#5-South

#2-West

#1-East

#1-Midwest

Friday, March 29, 2002 
Issue # 14.5.1 "Pick-a-who, I choose you..."
http://www.HWCI.com/ncaa

MIAMI, FL (smt)-- Every year people fill out their brackets for the NCAA Tournament. Every year people tear up their brackets within days. Picking the correct teams takes a little bit of knowledge, some hunches, and just plain luck. Sometimes it's not so bad picking who will make the Final Four but it's all those games in between. Picking a Hawaii upset cause you have ties to the Rainbow Warriors could mean you finish fifth instead of fourth. Believing the USC hype or putting all your marbles on a revenge-minded Gonzaga team could be the death of you in the pool.

You must pick the correct NCAA champion if you want a good chance of winning any money. Other than 1997 and 1998 when no one picked the correct champion, only 1999 saw one person (3rd) not pick the correct champion and win money (only 4 picked UConn, 3 winning money). This year, if Oklahoma wins it all, there could be one or two people winning money who didn't pick OK because only three people picked Oklahama (and there are four money spots) to be the champ.

Although several people have won money in two or more pools, no one has won the top prize twice. This year, an 8th different person will claim the HWCI NCAA Pool title and get bragging rights for one year. Jeff C. (CHENMAN), Marsha N. (WILDCAT PRIDE) and JD G. (ARPS) will try to become the fifth person to win the grand prize in their first try. Scott T. (THE FABON8ER and FREE FABONE) will try to become the first 4-time money winner and claim the pool title for the first time in 8 years (11 entries). Troy B. (YBBAT) will try to win the $400 top prize in just his second year (3 entries). On another note, Alvin K. (YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT) will try to win money for the first time ever (8 years, 9 entries), the current drought leader.

Here are the best and worst of the predictors. Power points are calculated based on your placement in the pool and the size of the pool. For example, in a pool of 12 people, finishing 1st gets 1.0 power point, 7th (middle) 0.5 points, and 12th (last) 0.08 pts. In a pool of 36, finishing 1st gets 1.0 pt, 6th 0.86 pts, 18th (middle) 0.5 pts, and 36th (last) 0.03 pts. The closer to an average of 1.0 power point, the better you have done in the pool. "YR" indicates number of years in pool; "EN" indicates total number of entries in pool.

OVERALL-
MOST WINS   YR  # EN  #
-------------------------
Scott T.    7 288 10 406 
Fern B.     7 279  8 321
Brian S.    7 276
Alvin K.    7 274  8 311
David F.    7 273  8 313

MOST PTS YR  #  EN  #
-------------------------
Scott T.  7 820 10 1175
Fern B.   7 779  8  908
David F.  7 785  8  898
Alvin K.  7 762  8  855

MONEY WON YRS-WON $ 
-------------------------
Lisa F.      2    $330
Robinson C.  1    $280
Scott T.     3    $190
Sam N.       1    $180
Anna         1    $150
Jason S.     2    $145


MINIMUM 4 ENTRIES
=================

WEIGHTED POWER POINTS
Depends on your place in
pool and the size of pool
(MAX 1.0 PWR PT PER ENTRY)
=========================
--BEST PREDICTORS--------
PWR PTS PER YR AV EN AVE
-------------------------
Scott T.    7-.76 10-.767
Fern B.     7-.63
Mike B.     6-.62
Andy F.     5-.58

--WORST PREDICTORS-------
PWR PTS PER YR AV EN AVE
-------------------------
Dennis K.    6-.28 7-.313
Sam N.       4-.33
Mark C.      7-.38
Jay S.       6-.44
Man V.       7-.46

BEST WIN% YR Pct EN Pct
-------------------------
Scott T.   7 .653 8 .649
Fern B.    7 .633
Brian S.   7 .626

WORST WIN% YR Pct EN Pct
-------------------------
Sam N.     4 .556
Dennis K.  6 .582 7 .585
Tuan H.    2 .587 4 .591
Mike B.    6 .603
Mark C.    7 .605

============
LAST 3 YEARS
============
OVERALL-
MOST WINS  YR  #  EN  #
-------------------------
Lisa F.     3 126
Scott T.(1) 3 121 6 239
Gareth M.   3 118
Scott T.(2) 3 118
Bob G.      3 117

MOST PTS   YR  #  EN #
-------------------------
Lisa F.     3 394
Scott T.(1) 3 355 6 740
Gareth M.   3 352
Scott T.(2) 3 346
David F.    3 342

TOTAL POWER POINTS
Depends on your place in
pool and the size of pool
(MAX 1.0 PWR PT PER ENTRY)
=========================
--BEST PREDICTORS--------
PWR PTS     YR PTS EN PTS
-------------------------
Lisa F.     3-2.82
Gareth M.   3-2.60 4-2.68
Scott T.(1) 3-2.44 6-4.80
Scott T.(2) 3-2.36
David F.    3-2.31

--WORST PREDICTORS-------
PWR PTS PER YR PTS EN PTS
-------------------------
Dennis K.   3-0.70
Mark C.     3-0.78
Bobby J.    3-0.92
Byron W.    3-1.01