Deuce Madness 2007!

Okay, so it's 1142pm on Thursday night, and here's the result of day one...

Most of the day, I was bored with the tourney... I mean, Mikey was texting me the game scores (only three texts, Steph, put the bat down), and it was just... well, boring. I mean, it stunk because I picked both Old Dominion and Davidson to advance, and both blew it, but it was just boring...

And then... VCU and Duke took it to the wire, in a game whose ending was almost as exciting as Creighton's 2 OT win over Florida in 2002 (the most exciting, electrifying basketball game I've ever watched).

I knew it... I called it... and in our basketball pool, Deuce Madness '07, I was one of 5 people--out of 20--who picked Duke to lose in the opening round... Jon Taylor, Jason Barnette (Barnie), David Mark Osborne (DMO) and weirdly enough, my wife, Steph. In fact, this might be the earliest in Deuce Madness history that we've got people already losing Elite 8 teams (yes, you, Mikey and Daniel).

As it stands, #1 is being shared by DMO, Tebe Shaw and Drew Morris, all with 150 points. Barnie is in 2nd with 145 (that Florida A&M loss will come back to haunt some people, won't it?). In 3rd, with 140, is Brad Latta, Mark Gainey, Yours Truly, Yours Truly's Chick and Daniel Powell. In 4th is Tyler Campbell and Scott Latta with 135, and Hawbaker, J-Taylor and Matta Latta is in 5th with 130. Gary "The Idol" Eubanks and Sarah Hasha share 6th with 120, with Garrett at 115 points, Tom at 110, Mikey at 100 and... sigh... poor Trey Cartledge at 90.

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Ah, its 902pm on Friday night, and I've been doing everything from laundry to eating bad food to completing my first ever Random Bracket (above) to watching basketball... I found myself rooting for Texas AM-CC against Wisconsin, even though I picked them to make the 16. Nevada/Creighton was exciting up until Creighton lost, putting in the hole with three Sweet 16 picks gone. And Winthrop did everything they could to let Notre Dame win, but ND just wouldn't have it... and then, I turn on the tv after dinner only to see New Mexico State giving Texas all they could handle... which almost gave me a coronary, because I foolishly picked Texas to win the whole stinkin' thing.

As for my dream that Long Beach State would beat Tennessee and hit the 16? Simmons' summed it up: So much for Long Beach as an Upset Special -- they're losing by 22. I don't care. I'd pick 'em again. As long as Long Beach is in the motha------- house, we're all winners... Snoop should wake up and pour a 40 on the ground.

So, what's the scoring look like in Deuce Madness 07?
1) Drew & DMO - 260
2) Tebershaw - 250
3) Brad & Your's Truly's Chick - 240
4) JTay, Gainey, Hawbaker - 230
5) Garrett Cheney & Tyler C - 225
6) The Idol, Sarah, Matta Latta & Yours Truly- 220 (don't think the fact that I'm not only losing to my wife, again, but also Garrett Freakin' Cheney has escaped me)
7) Scotta Latta & Barnie - 215
8) Tom J & Mikey - 210
9) Trey - 190

Back after the late games are done...
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Sigh... its 1153pm on Friday, and Round One is over.

I love March Madness. Ye, I hate March Madness... all the woulda coulda shoulda thoughts come into place... shoulda picked Winthop and Kentucky... coulda left Davidson off my bracket... sigh...

David Mark Osborne looks to make it 2 straight for the Osborne clan (his brother Jon Osborne won last year, a fact I forgot to mention in earlier emails... sorry 'bout that)... he now owns #1 all by his lonesome with 300 points even...

Drewski and Tebershaw have 280, while Brad, Steph$ and Daniel (!) all have 270. Hawbaker, JTay and Sarah have 260, while The Idol, Gainey and Yours Truly all have hit 250. Another three way battle rages between Cheney, Barnie and Tyler, all with 245 while Matta Latta, Tom J and Mikey have 240. Scott stays out of last with 235, while Trey stays out of everything but last with 220. (note: these are not official... I'm too tired to double check tonight)

This looks to be a very entertaining second round this weekend, especially in Deuce Madness because here are the people who have their Sweet 16 intact thusfar:
Tom, JTay, DMO, Steph$, The Idol, Barnie & Gainey,

By comparison:
Has Lost 1 from their Sweet 16: Tebershaw, Hawbaker, Drew, All Three Lattas, Tyler
Has Lost 2: Daniel (including two from his Elite Eight), Garrett
Has Lost 3: Trey, Sarah (including a Final Four team), Yours Truly, Mikey

Probably won't update 'til Sunday afternoon, so see ya then!!