Was watching the end of the Dodgers-Red Sox exhibition at the LA Coliseum where they supposedly counted 115,300 fans (counted = anyone inside the stadium – they pushed the entrance fence further back so they can get more people in the concourses).  Looked pretty cool with the short left field fence and the “Screen Monster”.  The Dodgers, of course, lost.  Well, it was all for charity at least.   I bring this up because there’ an interesting article about how the NCAA is expanding seating for the Final Four (and testing at some Regionals such as Detroit this year) to an excess of 70,000 by putting the court in the middle and putting temporary seating courtside – for the fans.  At discounted prices.  Yes.  The most humorous part in the article was the claim that “Fans even in the farthest reaches were pleased with their ability to view the game either on the court or on giant flat-screen televisions placed strategically in the upper confines.”  So they couldn’t see the game, but they watched it on TV inside the dome… which they could’ve done at home for free.  Of course, you are paying for the atmosphere and to say you were there so who cares that you can’t actually watch the game.  But the fans will supposedly sit somewhere on the bottom which means those in suites will have a worse view of the game.  So the NCAA hits the high-paying customers.  Nice change of pace.

If anyone wants to join myself (THE FABONE 14), MARATHONMAN, IWONTHISSH-T13YRSAGO, THE MIGHTY MOBELFAKTA, and THE FLYING ELVI in our weekly Saturday morning basketball games (in La Mirada, CA), let me know. Don’t expect any skill, just lots of exercise and fun.

OK, the pool…. UCLA’s win was picked by 86 entries and its win eliminated PERFECT PICKS and QUEENB leaving 43 in the running for money. The top stays the same. SHRINER, BAMAG, and PSW-SP have a 14-16% chance to win first (FLYING ACE drops to 11%). Just 17 entries can win first.

UPDATE: UNC’s win was picked by 75… FLYING ACE has now built a 5 pt lead over SHRINER with WOODEN_SOLDIER (won can’t win 1st) in 3rd… SLACKJAW and THEBIGDDOG were eliminated… just 14 can win 1st… FLYING ACE, SHRINER, and PSW-SP all have a 5 in 32 chance (15.6%) of winning first… interestingly, PSW-SP can only win 1st…

UPDATE: In the $40 Bonus1 race, the Big East lost its final team, leaving it with 11 wins… the Big 12 has 9 wins with both teams playing tomorrow (max: 14)… just 9 entries can win this (no one wins if the Big East & Big 12 both end with 11 wins)…

If anyone wants to know what exact possibilities they need to win money, please post your request here (you do not need to register to post, just state your nickname) or the discussion board…

For example, though I’m lamenting my horrible picks , my wife still has a shot for first. Here are her possible winning outcomes…

2008 NCAA POOL INDIVIDUAL POSSIBILITIES      03/28/08
For: PSW-SP
| Possible Tournament Results |
|<--------- Final 8 --------->|
|<--Final 4-->|
Entry       Place          1st 2nd
------------------------------- -----          --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
PSW-SP   1             Tx UNC Kan UCL Lou Dav Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx Kan UNC UCL Lou Dav Mem Xav
PSW-SP   5*           Lou  Tx Kan UCL UNC Dav Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx Lou Kan UCL UNC Dav Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx Kan Lou UCL UNC Dav Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx UNC Dav UCL Lou Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1            Dav  Tx UNC UCL Lou Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx Dav UNC UCL Lou Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   3            Lou  Tx Dav UCL UNC Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx Lou Dav UCL UNC Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   3            Dav  Tx Lou UCL UNC Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   1             Tx Dav Lou UCL UNC Kan Mem Xav
PSW-SP   2             Tx UNC Kan Xav Lou Dav Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*            Tx Kan UNC Xav Lou Dav Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*            Tx Lou Kan Xav UNC Dav Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*            Tx Kan Lou Xav UNC Dav Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2             Tx UNC Dav Xav Lou Kan Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*           Dav  Tx UNC Xav Lou Kan Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*            Tx Dav UNC Xav Lou Kan Mem UCL
PSW-SP   4*           Lou  Tx Dav Xav UNC Kan Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*            Tx Lou Dav Xav UNC Kan Mem UCL
PSW-SP   4*           Dav  Tx Lou Xav UNC Kan Mem UCL
PSW-SP   2*            Tx Dav Lou Xav UNC Kan Mem UCL
* = subject to tie-break


And here is a link to the same file…

Davidson and Texas seemed to cruise to victory… but how would I know? They had the stinkin’ Clippers game on 710 when it should’ve been the NCAA games. Davidson’s win eliminated XK2XBOILX (hopefully that’s the last time I have to type that) but Texas’ win eliminated 15 entries, leaving 51 vying for 5 money spots. LUSTIFULLY N LONDON was the only one to pick Davidson — and he has them in his Final Four! He now sits in a tie for 7th. Stanford’s loss also eliminated the Pac-10 from having a chance to be the winningest conference. No change at the top as 69 picked Texas.

UPDATE:  The Big 10 is also eliminated from being the winningest conference – it’s now between the Big East (11 wins) and the Big 12 (8 wins)… Chris B becomes the first of the 3 with 3 entries to lose all 3… with Memphis & Kansas demolishing their opponents at the half, six more will be eliminated…

UNC’s win and Xavier’s win eliminated 3 entries (one being me, THE FABONE 14… I needed16 straight things to go right and the first game I lose (Xavier), although technically UNC won first, so I got that right)…

UPDATE: FLYING ACE now on top with 101 pts after UCLA & Louisville won… just 67 can win money and 34 can still win 1st… 7 lost TENN as their champ (including 2nd place FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN)…

Well, we have 101 entries which means we have $1,010 to split (ok, we haven’t collected everyone’s fee yet but we trust you enough that this we are declaring it official that we have 101 entries).  Since we are adding a 5th place prize, the prize breakdown will be as follows:

1st:  $440
2nd: $220
3rd: $150
4th: $100
5th: $ 60
Bonus: $40

As you can see, we had to take a little from the top 4 to give to the 5th place but that still means one more chance to finish in the money.  This means that Van P. will still be our largest single winner ($450 last year).  Like last year, the Bonus will be given, either to the one who correctly guesses the winningest conference and exact wins or if no one wins that, the closest to the total points in the final.  So the 13 eliminated entries have the Bonus to look forward to (only non-winners (i.e., places 6-101) can win the Bonus.  The winningest conference will be explained in the email update later tonight.  Good luck!

Possibilities report is up… only 13 have been eliminated while 55 can still win 1st. All fine and dandy. With the addition of the 5th place prize since we have 100+ entries, this has helped. There are 32,768 possible outcomes. Some, like FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN and FLYING ACE. have more than 16,000 possible good outcomes. So, I, THE FABONE 14, have exactly one chance to finish 5th. One. Maybe I should have nicknamed myself the Flying Fabone. In the history of the pool, no one has been given just one chance at this stage. It’s like the universe is saying, “Nah, your entry won’t die today, maybe the next day“. I don’t even know what that one chance is. Is it some rare combination where Western Kentucky defeats Villanova in the final or something else? I think it’s just cruel.

Seven picked Villanova but there was no change at the top… After TX, TN, Davidson’s upset, and Western KY’s wins, FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN is now on top with 79 pts, 3 ahead of FLYING ACE, JUNO INO, and CUSTARD_PIE… Only QUEENB picked Western Ky into the Sweet 16 while 7 picked Davidson… Georgetown’s loss hurt THELITTLEDDOG who had them winning it all and four others who had them in the finals…

Update:  Standings have been updated…  more info including possibilities later… since we now have 5 winning spots, only 13 of 101 entries have been eliminated (so if you tore up your bracket, you may want to put it back together again)…

Duke’s loss drops WOKIM to 3rd, allowing BIG HURT and FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN to just into a tie for 1st… Wisconsin’s win leaves BIG HURT all one in 1st and drops WOKIM down to 6th… just 3 picked Wisconsin & West Virginia (KOOL KATS and FC RACINE 1634 the other two)…

Six upsets… four in Tampa… I missed the Drake upset (on plane coming to LA) but caught the last few minutes plus overtime of the UConn loss.  Wow.  So we have a #9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 seed in the 2nd round.  Great stuff.  We not only have a new leader, but a sole leader, as WOKIM leads with 54 pts after going 27-5 in the 1st round.  It’s still early though.   Fortunately for most people, the 12 and 13 seeds were won in the same part of the bracket so it’s almost a wash (unless you had the #4 or 5 seeds getting to the Elite 8).

  1

Wokim

27

0

0

0

0

0

54

183

  2

Big Hurt

26

0

0

0

0

0

52

178

Juno Ino

26

0

0

0

0

0

52

178

Custard_Pie

26

0

0

0

0

0

52

178

Flying Ace

26

0

0

0

0

0

52

178

Flyin' Hawaiian

26

0

0

0

0

0

52

171

  7

Spitakularr

25

0

0

0

0

0

50

176

Shriner

25

0

0

0

0

0

50

176

Back2backhopefully

25

0

0

0

0

0

50

176

Santana

25

0

0

0

0

0

50

173

Samuari Jack

25

0

0

0

0

0

50

169

BIG HURT, SPITAKULARR, KRISPY SECONDS, and FLYIN’ HAWAIIAN are all tied for first with 42 pts (21-3 record).  9 are tied with 40 pts.  QUICKPICK MCGRAW (random picks) is last with 20 pts with YANKEEAGLE occupying # 100 of 101 entries with 24 pts.  39 picked Davidson’s upset, 17 picked Western Kentucky, and 3 picked San Diego (CROW2BUGS, XK2XBOILX, and BIGRED (not to be confused with BIG RED).

The owners of MR F and DR. FUN have been identified.  We now unofficially have 101 entries.  Later tonight, the standings from Thursday will be updated with 101 not 99 entries.

updates forthcoming…

I’ve posted the unofficial standings and team & individual choice reports on Scott’s Update Page.  As soon as we sort out some items (DR FUN, MR F, payments), we’ll make it official.  If you don’t see your nickname on there, please let us (ncaa(at)hwci.com) know immediately.  If you haven’t paid yet, please make arrangements with us immediately.

Prelim analysis…  of the 99 semi-confirmed entries, 43 picked UCLA.  Only 7 teams were picked, which seems low — maybe I should’ve picked Duke instead of UCLA … nah.

Going to downtown Austin then to San Antonio (maybe).  Will miss watching a lot of the games, including the USC-Kansas St game (maybe I’ll catch the ending).   Tried to post using my cell phone and it wouldn’t let me in 🙁

If at least 1 of the 2 entries pans through, then we’ll have a 5th place prize… otherwise, we will have a top 4 (plus Bonus).