One word to describe my March Madness bracket: Busted.

For the second year running, every pick was shot down by the elite 8. Who is left standing? Kentucky, Louisville, Kansas and Ohio State. And I don't like any team playing in the big dance. Okay. If I had to pick who I'd like to see win it all, I'd say Louisville. Rick Pittino does have my respect.

Baseball season is starting real soon. Which means staying up all night when there is an afternoon game for the Yankees. The NBA playoff race is heating up too. Lakers lost a big game to Oklahoma City at home, and it could have very well cost them a chance in catching the Spurs for the second seed in the West. But I'll take it anyday when LA loses cause I'm a Spurs fan. Spurs need to have a solid backup point guard besides Gary Neal. TJ Ford has retired. Distractions galore, 3 weeks till the last day of class for me as an undergraduate and a week of finals follow. And with so much sporting action going on, how am I supposed to focus like I need this bad, like its do or have your life savings or life end? In trying to express the need and urgency to study by "drive it like you stole it!"

3 Tar Heels declare for the NBA draft. This certainly came as no surprise when I saw the news flash. Harrison Barnes, John Henson and the injured Kendall Marshall. Those guys will definitely have an impact in the nba and its time they left. Tyler Zeller will also be drafted, as a graduating senior. Roy Williams is left with only one returning starter on his team (Dexter Strickland) My obsession/love for Tar Heel players don't last long, when they leave school for the draft, its a bittersweet feeling. And then I somehow find myself not being much of a fan of them.

Ohio and North Carolina State are this years cinderellas of March Madness. Thats the way it is so far. Purdue almost pulled a huge upset over Kansas but the Jayhawks chipped away down the stretch and won it after not having led for the whole game sans the last minute.

Florida State is out. There goes another final four pick. North Carolina is the only one left standing, but I fear it won't be for long as Kendall Marshall broke his right wrist in the game vs Creighton. Ouch. The Tar Heels will have to win the rest of the tournament without him playing.

And the two teams who beat up the no. 2 seeds, Lehigh and Norfolk State are out. Both games vs their respective opponents, Florida and Xavier aren't even close.

This year might be the Buckeye State's chance to shine. Four teams from the state of Ohio are going to the big dance, the sweet 16: Xavier, Cincinatti, Ohio State and Ohio.
The big east is well represented yet again. Syracuse, Louisville and Marquette.

March Madness ramblings

My bracket has fallen. Half of my final four teams are still left standing, after day 1 of the second round, before the sweet 16. VCU, my cinderella of 2012 has collapsed today in a really close match vs Indiana. Did anyone see Missouri lose in the first round? No. And who is Norfolk State? They certainly pulled a shocking upset and busted everyone's brackets, just like how Lehigh beat Duke. There goes another pick. At least I only picked Duke to make it to the sweet 16 and lose to Baylor. Ohio beating Michigan, another surprise, but not that a big one to me. The only person that I know who said Duke would get beaten by Lehigh would be a friend who works at my school for the director. He's a Lehigh alumni anyway...

As I never change my picks once I've done my bracket, my final four had VCU, Missouri, Florida State and UNC. Tar Heels to win it all. Now, I've got to pray to the basketball gods that Florida State beats Texas, then Ohio State in the sweet 16 and upsets Syracuse (which shouldn't be a problem since Fab Melo has been suspended for the tournament due to academic problems.) As much as I hate FSU, they beat UNC twice this season and clearly deserve to make the final four. But UNC will trump them.

John Henson's wrist has been bothering him. Creighton can be a pesky team. I originally had Alabama beat them in the opening round, but I was wrong. There goes another pick. Lots of cinderellas that I picked to upset didn't happen this year.

Today's second round matchups were all won by the higher seed. What a big yawn.