What a Fiasco! I’m 5,461st in the NCAA contest I founded!
The ageless Joe Mazzulla and West Virginia had a far better day than I did. (AP photo)
It’s not exactly a great moment when you awake on the second full day of the NCAA tournament to find you rank 5,461st of 5,742 entrants in the contest you founded. But that’s where I, Mark Bradley, stand in Mark Bradley’s Bracket Fiasco after as bad a prediction day as I’ve ever known. (Which is saying something.)
I went 7-9 in Thursday’s games. My two major upsets — Belmont over Wisconsin and Wofford over BYU — never came close to fruition. The two major upsets I chose not to pick — Morehead State over Louisville and Richmond over Vanderbilt — actually happened. The Michigan State comeback against UCLA fizzled. Old Dominion lost to Butler on a last-second putback. Missouri and St. John’s and Clemson all lost, and only Clemson was ever in its game.
To which I say: Rats. But now we move forward. The good news is that I have all my Elite Eight working. (The less-good news is that only three of the eight have actually begun play.) Today I’ve picked two more double-digit seeds — VCU over Georgetown and Georgia over Washington — and I can’t say the doings of (Full) Day 1 have filled me with optimism.
That said … (Full) Day 1 was one heck of a deal. Four last-second winners. Two huge upsets. Morehead State came very close to being the only team from Kentucky still playing. Butler is still doing as Butler does. And the price for hiring Chris Mooney away from Richmond keeps going up, which might not be the best news for Georgia Tech.
And me, I’m near the bottom of my own contest. Just between us, I would not classify that as a major upset.
By Mark Bradley
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111 comments Add your comment
GT BB Fan
March 18th, 2011
11:35 am
Bracket is in good shape. Lost on Old Dominion, Belmont, Louisville, and Missouri, but hit it on Richmond and Gonzaga. All final four are still in!
It would be interesing to learn of Dan Rada attends the Miami vs Missouri State game on Monday night in Miami to watch Cuonzo Martin. Maybe it is inteview time for the Jackets job!
Rickster
March 18th, 2011
11:35 am
In case anyone’s wondering… that puts MB in the bottom 4.9% of contestants!
The Results are in
March 18th, 2011
11:45 am
Streak ends
A symbol of the Hawks’ growth bit the dust Wednesday. Starting in the 2005-06 season, the Hawks had won more games than they had the previous season for five consecutive seasons, all under former coach Mike Woodson. They became the seventh team in NBA history to accomplish that feat, a fact that the team proudly trumpeted. However, the Hawks’ 102-87 loss to Denver on Wednesday was their 29th, matching their loss total for the 2009-10 season and ensuring the streak will stop at five.
John
March 18th, 2011
12:10 pm
Mark-
You’re good at what you do.
Not too many people have 8.954 million page views in 2010.
KevinM
March 18th, 2011
12:14 pm
I think most here get back in the action after today….whoever picked all 16 yesterday is just ‘lucky’…yes, lucky is better than good.
How many top coaches went out yesterday? Probably more to come today.
BTW, 140th place and I’ve never been higher……I will enjoy the moment.
Geez, if Pearl goes on to win 2 games, what would that do to everyone’s bracket?
The 1st number one to go down? I think Ohio St….that overall #1 is just too much pressure.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
12:40 pm
So you’re still with the same company?
Just moved.
Will u b Paul in NH or keep your old handle?
Paul in RDU
March 18th, 2011
12:51 pm
Jackets 2011
New company. I haven’t decided on my handle yet.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
I know the way they decide how gets in this would never happen but a sellout first game in Charlotte could have been Uga vs Clemson.
Lots of good seats empty in these opening games.
How many people will the Huskies get to Charlotte tonight?
A thousand?
I’m also curious how many Dawg fans will make the trip?
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
12:53 pm
Still friends with the old boss I hope.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
12:55 pm
If they wanted a packed house full of excited fans in Charlotte tonight, they should have made it Clemson vs Uga.
That’s unlikely to happen they way they do things.
I thought of that because my Clemson fan cousin is miffed at how his team got treated.
To play again Thrusday they should have given them a night game.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
12:58 pm
Clemson vs Uga tonight would have filled the place tonight.
Wonder if the Huskies can manage to bring 1000 fans that far?
Clemson fan cousin not happy they didn’t at least get a night game yesterday.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
1:01 pm
I agree with John at 12:10.
In the commercial for the NFL network, I think TO says “They still love to hate me”.
Even the people who say they don’t like you must love to hate you they way they keep coming back.
Skeezix
March 18th, 2011
1:03 pm
I hear ya Mark: Louisville lost to Morehead St.??!!! What?? Maybe Wed. night Ricky Pitino took his whole team out to a restaurant to meet his ex girlfriend.
And then St. Johns flakes out —these upsets both hurt me.
But, so far, my elite eight is still intact.
Rickster
March 18th, 2011
1:05 pm
Welcome to the upper ranks, KevinM!
Ted M
March 18th, 2011
1:06 pm
Mark – How do we view your brackets?
Ted M
March 18th, 2011
1:07 pm
I’m ranked 3448
Paul in RDU
March 18th, 2011
1:12 pm
Ted M
Click on “Leaders”. A page showing the national leaders and the AJC leaders will show up, along with Mark B. Click on Mark’s number of points (14 so far) and his picks will come up in comparison with yours.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
1:16 pm
Later folks.
Skeezix
March 18th, 2011
1:21 pm
Mark: Blog Alert!! I don’t think your blog is working – I think it is blocking new posts…….
Guy Incognito
March 18th, 2011
1:21 pm
Michigan is making Pearl sweat more than Col Quadaffy Duck in a unairconditioned tent
gdawginkalamazoo
March 18th, 2011
1:30 pm
Pearl’s pants are on fire. You think he told another lie.
Ted M
March 18th, 2011
1:31 pm
thx Paul
The Jedi Falcon
March 18th, 2011
1:33 pm
Do you see a pattern here, maybe? Everything you always predict – the exact opposite always happens. Every time you write an article about how great the Braves, Falcons, Hawks are – they always lose horribly shortly after. You are a living Jinx.
Fred
March 18th, 2011
1:59 pm
Well I’m in 788th place Mark. I also picked Belmont but I can top your “stupidity” by a large chunk. I picked Bucknell to upset Uconn as my “big” upset. While I’m comfortable with my pick of Old Dominion (I couldn’t make up my mind, and in the end the game could have gone either way), I’m aggravated for not picking Richmond. My gut kept telling me to do it but I couldn’t pull the trigger. Unfortunately I compounded the error by having Vandy move on until they were defeated by Georgetown. Being a homer, I picked the dawgs because they are the Dawgs dammit. Hope they can pull it off. I WANTED to pick Memphis over AZ which probably means they will win since I didn’t, but I just couldn’t pull the trigger on that one either.
JSS
March 18th, 2011
2:02 pm
@ Paul…
Whoa, you’re starting a job in New Hampshire? Just remember the way to Montreal! They’re nice folks in those parts; but those winters are wicked! Have you ever been to Nova Scotia? Try Cape Breton if you get a chance, nowhere else like it in North America!…
Fred
March 18th, 2011
2:04 pm
Looking right now like Tennessee is going to hose me.
Guy Incognito
March 18th, 2011
2:07 pm
Could Pearl be gone by 2:30p if they lose?
JSS
March 18th, 2011
2:08 pm
Wisconsin kept me from being 15-1 yesterday on the evil 4 letter tourney contest. I thought they’d (Belmont) seen enough of Jacksonville in the A-Sun not to be fooled by Wisconsin… Too bad… Rick Barnes nut cases finally decided to show up long enough to make today start off on the wrong note…
gdawginkalamazoo
March 18th, 2011
2:09 pm
You guys know that all these “gut feeling” picks that we have made for the brackets and been totally wrong about? Couple of shots of Jim Beam can help with that bad feeling.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 18th, 2011
2:10 pm
Guy, Pearl might have to buy his own plane ticket home.
Fred
March 18th, 2011
2:15 pm
He might not WANT to go home, just send the movers to the house……… unless they make a miraculous comeback………
Guy Incognito
March 18th, 2011
2:17 pm
gdawg,
If he flys Southwest, he could blend in with the color scheme.
How’s the blue plate special at Knapp’s these days?
Fred
March 18th, 2011
2:17 pm
He might not WANT to go home unless they make a miraculous comeback. Just send the movers………..
Fred
March 18th, 2011
2:18 pm
wow, my posts aren’t showing up.
Fred
March 18th, 2011
2:19 pm
lol that one did. Guess I won’t comment on Pearls status lol.
Fred
March 18th, 2011
2:24 pm
I can’t take anymore of that butt whooping. I’m moving on to George Mason and Nova……..
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
2:28 pm
It took 4 tries to get a comment in about Clemson deserving a night game.
It didn’t take it until I changed it to Uga/Clemson would have been a full house tonight.
Maybe someone who hates Clemson hacked in and entered it into the block list of cusswords.
Jackets 2011
March 18th, 2011
2:30 pm
I’ve tried 5 comments on Clemson and it has blocked four.
I think someone hacked in and entered Clemson on the cussword list.
JSS
March 18th, 2011
2:32 pm
@ Fred and Jackets…
That AJC filter is something else…
gdawginkalamazoo
March 18th, 2011
2:38 pm
Guy, Bill Knapp’s closed down years ago. It was a great place to eat too.
One good thing about UT going down is that “Rocky Top” won’t be heard anymore. I prefer “Hail to the Victors”.
JSS
March 18th, 2011
2:41 pm
Barkley is going off!
kral
March 18th, 2011
2:42 pm
go VOL’s…possible sweet 16 according to analyst…down by 30…told allerbammer…UGA…wasn’t your tourney frustration…it was the 5th place orange
kral
March 18th, 2011
2:43 pm
5th in the east
Guy Incognito
March 18th, 2011
3:01 pm
gdawgink’zoo
Oh no! Shows you how long I’ve been away from the “fatherland” (born east of you in tecumseh)
Nice win for M
Mark Bradley
March 18th, 2011
3:05 pm
How about those Vols? What a weird season.
Fred
March 18th, 2011
3:08 pm
Well luckily, I had Tennessee going no further than one win so it doesn’t hurt me too bad.
Fred
March 18th, 2011
3:08 pm
And in the early minutes Memphis is putting to Arizona…….
Fred
March 18th, 2011
3:09 pm
Wow Mark, you ARE alive…….
gdawginkalamazoo
March 18th, 2011
3:18 pm
Guy, I know where that is. Still cold as hell and snows a lot. So that hasn’t changed.
KevinM
March 18th, 2011
3:29 pm
It sure looks impossible for Pearl to keep his job now after hitting Michigan uup for 45 pts in 40 min. So much for being able to motivate.
He should have taken a full season suspension; they seemed more focused under Tony Jones.
-Looking ahead, don’t be surprised to see Larranaga and GM pull off a minor upset.
-Texas didn’t look good; Barnes is now 20-18 in the tourney.
-Duke has Irving back; more depth.
I hope to stay in the Top 50% of the bracket after tonight.