March Madness March 13, 2017 9:46 AM Subscribe
Is anyone planning to do a MeFi March Madness pool? I'd like to participate (using my top-secret system, of course), but, with a sick three-month-old baby, I'd rather not be the admin. Anyone else interested?
I picked Duke to win it all. Because I hate duke, so hard, this way I can't lose.
posted by French Fry at 1:58 PM on March 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by French Fry at 1:58 PM on March 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
EXCELLENT.
I think the last few of years box has set it up, but thanks for taking the ball and running with it, Huffy Puffy (Get it? Ball?)
Last year's champion was burnmp3s!
There is a mini-basketball that we've been signing and sending around the last couple years to the champion. Hopefully he'll pop in and participate and we can send it on to the next person.
posted by kbanas at 4:25 PM on March 13, 2017
I think the last few of years box has set it up, but thanks for taking the ball and running with it, Huffy Puffy (Get it? Ball?)
Last year's champion was burnmp3s!
There is a mini-basketball that we've been signing and sending around the last couple years to the champion. Hopefully he'll pop in and participate and we can send it on to the next person.
posted by kbanas at 4:25 PM on March 13, 2017
In again, with a serious bracket and a "Distance from me" bracket, featuring a thrilling face off between Providence and the University of Rhode Island in the final game.
posted by damayanti at 5:04 PM on March 13, 2017
posted by damayanti at 5:04 PM on March 13, 2017
WOMEN'S BRACKET CONTEST!
Group: MeFi Women Tourney
Password: beans
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:48 PM on March 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
Group: MeFi Women Tourney
Password: beans
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:48 PM on March 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
I will, as per last year, provide some minor prize for the women's bracket winner, although I have to think about what it'll be! (Last year it was a flat vase.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:50 PM on March 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 7:50 PM on March 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
I made a normal bracket and a Catholicism bracket for the men's tournament, although Catholic schools are heavily concentrated in the East and West brackets this year, and Villanova, ND, and Gonzaga are all really good, so it doesn't look as different from my other bracket as usual.
For the women I did a "probably happen" bracket and "wish fulfillment" bracket as ONE OF THESE YEARS my Irish are gonna knock off those Huskies.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:13 PM on March 13, 2017
For the women I did a "probably happen" bracket and "wish fulfillment" bracket as ONE OF THESE YEARS my Irish are gonna knock off those Huskies.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:13 PM on March 13, 2017
fred durst of times is my real bracket i guess
posted by fleacircus at 11:01 PM on March 13, 2017
posted by fleacircus at 11:01 PM on March 13, 2017
I made my standard "Big Ten will look great, get your hopes up, then fail miserably bracket." Northwestern will flame out, a couple other teams will win a surprise upset, then be slaughtered in the second round. Wisconsin and Michigan State will grit their way much further than they have any reason to, until their fan bases start to believe, then bam, horrible, shameful death.
Then they sickly feeling of having to choose between Kentucky or Duke for the championship. It's like choosing between gonorrhea or syphilis. And with that pleasant thought...
posted by Ghidorah at 12:17 AM on March 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
Then they sickly feeling of having to choose between Kentucky or Duke for the championship. It's like choosing between gonorrhea or syphilis. And with that pleasant thought...
posted by Ghidorah at 12:17 AM on March 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
By some miracle I have not lost the celebratory mini-basketball that I was sent after winning last year. I would be happy to ship it to this year's winner. I've added my signature to the ball which is shaping up to be one of the best collections of mefites who got relatively lucky at guessing who will win at sports contests.
posted by burnmp3s at 6:03 AM on March 14, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by burnmp3s at 6:03 AM on March 14, 2017 [6 favorites]
I made my standard "Hmm, do I know people who have gone to this school/have I personally taught at this school?" calculus, and then picked those teams to win. I will probably lose this bracket hardcore.
posted by chainsofreedom at 6:38 AM on March 14, 2017
posted by chainsofreedom at 6:38 AM on March 14, 2017
I've added my signature to the ball which is shaping up to be one of the best collections of mefites who got relatively lucky at guessing who will win at sports contests.
How dare you, sir.
I didn't get relatively lucky. I got really, really lucky.
posted by kbanas at 6:52 AM on March 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
How dare you, sir.
I didn't get relatively lucky. I got really, really lucky.
posted by kbanas at 6:52 AM on March 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
I made a Minnesota fantasy bracket, but don't have them actually winning in that bracket. That seemed too fantastical.
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 7:30 AM on March 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 7:30 AM on March 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
actually i changed my bracket to knackwurst of times, but I figured out how to remove brackets from the group so whichever bracket has the lowest score of all is probably my official one
posted by fleacircus at 10:57 AM on March 14, 2017
posted by fleacircus at 10:57 AM on March 14, 2017
I made a Minnesota fantasy bracket, but don't have them actually winning in that bracket. That seemed too fantastical.
Improbable, but not impossible. (Still, as a native MNer, I concur).
posted by ZeusHumms at 11:06 AM on March 14, 2017
Improbable, but not impossible. (Still, as a native MNer, I concur).
posted by ZeusHumms at 11:06 AM on March 14, 2017
More of you should do a Women's bracket. There aren't too many of us in there right now and you get to keep the prize generously donated by Eyebrows. Also, it is fun to come up with different scenarios for the team that will lose to CT in the final.
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 11:51 AM on March 14, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 11:51 AM on March 14, 2017 [2 favorites]
You can use all your same scenarios like distance from you or best library school or better colors for the women's bracket as the men's!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 12:30 PM on March 14, 2017
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 12:30 PM on March 14, 2017
too bad there's no kenpom for the women's side for me to go chalk with
posted by fleacircus at 2:03 PM on March 14, 2017
posted by fleacircus at 2:03 PM on March 14, 2017
Just submitted mine. Arizona over UNC. Bear down!
posted by nestor_makhno at 2:58 PM on March 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by nestor_makhno at 2:58 PM on March 14, 2017 [3 favorites]
I really have to sit down at some point and do this. I think I'll wind up with 3 of my final four intact, but it won't matter because every other pick will be wrong. Like all the other years, it seems!
(I have high hopes for my Wildcats this year, just like every year. Bear Down, nestor_makhno!)
posted by carsonb at 6:07 PM on March 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
(I have high hopes for my Wildcats this year, just like every year. Bear Down, nestor_makhno!)
posted by carsonb at 6:07 PM on March 14, 2017 [1 favorite]
Do Arizona Wildcats fans follow "Bear Down!" with making a silhouette duck out of their hand, and going "woof woof" while moving the mouth? Is it some kind of psy-op???
posted by fleacircus at 7:14 PM on March 14, 2017
posted by fleacircus at 7:14 PM on March 14, 2017
UCLA over Duke. And Mid Tennessee as the Cinderella this year. Sorry, Michigan State fans.
posted by Become A Silhouette at 8:30 PM on March 14, 2017
posted by Become A Silhouette at 8:30 PM on March 14, 2017
But in the end, we're all wrong. Let's go Bruins!
posted by Become A Silhouette at 8:31 PM on March 14, 2017
posted by Become A Silhouette at 8:31 PM on March 14, 2017
I joined up with the bracket "Songdo Sucks". I wouldn't normally participate but I just so happened to have made a bracket for a different group on ESPN and realized I could just join the mefi group without picking any more teams. I will look into the women's bracket, but I don't know. I feel like I am suffering from decision fatigue already.
posted by Literaryhero at 4:23 AM on March 15, 2017
posted by Literaryhero at 4:23 AM on March 15, 2017
Ok joined the women's tournament also as "Songdo Sucks" (decision fatigue, hard to think of a better name). I utilized the same approach I used for the men's bracket, namely picking random teams.
posted by Literaryhero at 4:47 AM on March 15, 2017
posted by Literaryhero at 4:47 AM on March 15, 2017
Northwestern's gonna take it all. Cubs last year, Northwestern this year. It's fate.
Go Cats! :)
posted by dnash at 9:53 AM on March 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
Go Cats! :)
posted by dnash at 9:53 AM on March 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
Is it some kind of psy-op???“Tell them... tell the team to bear down.”
Also: 'Bear Down' and Outlaw Baseball
posted by eckeric at 9:55 AM on March 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm all in for Winthrop. Ever since we caught a game randomly on bar tv, Keon Johnson has been my new fave.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 9:56 AM on March 15, 2017
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 9:56 AM on March 15, 2017
Do Arizona Wildcats fans follow "Bear Down!" with making a silhouette duck out of their hand, and going "woof woof" while moving the mouth? Is it some kind of psy-op???
That would be so rad, but no. The kids these days hold up a hand (it's supposed to be the right hand, but I see them throwing both or either) like a splayed paw, but with the forefinger and thumb in a not-quite-closed circle. When shown with the right hand, it says WC.
eckeric explained the sentimental Bear Down thing, which anyone who's stood in line for hours in front of McKale Center knows from the statue outside the box office. But the phrase makes me think of childbirth, which for some reason makes me giggle.
posted by carsonb at 11:59 AM on March 15, 2017 [3 favorites]
That would be so rad, but no. The kids these days hold up a hand (it's supposed to be the right hand, but I see them throwing both or either) like a splayed paw, but with the forefinger and thumb in a not-quite-closed circle. When shown with the right hand, it says WC.
eckeric explained the sentimental Bear Down thing, which anyone who's stood in line for hours in front of McKale Center knows from the statue outside the box office. But the phrase makes me think of childbirth, which for some reason makes me giggle.
posted by carsonb at 11:59 AM on March 15, 2017 [3 favorites]
I'm in! I'm the person who posted to AskMe where you posted your no-longer-secret strategy. Sitting with my fiance lovingly shit-talking each other's brackets. I have Gonzaga to win it simply because I predicted my fiance would chose Duke (and he did).
My most unusual call: Iowa going fairly far, or Wichita going to Final Four, or St Mary's doing well.
His most unusual call: MSU in Elite Eight/Notre Dame in Final Four.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 7:23 PM on March 15, 2017
My most unusual call: Iowa going fairly far, or Wichita going to Final Four, or St Mary's doing well.
His most unusual call: MSU in Elite Eight/Notre Dame in Final Four.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 7:23 PM on March 15, 2017
My fiance, looking at my bracket as we laugh hysterically and he gets his bombast voice on: "According to you, THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS FOR TWO SEEDS: THEY DIE IMMEDIATELY, OR THEY GO ALL THE WAY."
posted by flibbertigibbet at 7:25 PM on March 15, 2017
posted by flibbertigibbet at 7:25 PM on March 15, 2017
After watching Michigan blow through the Big Ten tourney, in my work bracket I said screw it and have them winning it all. It's marginally more likely than MSU in the Elite Eight, but yeah I'm probably gonna lose big. Don't care, go blue.
posted by Existential Dread at 8:12 PM on March 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Existential Dread at 8:12 PM on March 15, 2017 [1 favorite]
"I have Gonzaga to win it simply because I predicted my fiance would chose Duke (and he did).
My most unusual call: Iowa going fairly far, or Wichita going to Final Four, or St Mary's doing well.
His most unusual call: MSU in Elite Eight/Notre Dame in Final Four."
You are most likely going to beat your fiance, FYI. St. Mary's and Wichita State are at least good teams; they're hampered by a bad draw. MSU is a bad team (we, meaning Ohio State, beat them earlier this year, and OSU didn't even make the NIT), and Notre Dame is going to lose in the second round.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:34 AM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
My most unusual call: Iowa going fairly far, or Wichita going to Final Four, or St Mary's doing well.
His most unusual call: MSU in Elite Eight/Notre Dame in Final Four."
You are most likely going to beat your fiance, FYI. St. Mary's and Wichita State are at least good teams; they're hampered by a bad draw. MSU is a bad team (we, meaning Ohio State, beat them earlier this year, and OSU didn't even make the NIT), and Notre Dame is going to lose in the second round.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:34 AM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
Notre Dame is going to lose in the second round
I think it's a common upset pick because ND has the best turnover% in D-I and WV is all about their press, though.
posted by fleacircus at 7:58 AM on March 16, 2017
I think it's a common upset pick because ND has the best turnover% in D-I and WV is all about their press, though.
posted by fleacircus at 7:58 AM on March 16, 2017
In just under the wire as Awww Yeah for both men's and women's brackets. Best of luck to all! (Except Duke and Duke fans, that is)
posted by donnagirl at 8:54 AM on March 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by donnagirl at 8:54 AM on March 16, 2017 [3 favorites]
Two minutes to spare! I used almost no information besides my general desire to see Arizona win.
posted by egregious theorem at 8:58 AM on March 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by egregious theorem at 8:58 AM on March 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Dangit my men's bracket didn't save on ESPN (and as I work in web dev, the answer is almost always user error), but my women's bracket is there.
My paper ballot features the Mid-West being renamed to the "Sea of Scribbles", so glhf to my partner trying to untangle that mess. (Also, early on: "So I realize that in a pod featuring Kent St, Kentucky, and N Kentucky, I just repeatedly wrote "Kent" as the winner. ...I'll fix that." And I did. By eliminating all of the Kents early.)
posted by flibbertigibbet at 9:57 AM on March 16, 2017
My paper ballot features the Mid-West being renamed to the "Sea of Scribbles", so glhf to my partner trying to untangle that mess. (Also, early on: "So I realize that in a pod featuring Kent St, Kentucky, and N Kentucky, I just repeatedly wrote "Kent" as the winner. ...I'll fix that." And I did. By eliminating all of the Kents early.)
posted by flibbertigibbet at 9:57 AM on March 16, 2017
"I think it's a common upset pick because ND has the best turnover% in D-I and WV is all about their press, though."
Oh yeah, my comment was semi-sarcastic. I think ND-WV will be one of the more entertaining games of the weekend, and while I picked WV to win, I think ND would beat any of the other three 4-seeds, and maybe even one or two of the 3-seeds. I just like making fun of Notre Dame. It's my wife's alma mater, and so I get in as many jokes at their expense as I can.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:58 AM on March 16, 2017
Oh yeah, my comment was semi-sarcastic. I think ND-WV will be one of the more entertaining games of the weekend, and while I picked WV to win, I think ND would beat any of the other three 4-seeds, and maybe even one or two of the 3-seeds. I just like making fun of Notre Dame. It's my wife's alma mater, and so I get in as many jokes at their expense as I can.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:58 AM on March 16, 2017
I made a post for March Madness in Fanfare! Folks can jump over there for more extensive live-watching.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2017
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2017
I was going to clean up my brackets and think more about upsets, etc., but OH WELL GUESS I'M STUCK NOW! Which is why I went ahead and half-assed them real quick right away, because about half the time I want to have time to do my bracket and end up with NO BRACKET.
But then again, often half-assedry succeeds where intelligent analysis fails, so maybe this year I get lucky!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 10:23 AM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
But then again, often half-assedry succeeds where intelligent analysis fails, so maybe this year I get lucky!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 10:23 AM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
The fun of the Bracket is that it resists logic. You're making over 50 binary choices (once you eliminate the first round gimmes) so there is a reason no one gets it right. Also these are kids, and they are only playing 1 game at a time in a sport where it's really easy to win 1 game.
posted by French Fry at 10:53 AM on March 16, 2017
posted by French Fry at 10:53 AM on March 16, 2017
I'm at 100%! If I never again check my brackets, maybe I can convince myself that I'm a master bracketologist.
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 12:40 PM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 12:40 PM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
And if I pretend I didn't see how my other two brackets are doing.
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 12:42 PM on March 16, 2017
posted by Alluring Mouthbreather at 12:42 PM on March 16, 2017
I'm also at 100%! I don't think I've ever been at 100% before, not even this early. I always mess up at least one early pick.
posted by chainsofreedom at 1:51 PM on March 16, 2017
posted by chainsofreedom at 1:51 PM on March 16, 2017
Well I am a Brit and picked based on how I liked the names and so far I have got one correct so.... Go Gonzaga!
posted by threetwentytwo at 4:13 PM on March 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by threetwentytwo at 4:13 PM on March 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
I've got two of my three brackets (I'm KGB, by the way) at 100%, which is humorous, because my whole system is based on the notion that getting first-round games correct is not important. But still, 100% is 100%. I am the only perfect bracket in my entire office pool.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:02 AM on March 17, 2017
posted by kevinbelt at 7:02 AM on March 17, 2017
My 100% random bracket, based on "Oh, this team's university campus is prettier than the other campus" and "Oh, I like that city better than the other one" -- and other such strong logical comparisons, of course, is doing better than my more carefully thought out bracket or my "who cares, just pick the team I have a personal-ish connection to" bracket. March, yo?
posted by PearlRose at 8:47 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by PearlRose at 8:47 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm in 44th place in the men's tournament. I feel so proud.
posted by Literaryhero at 10:20 PM on March 17, 2017
posted by Literaryhero at 10:20 PM on March 17, 2017
I am near last in both brackets and this is why I prefer any other formulation of March Madness contest lol.
posted by fleacircus at 6:46 AM on March 18, 2017
posted by fleacircus at 6:46 AM on March 18, 2017
Well, this looks like it will be a very bad day for my bracket. My one must-win game went my way (Gonzaga), but the only other game I got right was Butler.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 7:17 PM on March 18, 2017
posted by flibbertigibbet at 7:17 PM on March 18, 2017
Half of my bracket is perfect. The other half of my bracket is utterly wrong. And somehow Michigan is playing the role properly held by Michigan State: Big Ten team that advances further than it should, gets hopes up, etc.
Yes, I know Purdue is still alive, but I can't take them seriously, and often forget they're even in the big ten.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:25 PM on March 19, 2017
Yes, I know Purdue is still alive, but I can't take them seriously, and often forget they're even in the big ten.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:25 PM on March 19, 2017
After round two, my bracket and my fiance's bracket are both flaming ruins. In our scoring system (points for a correct pick double every round), my fiance is currently up 1 point, with 38 out of a possible 64 points. While I'm happy that Duke is out, as he predicted a Duke win, I tried to mitigate potential losses by bringing Duke very far, so this hurts me too.
Go Bulldogs.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 4:18 AM on March 20, 2017
Go Bulldogs.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 4:18 AM on March 20, 2017
Duke's loss doesn't hurt you, because neither of you are getting those points. They're lost points, as if they were never even available. The only games that will help you relative to your fiance are ones you picked differently.
posted by kevinbelt at 7:25 AM on March 20, 2017
posted by kevinbelt at 7:25 AM on March 20, 2017
Let's be honest: Duke's loss doesn't hurt anybody.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:55 AM on March 20, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:55 AM on March 20, 2017 [7 favorites]
Our brackets are such flaming wrecks (we can, at most, get 2/8 of the Sweet Sixteen games right, each), but we liked talking about it so much, that we made 'try again brackets' which begin with Sweet Sixteen.
Our second-chance brackets are nearly identical. I love this man and we are going to rejoice in the games where we diverge.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 6:25 PM on March 22, 2017
Our second-chance brackets are nearly identical. I love this man and we are going to rejoice in the games where we diverge.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 6:25 PM on March 22, 2017
Florida/Wisconsin had a great buzzer beater finish. I don't think any other sport quite achieves the kind of crazy insanity of that kind of ending.
posted by fleacircus at 5:21 AM on March 25, 2017
posted by fleacircus at 5:21 AM on March 25, 2017
Wow. I haven't really been following the tournament, but I managed only one of the elite eight (Gonzaga) but picked them to lose to Arizona, so I've got an 0fer on the final four. Ouch.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:29 PM on March 26, 2017
posted by Ghidorah at 6:29 PM on March 26, 2017
With Mississippi State beating UConn last night (HOLY SHITSNACKS UCONN LOST!!!), there is nobody left with any live picks in the Women's Tournament Challenge.
On the men's side, a few teams at the top (including my non-serious "Florida goes all the way" bracket, currently in 2nd) still have UNC going to the finals, and a couple of lucky (I MEAN SKILLED) contestants can still jump us all if Gonzaga wins it.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:08 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
On the men's side, a few teams at the top (including my non-serious "Florida goes all the way" bracket, currently in 2nd) still have UNC going to the finals, and a couple of lucky (I MEAN SKILLED) contestants can still jump us all if Gonzaga wins it.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:08 AM on April 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
Is CttW Clinging to the Wreckage? If so, I owe you a prize! Which I swear I will think of any day now ...
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 4:15 PM on April 1, 2017
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 4:15 PM on April 1, 2017
HERE IS YOUR WINNER: PearlRose's random guess!
1220 POINTS. 96TH PERCENTILE.
Congratulations!
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:51 PM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
1220 POINTS. 96TH PERCENTILE.
Congratulations!
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:51 PM on April 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
I can't believe I really won! Those were truly some aribtrary and otherwise random guesses.
So, thanks, mom, for going to UNC, to ensure I'd pick them to win something!
posted by PearlRose at 5:18 AM on April 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
So, thanks, mom, for going to UNC, to ensure I'd pick them to win something!
posted by PearlRose at 5:18 AM on April 4, 2017 [2 favorites]
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It's on ESPN. I recall last year we also had a group for the women's tournament (announcing today?).
posted by Huffy Puffy at 11:12 AM on March 13, 2017