Sweet Sixteen Picks

The best part about the Sweet 16 for a lot of people, well me anyway, is that since my brackets are utterly destroyed by this time I get to just sit back and enjoy the basketball. Well that and I get another chance to redeem myself by making new picks. I'm sure a lot of you are in the same boat as I am. Could anyone have predicted that Bradley, Wichita State, and George Mason all being in the Sweet 16? I'm sure plenty had at least one of those teams making it. How many had George Mason though? Realize that by beating both Michigan State, and North Carolina the Patriots are only the third team in NCAA Tournament history to beat two Final Four teams consecutively.

I have bad news for Cinderella this weekend though. She may have enjoyed herself at the dance last week, but midnight is just around the corner for these surprises.

ATLANTA BRACKET

• Duke over LSU
• West Virginia over Texas
• Duke over West Virginia

There's a reason just about everybody you know has Duke in their Final Four. Duke, love them or hate them, is a great basketball team. I like LSU, but I don't think "Big Baby" can dominate Duke on the inside with Shelden Williams there. West Virginia can beat anybody in the country when their perimeter shots are falling, and I'm really just not that big on Texas. Keep in mind I wasn't that big on their football team either, so take my analysis with a grain of salt. Duke then beats WVU and goes to another Final Four.

WASHINGTON DC BRACKET

• UConn over Washington
• Wichita State over George Mason
• UConn over Wichita State

UConn is the best team in the country. Washington is also on my enemy list seeing how they just eliminated the Illini last week. Brandon Roy however is a solid player, and though he isn't amazing at any one thing, he's good at everything. Much like most of UConn's roster, he has a NBA career ahead of him. Wichita State will keep George Mason from pulling off it's third consecutive upset. This Shocker team is good. I'm incredibly mad at myself for not picking a team named the Shockers to get this far. I remember watching them in the College World Series when they had Darren Dreifort years ago and loving that name. Somewhere along the line though, that allegiance faded, and I am ashamed of it. Of course no matter how much I like the name, I'm not dumb enough to think they can beat UConn. Rudy Gay (No truth to the rumor that Gay's little sister Lucy Lesbian is being recruited by UConn's womens team.) and the boys will move on to the Final Four.

MINNEAPOLIS REGION

• Boston College over Villanova
• Florida over Georgetown
• Florida over Boston College

Well there has to be one "upset" doesn't there? So I have BC taking down Nova. It's more of a gut feeling than based on analysis. BC has been playing very strong offensively on the inside, and Nova is small. If the Eagles manage to play any defense and just keep feeding their big guys they could take this game. Florida is playing extremely well, led by Joakim Noah(newest NBA lottery pick) and they should dispose of Georgetown. Florida/BC could be the best of the Elite 8 games if it happens, and I think Florida wins out and moves on.

OAKLAND BRACKET

• Memphis over Bradley
• UCLA over Gonzaga
• UCLA over Memphis

Sorry Bradley. I know you aren't too far from me, but I just don't think you can do it again. I'll be rootin for ya but Memphis is too good. UCLA is a team I don't get to see too much of since they're on the west coast, but what I have seen I like. I've seen a few Gonzaga games, and even though Adam Morrison is good, they're still the worst Gonzaga team I've seen since they jumped onto the national scene. UCLA then beats Memphis thanks to a "homecourt" advantage and moves on to the Final Four.

Random Thoughts

• Daunte Culpepper was too busy shooting craps to play with strippers. It's all in this story, also for a quick laugh check out his lawyers name.
• Apparently the Alfonso Soriano Saga is over in Washington. Being proud is one thing, but not being able to admit you're a horrible 2nd baseman when you have twice as many errors at that position(Over last 2 seasons) than the nearest guy behind you is just stupid.
• The prison system in Tampa Florida is trying to add a new ace to their pitching staff this season. Does Steinbrenner own them too?
• I wonder if Shaun Alexander will be as good with Steve Hutchinson creating holes in Minnesota now? Though I can't blame the Seahawks, investing that much money in a guard isn't that smart. Plus they get the first round pick, and were able to use that money to add Julian Peterson.
• Adam Vinatieri a Colt? I'm not even a Patriot fan, and that seems hard to adjust too. Wouldn't it be great though if the Patriots sign Vanderjagt and then next January we're once again in Foxboro, and Vanderjagt is lining up for the game winner against the Colts? You know Vanderjagt would take less money just knowing that by signing in New England makes that a distinct possibility.
• Did the Bears actually sign a veteran backup quarterback? And it wasn't Kordell Stewart?! So they didn't get Randle El, but they've added depth at CB, and now actual COMPETITION for Rex Grossman. Dear God we may actually have two winning seasons in a row.
• T.O. to Dallas. Really, how long until Parcells and Owens have a run in? If nothing else, this should be interesting to watch develop.