I’ve considered all of the madness I have seen over the past four days, and I have come to the conclusion that I have vastly underrated college basketball over the past few years.  Maybe its because my favorite teams, the University of Oregon and Cal Poly State University have stunk over that time period, but I almost feel like I have missed out on something great over that time period.

Yes, every year I have  still paid attention to the tourney, but it seems this season, due the the heightened pressure from peers to pay attention and actually utilize your sense of sports knowledge, I have come to realize that college basketball is worth the attention.  Throw my gripes about hand-checking and the lack of defensive upkeep in the game aside for now.  The effort I have seen from all of these teams the past four days has glued me to the TV, whenever possible, as I have made my on-going daily life almost secondary to turning up the radio in the truck or turning on the Visio first thing when walking in the front door.

Sunday was somewhat of a disappointment, even though yesterday I lost my Final Four surprise, the Kansas State Frank Martins.  Today the Orange were juiced, Purdue laid down and Notre Dame laid an egg.

The best part of the day was the unsung.  My prediction from the start was that Kansas, if they could get by the Illini in the round of 32, would only have to only play the winner of Richmond and Morehead State (12 and 13 seeds, two of my three major first-round upsets) in the round of 16.  What I didn’t consider as well, is that after that win, and due to the upsets in the bottom of the bracket, they will have to only face the winner of two other upset seeds in the elite 8 – either 10 seed Florida State or 11 seed VCU.

This chain of events sets up perfect for my national champion.  In the rounds of 16 and 8, they only have to beat a 12 seed in the sweet 16, and either a 10 or 11 seed in the elite 8, to reach the Final Four.  Kansas fans will then migrate in drones to Houston for the Final Four, which is only a straight shot South from Lawrence, either 12 hours by wheel or 2.5 hours by wing.

This plus will give the Jayhawks a distinct advantage at the penultimate moment.  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but – Rock Chalk – Jayhawk – KU!  – ADS

Sun 3:20 8:25

With the in-laws in town, what could be more unpredictable than child-birth or the NCAA Tournament? The answer is Russell Crowe. So we’re watching Robin Hood. A decent end to a weekend of the underdog. — OM

Sun 3/20 8:12

As if this can’t get any more maddening, now Notre Dame is down eighteen to ten seed Florida st. with fifteen minutes to play. What is going on?–Loco

Sun 3/20 7:21

Greg Anthony was more right than anyone. This truly is the year of the underdog. Not much difference from 4 to 16 this year. Purdue just went down. Syracuse just went down. Pitt went down yesterday. Everyone is going down early this year.–Loco

Sun 3/20 5:21 PM

Brown from Texas is the best sixth man since Maggette with Duke in 99′.–Loco

Sun 3/20 5:11 PM

Zona by four with eight minutes to play. This is what it is all about. Two teams laying it on the line in the heated one and done atmosphere of the Madness. The NBA pales in comparison right now.–Loco

Sun 3/20 4:20

Ohio st. blowing out George Mason. There will no re-living of GM in the final four. Wow. Most dominate showing by any team I have ever seen in Tournament history. Ohio st. is 13 of 19 from 3pt.–Loco

Sun 3/20 3:45 PM

Zona by seven with seven to play in first half. I like the way they are shooting the corners and lobbing the ball into Williams. Getting Williams involved early has tired the Longhorns super-frosh Tristan Thompson. –Loco

Sun 3/20 2:02 PM

Coach Beilien has the Wolverines going in the right direction. This year’s Duke team is better than last years title team. I have go to hand it to the Wolverines, they simply DID NOT quit being down fifteen at one point in the 2nd half. Nice survival game by the Dukies though, 73-71.–Loco

Sun 3/20 12:31 PM

May be Duke by only five right now, but they clearly are in control of this game. Nolan Smith is the director of traffic. He is the dime dropping assasin leading charge for a balanced Duke team.  I like the Wolverines, but they are scrambling: living and dying by the three point shot. They are on life support, a half away from death.–Loco

Sun 3/20 11:50 AM

I too hate UNC. Mostly because I picked Washington. Duke better watch out vs. Michigan. Their coach always puts his team in a position to be in games late. If Nolan Smith keeps playing awesome D and if Michigan keeps throwing the ball away, it could be a long day for the Wolv’s… — OM

Sun. 3/20 11:25 AM

Over the emotions of my last post. I just don’t know what to make of this North Carolina team. In fact they piss me off. Wish I could see them lose by thirty to Cuesta College.–Loco

Sun. 3/20 9:02 AM

Will George Mason repeat their stunning 2006 run? Not if Ohio St. has something to say about it. How serious should we be taking Arizona? It is officially day four of March Madness. Yesterday gave us everything we hope to see: upsets. Butler is reminding us of their amazing 2010 team that upset, upset, upset, all the way to the title game. Their win over number one seed Pittsburgh was the funniest thing this tournament has ever seen. Two fouls in the final three seconds–one from half court, then another from 3/4 court, created the bewilderment of a one point Butler win.

Things really hit home for me while watching the Kansas st. v Wisconsin game. For four years, I have enjoyed Wildcats guard Jacob Pullen’s maturation into a collegiate all-American.  Despite his quickness and ability to shoot the three, pro scouts have shown no interest. After College, Pullen will be forced to reinterpret his life, try things out in the NBDL, overseas, or in the 9 to 5. For all of us who’ve enjoyed watching him, we have been left with memories that will fade as the years go by. When the final buzzer sounded with score of Wisconsin 70, Kansas St. 65, Pullen dropped to his knees with tears streaming down his face. Jacob I take nothing for granted. Thank you for everything young man.–Loco

13 of 16 picks correct on day one.  I’m pretty stoked about that.  Hopefully tomorrow will be just as fortunate.  O, UCLA won.  Sometimes you have to win dirty in a tournament format.  Quit complaining.  Be happy about the Bruins advancing!  – ADS

Thurs. 3/17 8:32

UCLA makes me freaking crazy sometimes. I would press them ALL GAME if I was the other team. They do so many things that good teams don’t usually do – miss free throws, give up open shots when they shouldn’t, have bad body language and questionable ball handling, etc… As a fan, that’s the kind of crap that makes me crazy.  OM

Thurs. 3/17 8:20

Loco- it will be OK. UCLA is a good defensive team. Bruins look so good at times and at times, especially against the press, they look like they don’t have a plan- especially Nelson. He’s my favorite Bruin I think but he doesn’t need to be handling the ball on the press… If Honeycutt stays and Smith stays, then the Bruins might be Top-10 next season. The good thing about UCLA’s future is that they’re all pretty talented, but not uber-talented enough to go to the show next year. Bruins in 2012. OM

Thurs. 3/17 8:10

Steve Lavin! If a team is outrunning and outgunning you, the last thing a team should do is try and run faster. Slow this game down! St. John’s could be another final four pick of mine who loses today.–Loco

Thurs. 3/17 8:08

Without a doubt Michigan St. is the most underachieving team in recent years. Kalin Lucas can go play in Iceland for all I care. My bracket is donzo. Put me in heels. –Loco

Thurs. 3/17 4:58

Wofford missing a lot of easy shots early. Will hurt them later. Count on it.

Thurs. 3/17 4:57

Key to the Bruins/Michigan State will be turnovers and rebounding. How many shots can UCLA knock down from the outside and how many transition buckets do they give up/ get.

If Nelson, Smith, and Lee get going, then the Bruins will be a tough out. If they are all playing bad, UCLA will struggle to stay in games. For my bracket’s sake, here’s hoping they play well. OM

Thurs. 3/17 4:55pm

OK something’s really bugging me so far today. During every game I watch, they’re calling this the SECOND round and saying that teams are advancing to the THIRD round with wins today. This really sets me off. It is the FIRST ROUND. The past two days, while part of the tournament, are not the first round. The first round stated today, and OH BOY what fun it’s been so far. Morehead State’s win was HUGE… Probably the shot of the first day… OM

Thursday, 3/17 – 4:30pm

Through the barrage of the first 8 games, I have picked 7 of the 8 correct, including 2 of my 3 major first round upsets.  Now Belmont needs to take out Wisky.  I consider a major upset a 12 beating a 5 or worse.  Morehead State and Richmond are moving on, and the winner of that matchup will take on Kansas in the Sweet 16.  This was considered in my bracket when I chose Kansas as the national champion.  The fact that they will face a team of Richmond or Morehead State’s caliber in the Sweet 16 means they basically won’t be challenged or won’t have to give a true 110% effort until the elite 8.  This gives them an advantage in that elite 8 game and in the Final Four.  My prediction is taking flight.  So far, so good.  – ADS

Thurs. 3/17 2:50

Doug Gottlieb=Frodo Baggins.–Loco

Thurs. 3/17 2:48

Memories of the little man Princeton beating the big boy popped. Close but not close enough. No consolation bracket in March. Calipari and co. survived a serious scare, 59-57. –Loco

Thur. 3/17 12:55 PM

There goes my bracket. I had L-Ville losing by four in the tournament championship game to Ohio st. Rick Pitino are you serious? I am all for cross dressing yall’, but can I shave my legs first? Damn it.–Loco

Thur. 3/17 12:37 PM

Quick informal poll for those of you with a smart phone: What is more entertaining – Angry Birds or the first day of the tournament? Keep in mind the “staying power” of Angry Birds…

Thur. 3/17 9:52 AM

I woke up really excited this morning. Today the real tournament starts. How long until someone pulls off a buzz-worthy upset or a play that turns the Internet upside down? UCLA’s not playing until tonight, so at least I won’t miss that. I picked them to beat Florida before I looked at where the game was. The Gators will have a home-court advantage in Tampa… Gotta stand by your picks though. Whose brackets are blown up already? — OM

Thur. 3/17 8:58 AM

One game you wont want to miss today? #2 San Diego st. vs. #15 Northern Colorado. San Diego st. is the most overrated high seed I have seen in recent years. Let me make myself very clear, ff they don’t lose today, they will lose in the 2nd round to Temple. Steve Fisher’s Aztecs like to get up the court and pressure teams with their hectic team defense. But Fisher’s team has faced only a couple of half-court squads during the season (BYU), and are 0-2 against them. Reigning Big Sky Conference champion Northern Colorado, is a slow tempo, low possession team, that can hit the three as good as anybody in the country. Look for Big Sky player of the year, Devon Beitzel to make a name for himself today.–Loco

Thur. 3/17 8:47 AM

Luck of the Irish? Does Mike Brey serve his two seeded Irish team green beer on the sidelines? I say yes. No luck needed today. Irish in a blowout. –Loco

Thur. 3/17 8:37 AM

Twenty three minutes and counting until the best playoff format in the world of sports tips off. Unfortunately we are beginning with a grind-it-out poor shooting affair in WV v Clemson. Bob Huggins is 23-18 all-time in the Madness. Better known for his brooding personality on the sidelines then he is a brilliant coach, Huggins has arguably does his greatest job this season.  Without their two leading scorers from last seasons final four squad, the Mountaineers won eleven games in the stacked Big East and come in as a five seed. Can you say overrated? Don’t think so. This is a low possession v high possession game. Usually in the March tournament, a low possession team wins out. WV 59, Clemson 55.–Loco

Thursday 3/17 12:20am

Couldn’t believe the selection committee selected UAB instead of Colorado when they did it, and the Blazers getting curb-stomped in the field of 4 by 18 only re-affirms it.  How can a team that beat Kansas State three times, and Texas not get a bid?  Ridiculous.  Anyways, visions of buckets about to dance in my head!  It’s almost like Christmas Eve!  Good night!  – ADS

Wed. 3/16 8:13 PM

I wonder, what if Brandon Davies had stayed celibate? If so, things would be different. BYU can Fredette going anywhere in the tournament. –Loco

Wed 3/16 8:04 pm

It looks like my ideas about the Pac-10 surprising the pundits might already be crumbling. VCU is fun to watch though. They look better than USC, but I also think USC might have a lot better chance to pull an upset on Friday. They sure could use Bryce Jones’ athleticism out there. Here’s a fun story about Jones’ high school team, Taft High School from Woodland Hills, CA:

When they came to a tournament in San Luis Obispo (Jones won the slam dunk contest and his team won the tournament), there were more adults on the bench than players. Really. It was like every player had their own personal handler. Timeouts were like Chamber of Commerce Mixers. And the fun didn’t stop there. Taft also brought their public address announcer to announce their lineup at the tournament. He was good, but it was awkward and hard to get excited knowing that he wasn’t introducing both teams. It was quite a spectacle.

When that is the world a young player “grows up” in, it’s no wonder that some adversity causes that player to break down and act in a dysfunctional way. That’s the chance a coach takes by recruiting players like Jones who are high risk and high reward. With VCU’s athleticism and length, I’m sure Kevin O’Neill wouldn’t mind another talented athlete to turn to. The way USC is turning the ball over though, having another freshman on the court (no matter how talented) probably wouldn’t help them much. OM

Wed. 3/16 7:35 pm

Yes, the tournament technically started on Tuesday night, but the brackets catch fire for real on Thursday. Follow us here for continuous updates and analysis from the Fansmanship.com crew.

The rules are pure and simple, score will be based on total number of correct picks, no seeding multipliers, no bonuses, just picks.  Below you will find the brackets filled out by the boys (Andy, Luke and Owen), we will update the scores as reach round is completed, so keep coming back to see how things shape up.

Andy’s Bracket

Luke’s Bracket

Owen’s Bracket

Peanut-gallery pleading from the stands by a rabidly-insane fan? Hardly. This was the proposal Inez Gomez-Mont of TV Azteca shouted in Brady’s direction, white gown and all, during the 2007 Super Bowl media day–or as it is so cavalierly labelled.

Yes, she was a credentialed member of the media, one of a few thousand that are allowed access to this annual three-ring circus. The swirl of global media that flocks to the spectacle each February should be covered by a tent upon arrival. The media director for the event should be dressed as the ringleader, whip and all, and the PR slaps accessorized with red clown noses. Credentialed woman in a wedding dress? (Cue the horse-whip sound effect).

Reportedly, there are 5,000 credentials issued this Super Bowl, ranging from 26 different countries. “Zu viel,” “trop,” “demasiado,” or simply “too much,” in the language most NFL fans speak. Maybe it’s the small beach-town kid in me, but I hate tourists, especially ones that get in the way of ruining one of your biggest events of the year (see also, 4th of July).

What truly baffles the mind however, is how the week leading up to the Super Bowl and the week leading up to the conference championship games are complete polar opposites in not only the department of scrutiny, but more so, the direction of it. The week prior to the conference championships is AP English class, nothing but a hardcore study of the X’s and O’s, almost to a fault.  The week prior to the Super Bowl is a lunch break, where the only scrutiny is about who said what about who, while the campus outcasts partake in a tree-climbing or backpack-swinging exhibition for entertainment of the picnic. How the game with more on the line became less of a pinnacle and more of an expo is beyond coherence.

It seems even the commissioner of the league has caught the virus and is joining the party. Roger Goddell announced this week that when he was contemplating the punishment of Ben Roethlisberger before the season (Ben was accused of sexual assault at a Georgia nigh-club by a 19-year old–the charges were later dropped) he polled two dozen random players and to quote Goddell, “not one of them had one positive thing to say about him.”

Okay, boss. Let me pull the knife out that you, with perfectly executed timing, stuck in my back while I’m in the elevator on the way to my biggest presentation of the year. Is this the buttoned-up NFL or an MTV reality show? Why this week brings out the inner TMZ of everyone, even the commissioner of the league, defies explanation. The irresponsibility displayed by the supposed most responsible and leading figure of the league borders on the deplorable.

That’s not the only story this week that has been erratically sensationalized. Ambulance-chasing scoop-fiends used the tweets of both IR riddled Green Bay Packer middle linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley to drum up a controversy about the Green Bay Super Bowl team picture. Apparently Barnett and Finley were disappointed about not being featured in the picture. If you were to buy into the media hoopla, you would be lead to believe that the two gave an ultimatum to be included in the photo, or not show for OTA’s in the spring. The way the hacks of the media construed it, you would think fixing the misunderstanding would have rivaled brain surgery. It’s a stupid picture!

When the bandwagon of misguided hype passes and Mason Crosby finally kicks off to Antonio Brown, the insignificant fodder that amounted prior to the game, that didn’t regard the game itself – rather just the “idea” of the game, will disappear. The Italian reporter that doesn’t know if the football is filled with air or feathers will be in a press box, his back to the action on the field, talking on his blackberry. The inquiry about opinions of movie stars recently converting to Islam are gone and the inner-question becomes, “how are we going to convert on third down against the zone-blitz?”

There will only be the game. The white-hat’s whistle will start the play clock and the sticks will measure ten. Rogers will be throwing dimes on time, not answering 20 questions about his new movie-star girlfriend. Polamalu will be playing like his hair is on fire and with the fever-pitch of the Tasmanian devil, not being asked his opinion on hair products. Condition or not to condition?

When the final whistle sounds, we will realize that what we saw was a football game. It will be a great football game, maybe even an epic bout, but nothing outside of that. A classic clash of two of the league’s all-time greatest franchises, but nothing outside of that. What we will realize we didn’t see, was a game that was affected by knowing where Hines Ward was on Tuesday night until 11:30pm or whether or not B.J. Raji thinks he is an inspiration to fat people everywhere.

Real journalists will be pounding away at their keyboards, trying to describe what they just saw for their die-hard football readers. The imports posing as journalists will be pounding away at the cab driver to get them to the airport as quickly as possible.

The point? The glitz and the glamour isn’t what is on trial here, Mr. reporter who was sent over the Pacific by TV Japan to cover “the game.”  We know why our game is “Super, #1,” and it has nothing to do with Chris Kemoeatu reminding you of a popular sumo cartoon from back home. You are only getting in the way of the real stories.

When the game is over, ‘go back to Fresno.’