would enjoy seeing my beloved Fightin' Colonials win, but I'm sure not counting on it.  Coincidentally, they play late Friday night in Minneapolis.  Guess where I am this weekend?  Should I choose Nye's Polonaise and "The World's Most Dangerous Polka Band" or a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch my alma mater shock the world?  I think we all know I am choosing the food!

How about my WKU Hilltoppers tonight?    We get no respect.

Sweet Sixteen bound!

The best game last night wasn't NCAA but NIT; Notre Dame coming from down 6 with under 2 minutes left and beating New Mexico with 2 seconds left, 70-68. Good college basketball is good basketball, and that was one heck of a finish.

Hi Rick. Sam and I attended the evening games in Portland and saw your Hilltoppers withstand the Illinois final rush and avoid blowing the lead. I was impressed by WKU's athleticism. And what is that mascot anyway?
      My beloved Zips from Akron played it tight for 32 minutes but Gonzaga pulled it out with a late game rally that made the game seem less close than it was. There were a lot of Gonzaga fans so it was almost like a home game for them.
      This was Portland's first hosting of a men's tournament game in over 30 years and it was a great experience for Sam and something I had always wanted to see.

mr chips
My beloved Zips from Akron played it tight for 32 minutes but Gonzaga pulled it out with a late game rally that made the game seem less close than it was. There were a lot of Gonzaga fans so it was almost like a home game for them.

Yeah, of all the 13/4's, this one was the most ripe with intrigue.  I think Cleveland State could have pulled it off against any 4-seed team *but* Wake Forest, so after today, I think the Gonzaga/Akron game will hold up to that billing.  The MAC is a better conference than people give it credit for.

The Zips near the end there couldn't get anything going it seemed.  Offensive fouls, ticky-tack calls, bad breaks under the boards...not to mention, how can one obtain and keep any momentum as an underdog when the network covering the tournament wants the higher seeds to succeed and break up the game at any moment for incessant advertising?  I love these two days, but that CBS covers it spoils the experience.

the acting man

mr chips
not to mention, how can one obtain and keep any momentum as an underdog when the network covering the tournament wants the higher seeds to succeed and break up the game at any moment for incessant advertising?  I love these two days, but that CBS covers it spoils the experience.

Oh, I dunno about that. Remember the George Mason story from a couple years ago, how it fired up interest among casual enthusiasts and brought eyeballs to TV sets? The advertising is going to be there for EVERY team, top seeds and bottom and middles. Everyone has to succeed in the same environment; if they stopped breaking up the game just so that the low seeds wouldn't lose momentum, then how is that fair that they would do it for the high seeds?

MR CHIPS-
  The WKU Hilltopper's Mascot is "BIG RED", invented and accepted in the 1979-80 season.  He has been representing the University since that time. Despite the resemblance to the Soda of the same name, I can't find any mention of  a connection in the University P R information.
 WKU has a proud heritage in the Commonwealth, constantly out-performing the other Div. One 'regional' Universities in the system (Eastern Kentucky U, Morehead State,and Murray State). They live in the shadows of both U-Louisville and U-Kentucky, but do bring their successful programs to the attention of the public on a regular basis.
AL

Mosca
Oh, I dunno about that. Remember the George Mason story from a couple years ago, how it fired up interest among casual enthusiasts and brought eyeballs to TV sets? The advertising is going to be there for EVERY team, top seeds and bottom and middles. Everyone has to succeed in the same environment; if they stopped breaking up the game just so that the low seeds wouldn't lose momentum, then how is that fair that they would do it for the high seeds?

CBS makes watching basketball a living nightmare.  They slow down the game's natural pacing and cap momentum in tight games by using every play stoppage as an ad break.  There are times when the refs follow the rules and start play with or without the feed returning, but by and large, games allow a bit of buffer time from the moment a timeout is recognized to the whistle either to set up the inbound or executing it.  It's the difference between maybe 10-20 seconds or so, but for momentum shifts or teams that rely on fast-break opportunities, the coverage really compromises the gameplay.  Now, granted, any televised game runs slower than a non-televised one, but compared to ESPN or Fox, who don't go to commercials every time someone isn't playing, CBS games run longer if they are competitive.

When I said about the biasness toward higher seeds, I meant it in the way of how the coverage changes when scores are lopsided.  Like UConn/UT-C...those breaks and buffers came further and fewer between once the game became decidedly UConn's.  CBS makes the decision that the game is over, with there being no need to delaying the inevitable, or sustaining "unwatchable television," and thus do not take as many televised breaks as a game that isn't so readily decided and can be sustained as such with some "clever producing."  It puts the actual game itself second to allow the event to be "television" first and foremost...

Simply put, CBS doesn't really allow for a "let 'em play" philosophy of coverage.  They're very much in the way of how a game is played, whether they want to be or not.

...and it sucks.  I care more about GMU's play than the GMU "story."  That's what the game is supposed to come down to.  At least, I thought it did.

Every year I get sucked into thinking the Atlantic 10 is better than it is!  I take Temple every year and they are killing me!  NO MORE!  THAT'S IT!

I was 14 and 2 yesterday..today is a different story..Thuggins..Why not foul some more vs a team that doesn't shoot them well?

Tennessee..Jeez   Does the SEC suck this year or what?
 
Gotta have a big night.  Pitinos, Burnt Siena, Utes, BC, Izos, X Baby!!, FSU (What am I thinking? Hamilton is the worst! Zero game management skills) Wake (will it be one?)  
 
More upsets on the way.....Maybe tonight?  Should have taken the cheese state..
 
Ok..I got the Orange. Still lost three games today..Already....

I love basketball but this year I did not bother to fill out a bracket sheet. I'll just watch and enjoy. In watching a lot of afternoon games on TV there seemed to be a lot of empty seats. I know they will fill by Sweet 16 but still it seems with so many rabid fans you would think they could fill the seats.

An unexpected side effect of the switch to digital TV is that I can only get Madison's CBS affiliate this year, instead of both Madison and Rockford IL as in years past.  Granted, the picture is much better but when I could switch back and forth I could often get 2 different games and broadcast teams at the same time.

One thing I've noticed this year is that I haven't yet heard Billy Packer; Jim Nantz is paired with Clark Kellogg.  Did CBS make a change?

Personally one of my favorite teams (and they're all pretty good) is Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery.  It probably won't happen but if Packer's off the air I'd like to see them call the championship game.

Brad

What a nightmare tonight....

I don't think Billy Packer works for CBS anymore..I think they parted ways.

The announcers are doing a good job IMHO. My only objection is this new college basketball vocabulary they are using...Maybe just a little less would be better?  More effective? 

I liked Packer.

What do you know!!-BOTH OU and Okla State advance! Looking good from the seats in Rentiesville Oklahoma!

Better games on Friday. My Portland State Vikings are one and done but it is still nice that they got to the dance. I hope Desert Dog is as happy as Tiki. Too bad about the Buckeyes, Mr  Hoffman.

Great day today..Got em all!

Win some, Lose some.  I still sit in the second seat in the family pool, and it is an out-sider (son-in-law in Wisconsin) who leads now. This old guy may not win the overall standings, but he ain't dead yet !

Great games yesterday in the Portland bracket. Congrats to Gonzaga and Purdue for pulling the games out.

Pitt is very tough..Very tough..Tremendous physical strength..Got a good ball handler and a good shooter. 

I am glad I picked them to get to the final....Not so glad I didn't pick them to win it all...

I got the Pitinos winning it all.

Of the Twelve members of our family Pool (religious Symbolism there somewhere?) Ten of the Twelve have Louisville winning the Championship.  The non-believers are the daughter and her husband in Wisconsin who have one vote each for North Carolina and U-Conn

Could we see a Siena upset???!!!!