CERRITOS, CA (smt)-  In lieu of the traditional Sweet 16 newsletter posted after the first weekend, this Sweet 16 will cover the events of the first two weekends in honor of our previous 16 pools.

1. 1995.  UCLA is picked by 10 of 12 and wins it all.  St. Peter's made an appearance in our first pool and hasn't been back until this year.  Same result, a loss.  UConn and Kentucky are there at the start as well.

2. 1996.  Kentucky wins its first title.  Can you believe this was Duke's first appearance in our pool?  They haven't missed since.  Including this year, they have had 10 #1 seedings.  And for the sixth time as a #1 seed, they fail to make the Final Four.  This was VCU's first appearance for us.

3. 1997.  Three #1 seeds made the Final Four.  This was the first year no one picked the correct champion with #4 Arizona defeating three #1 seeds.   If Butler or VCU wins it all, it will be the third time.  Amazingly, two have picked #3 UConn and two picked #4 Kentucky to make sure we don't have a goose egg for all 4 teams.  This was also Butler's first appearance.

4. 1998.  This was the first year we had two non-#1 seeds face each other in the final.  Only two people had one of the two teams correct (3.6%).  Kentucky became the first team to repeat in our era and the last time they made the Final Four (after 3 straight in 3 different regions; they added the 4th region this year).

5. 1999.  This was UConn's first title.  Besides our first year when everyone but two picked UCLA, this was the clearest-cut final match-up as 29 of 36 picked Duke and 4 of 36 picked UConn.  Three #1 seeds made the Final Four.  Like this year, UConn came from the West, this time as a #1 seed.

6. 2000.  Two #8 seeds as well as a #5 seed made the Final Four.  The difference between that year and this year's craziness is a #1 seed (Michigan St.) rolled into the Final Four and to the title.

7. 2001.  Unfortunately, you can't keep Duke down forever as the Blue Devils won their first of two titles. This was just the second time the #1 team in the last AP poll won it all. Butler picked up its first win in four tries.  Kentucky is upset in the 2nd round as a #2 seed.  UConn misses the tourney for the first time since '97.

8. 2002.  Duke was favored to re-peat but didn't as #5 Indiana snuck to the final vs. Maryland.

9. 2003.  This was the first time a #3 seed (Syracuse) won the title which was picked by one person who fell one point short of money (5th).  For the first time since '97, Kentucky was a #1 seed and fails to make the Elite 8.  Butler wins again as a double-digit seed (#12) and makes the Sweet 16.

10. 2004.  Once again, UConn rose from the West, this time as a #2 seed (#1 in '99), in getting their 2nd title.  Hmmm., they're a #3 seed now coming out of the West.  VCU makes their first appearance since '96.  Kentucky is #1 but loses in the 2nd round.

11. 2005.  North Carolina finally claimed a title in their fifth trip to the Final Four. UConn is upset in the 2nd round as a #2 seed coming from the East.

12. 2006.  This was the first year no #1 seed made the Final Four led by #11 George Mason.  Florida picked up the title as a #3 seed, the second to do so.  This year's #11 is VCU.  UConn is #1 but is in the East so they fail to make the Elite 8. Unchartered territory as Kentucky is a low 8 seed.

13. 2007.  As in football, Florida beats Ohio St for the title, the first team to win back-to-back.  This was the first (and only) time the #1 overall seed won the title.  This was the first year all Final Four teams were either #1 or #2 seeds with a pair of each.  VCU picked up its first win in three tries.  This is Butler's highest seed (#5) and they make the Sweet 16.  Kentucky makes it back-to-back 8 seeds but still wins its 13th straight 1st Round game in our pool.  UConn misses the tourney for the first time since '01.

14. 2008.  UCLA is the overwhelming favorite for the first time since '95 but loses in the semis.  This was the first year all 4 #1 seeds made the Final Four.  Kansas gets the monkey off its back with an comeback OT victory over Memphis for the title.  UConn comes from the West as a #4 seed but fails in the 1st round.  Kentucky an 11 seed?  Their 13-game 1st Round streak is over.

15. 2009.  For the first time since 2000, the overwhelming favorite won the title as UNC picked up its 2nd.  This was the first (and last) time Kentucky wasn't in our pool.  VCU appears again and this year is the third straight odd year they've made it.  Butler's streak of 4 straight 1st round wins end.  UConn reaches the Final Four as a #1 seed... from the West.

16. 2010.  Kentucky had five NBA first-round picks on the roster and failed to make the Elite 8 after getting its first #1 seed since '04.  This was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but the Wildcats are in the Final Four.  Butler reaches the Final as a #5 seed just missing beating Duke, who wins their 2nd title.  Butler was one of 2 #5 seeds in the Final Four.  This year is Butler's fifth straight trip to the tourney and all five have been as single-digit seeds.  Where's UConn?