You want my advice for filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket? Don’t do what I do
I know sports fairly well.
At least, I knew sports fairly well.
I know Cardinal trivia and history. Lineups from championship teams. Trades. Dates in franchise history.
Stories about the old Spirits of St. Louis basketball team. Marvin Barnes. Game time is on time. Young Bob Costas as the radio announcer
I remember hockey when they used to fight.
And college basketball when they did not fight.
But with every spring, I’m questioning my sports knowledge when I fill out a bracket and try to pick winning teams in the NCAA mens’ basketball tournament.
It used to be easier to pick winners.
Or maybe I was smarter.
I don’t pick as many winners.
I can’t predict upsets.
Sure, I used to take filling out multiple brackets more seriously. Stats. Charts. Common opponents. The past few years, I have filled out my only bracket in about 15 minutes. Thought about the team’s conference, record and injuries. Went with history. Sentimentality snuck in. Went with my gut often.
This year, I picked Alabama to win it all. I saw Alabama play basketball once on ESPN. They were big, fast and athletic. I had them playing UCLA in the championship game. I have a fondness for UCLA because of Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton and John Wooden. Wrong again.
I had the Final Four teams — Connecticut, Miami, Florida Atlantic and San Diego State — losing early, of course.
To win a pool, you have to pick upsets. Good luck. St. Peter’s? Florida Atlantic? San Diego State? I’m not brave enough.
Hard to admit, but I’m a little more clueless every March.
Rules to follow
While my humility is fresh, here are some simple rules I have jotted down for filling out my bracket next March Madness:
Stop picking with my heart. Illinois may never return to a Final Four. If Saint Louis University ever makes the tournament, I won’t pick them to win two games. Same for Notre Dame.
Stop picking teams that I like personally. Michigan. Michigan State. Kansas State. Illinois. Butler. Purdue. I have a helpless fondness for Midwest teams.
Stop picking teams because they were once good in the tournament. You can put Butler, UCLA, Duke, North Carolina State and Villanova in that group. North Carolina, too. If they were in the tourney this year, I would have picked them to advance to the Sweet 16. I have to forget Jim Valvano.
Stop believing the media experts. All they do is confuse me and I second guess my picks.
Stop changing my mind. Fill out the bracket and send it immediately. Don’t save it. Move on. Those voices in my head won’t call timeout.
Start flipping a coin. It gives me a 50/50 chance to pick a winner.
Start playing Eeny, Meeny, Miny Moe. Always worked fairly well for me during childhood when I had to choose a sno-cone flavor.
Start picking teams based on the number of older players on their roster who transferred to the school through the portal. Every season is a new season.
Have my grandson fill out my bracket. He will be 2.5 years old next spring. He will have Hot Wheels and Legos, but no idea about sports and college basketball teams, records, team colors, school history, size, coaches, transfer portals or media experts. A nice change from his over-thinking, nostalgic, homer Grandpa who will be thinking, “Yes, this will be the year the Illini reach the Final Four!”
