Day One: Random Observations

Okay crew, we need a little feedback on this one. Who is your Final Four?

Day One didn't go the best for me. Now that I'm ranked in the lower 1/3 percentile of ESPN's tournament challenge, I am at the lowest I have ever been after the first day. This is a big change from last year, when I was in the 99th percentile going into the weekend. Of course, I also bombed after the first round.

Who hurt the most? For me, the toughest pill to swallow was the Montana Grizzlies upset over Nevada. It really shouldn't come as a huge surprise - it was a 12-5 upset after all. But considering I really believed Nevada was a darkhorse going into the tourney, and because I had them picked to knock off BC, the upset was not a good one for me. My logic behind picking the Wolfpack to advance was that the team wasn't ALL Fazekas, as media made the team look. They have a sweet guard by the name of Kemp as well. But I guess two players making up your whole team doesn't bode well for success (take note, Duke).

My other incorrect picks: Marquette over 'Bama (who looked pretty explosive Thursday), UNC-W over Geo Wash. (Duke, are you paying attention?), SDSU over Indiana (how the Hoosiers even take the court for their sulking coach is beyond me), OU over UW-Milw. (Big XII represent), and Utah St. over Washington. VERY worried about BC now, though. After their 2OT win, all signs point to them making a deep run. I hope Allan Ray's eye is ready for the Ealges down the road.

Another note: CBS's coverage of the tourney has sucked so far. We had to sit through a boring Indiana game with zero implications (even though the ending was sweet) while Southern hung in with Duke and A&M ended G-Mac's magical run. Oh, and how about the continual cut-aways from the UNC-W/Geo. Wash overtime thriller to show Adam Morrison's gangly body and ugly Mexi-stache throw up some shots against Xavier? Frustrating.

Anyway, since a few of you didn't enter the Tournament Challenge on ESPN (don't know why not), who's in your Final Four? Mine are: UConn, 'Nova, Texas, and UCLA. Here's hoping they all come through for me.

Coming up: more recaps and my ranking of the coolest (and uncoolest) players in the tourney. A little peek: Dee Brown is the shit, Adam Morrison is a clown, and Greg Paulus needs to get his butt kicked.