The Sweet Sixteen

/

​Typically by Thursday evening on the first day of the NCAA Tournament some genius (sometimes several) have already lost their champion. It took until Saturday this year, easily the longest I've had to wait to poke fun at the tournament pool's first casualty. So here's to you, guy that picked Maryland...we appreciate you and your donation.

Sunday claimed 8 more prognosticators through the elimination of Texas and Wisconsin. In the future, refrain from picking teams that have lost to Michigan State (like Texas). Yes, the same Michigan State that is considered some kind of basketball powerhouse and yet is 1-2 in the NCAA tournament in the last 2 years, and has just one National Championship in the last 27 years. As for Wisconsin, well, they're in the Big Ten, a conference that managed to keep just one team in the tournament through the first weekend.

With the field dwindling, it may be best to look at both the "current standings" and the "projected standings" to get a better idea of where you sit in the pool.

It's a Celebration Bitches: Tommy Amaker Fired

/

​Unexpected. Unbelievable. Spectacular.

With the funk and feeling of a disappointing season still palpable, and a stinging lack of hope for the future looming, athletic director Bill Martin sacked up and pulled the trigger, firing men's basketball coach Tommy Amaker today. Bill said:

"This is the toughest decision I've had to make since I've been athletic director."

Considering his previous difficult decisions were deciding to continue to have Lloyd Carr as the football coach, Red Berenson as the hockey coach, and picking which home football games will be given "Maize Out" status, that's not really saying much. Joking aside, kudos to Billy for doing what we all knew was necessary, if not overdue. Now just get the facilities in order Mr. Martin, and we'll be all set for a true rebuilding year.

Oh, and now that he's gone, I never trusted that Duke-loving, mock-turtle-neck-wearing, no-talent-developing dork.

Roundup here:

Rock, Chalk...Seems to Be Working So Far

/

​The "favorite pickers" seem to have found their time to shine. The best of the best got 28 of 32 correct in the most uneventful first round ever. So much for my prediction of the Big Ten crapping the bed in this year's tourney. I think they should have had one more team from that power conference in the field of 62.

Things can change fast in round two though folks. Good luck. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Coverage from Conor Oneill's of Ann Arbor coming your way Sunday along with more Tournament Challenge coverage.

Good Night Courtney

/

​Nice run fellas.

The Michigan Wolverines fell tonight to the Florida State Seminoles by a mere 21 points, 87-66, in case you missed it live on ESPN The Ocho. The cagers showed a bit of mercy on the Wolverine faithful by making a graceful exit from the most embarrassing post season event in all of sports. After a half-hour search, I was able to find the elusive NIT box score on ESPN.com. Not sure if it's some kind of misprint, as 

The Worldwide Leader In Kool-Aid  has yet to give out any type of story, but I think Kendrick Price started. Lester Abram, Dion Harris, and Courtney Sims did not. Interesting coaching move...or did our senior cagers stay out past curfew in Tallahassee? Perhaps they pulled a little Adrian Arrington.   Either way, the next time you hear about Courtney Sims, it will most likely be in regards to his job as the 7th man on some shady team in Israel. Perhaps he'll just be the next
Jerod Ward, wearing out his welcome at Rick's over the next several years. Either way, I bid adieu to a senior class that accomplished next to nothing...which makes them no different from the senior classes of the last eight years I suppose.

In tournament challenge news, as of a little after 10pm on opening day, the biggest upset has been the lack thereof. Aside from VCU sending Tommy's alma mater home early, the chalk pickers are able to rejoice. Congrats to the 10 of you that called the Blue Devils' early exit...and a Golden Sack award to the three of you that took Virginia Commonwealth to the sweet sixteen. Good luck with that.

There will be no perfect brackets in the 2007 NCAA Tournament Challenge. The best of our bunch are sitting on at least one incorrect pick already.

Let's Go

/

​Tourney is underway. Stat page is here.

Stats for the UMTailgate.com Tournament Challenge will be updated as often as I can manage throughout the weekend. But with real life today and tomorrow and St. Patrick's Day Saturday...don't hold your breath.

To see anyones picks, click on Player Picks and use the dropdown menu in the upper-left corner.

Best of luck to all of the participants. Hope everyone made their donation. If not, I'm having the Godfather call you drunk at 4am.