NCAA BASKTBALL TOURNAMENT 2013

Well it's that time of year again, time to fill out the ol' NCAA bracket.  I've done this before, though not every year.  I have never had much success, so this year I have decided to put in some research and effort.  I have watched a bunch of TV shows and read a pile of internet stories, and the following is some of what I have learned.

It is wide open this year.  There are only 9 or ten teams that can't "win it all".

There are only 5 or six teams that have a chance to "win it all".

A sixteen has never beat a one seed.  This could be the year.

The Big Ten is the best conference in the country.  The Big Ten is the most overrated conference in the country.

You need good guard play in March.

A twelve seed always beats a five seed.  Except when they don't. 

Watch out for a team loaded with seniors.  Except if they were that good they would already be in the pros, wouldn't they?

Some teams can't be sped up, some can't be slowed down.  Some play great D, some can't score enough to win. 

Some teams have played a tough schedule.  Some teams haven't played anyone.

The Midwest is the "Region of Death".  Scary.

"They come to play".  "Cinderella Team".  "They know how to close".  "They take care of the rock".  Every cliche in the book.  And then some.

Enough already.  These guys have seen a lot more ballgames than I have, but I'm not all that certain they are any smarter.  One guy says team A will win, second guy says team B.  First guy says yeah you might be right. Think even I could come up with something like that.  So after all the reading and watching, it's back to the same old way of picking the bracket for me.  Generally higher seed, pick a couple of upsets, root for the kids schools now, then talk about how if a couple of plays or call went my way I could have won it all......