The Bracket

My Bracket 2017

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Bracket season.

Almost everybody fills out a bracket.

Whether it's a bracket competition within the family; a contest at work; or a national challenge searching for the perfect sheet - there is some primal need to pick 63 winners.

One thing which makes the first round so compelling is the upset.

Unless your team is the unsuspecting victim, or course.  Valparaiso beat Ole Miss in the first round in 1998 on a miracle bank shot by Bryce Drew, the son of the coach.

Upsets add the spice to the first weekend's flurry of 48 games, so if you are going to pick a bracket it goes against the grain to pick "chalk."  (The chalk moves the higher seed (smaller number) to the next game.)

My bracket this year includes several upset picks in the first round. Probably too many.

In the Midwest - I have Rhode Island and Vermont as upset round one winners.
In the South - Seton Hall, Middle Tennessee, and Wichita State topple the higher seed teams.
In the West - Florida Gulf Coast's high flyers are my only upset pick in round one.
While in the East - East Tennessee and New Mexico get the nod.

Round two winners:
Midwest: all chalk
South: Chalk
West: Florida Gulf Coast pulls a sweet surprise.
East: Wisconsin stuns the defending champ.

Sweet Sixteen upset winners:
Midwest: Oregon in an upset
South: Butler slays a giant
West: Chalk
East: Wisconsin advances (yep, this is more my heart speaking than my head, but I'm pulling for Bucky)

Elite Eight victors:
Midwest: Kansas wins
South: The Butler does it again.
West: Gonzaga reaches the the center of the dance floor
East:  The Badger ride ends short as Duke advances. Again.

Final Four:
Kansas beats Butler
Gonzaga downs Duke

Title Game:
Gonzaga prevails!

The next three weekends will be fun.  The Mt. Dew (diet), Chex Mix, and couch are ready to go. Enjoy the show!

Previous Bracket Blogs:
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