2013 NCAA Brackets for Life and Death

It took a lot of cajoling to get us to this point.  The brackets for this year's 2013 NCAA Championship was shaping up to be interesting, and I wanted to play in one that didn't involve home equity loans and escrow accounts (if that were legal, which it isn't).  As a result, I decided to resurrect the great Bracket challenge.  JMR, LC, C, G and DLG would all fill out bracket pools and the winner would pocket 20 bucks.  Both boys were reticent to even participate since it was taking away from their video game time, but I was able to finally convince them with threats of going to bed.  Family time has never been so sweet.

The Rules

This is easy.  First Round wins would be 1 point.  Second Round wins would be 2 points.  Sweet Sixteen wins would count for 4 points and Elite 8 wins would result in 8 points.  Final Four wins would be 16 points.  And if you picked the winner?  32 points!

Because this year's NCAA season didn't really have a consensus #1 team, all #1 seeds were shaky at best.  The two seeds were even shakier.  Given this, I thought that upsets would be plentiful (Gonzaga a 1 seed??  Yikes.).  To emphasize this, every time an upset was picked, double the points would be awarded.  If you picked Duke to lose in its First Round Game against Albany like I did, you get 2 points instead of 1.  You pick Gonzaga to lose in the Second round like I did?  You get 4 points instead of 2.  Honestly, I believe that I am in the driver's seat.

But that's the way I always think.

The Picks

UConn ain't playing this year

JMR:  I picked a Final Four of Louisville, Wisconsin, Kansas and Miami.  I then picked Louisville to beat Miami in the Championship team.  Yes, I actually picked a Rick Pitino team to win it all.  Sue me.  I would have picked UConn to win it all, but they can't play with the big boys this year because they got in trouble with the principal.

C:  "I hate Duke."  That was all he said.  When his Mom asked him why he hated Duke, he didn't have a good answer, he just answered that everyone hated Duke.  That's my boy.  Anyway, his Final Four consisted of Louisville, Gonzaga, Kansas and Indiana (and Kansas beating Louisville in the Championship).  All 1 Seeds going to the Final Four?  I guess I won't end up in last place no matter what happens...

G:  "Gonzaga is 31-2, Dad.  I think they are going to win it all!"  Oh.  Maybe I'm going to finish in the middle of the pack at worst.  His picks?  Louisville, Gonzaga, Kansas and Indiana with Gonzaga winning it all.  This is going to be easier than I thought.  Yes!

DLG and LC:  Wow.  I really have a chance to win this year.  With Mom permitting DLG to make the first round picks, a couple of interesting teams came out of the woodwork.  When I asked DLG what her strategy was in picking teams, she replied "I picked the team that I thought was tougher."  Their Final Four teams?  Louisville, Kansas State, Florida and UNLV (and KSU beating UNLV in the Championship).  UNLV?  Obviously a Mom pick since that pick was straight out of 1990.  Jerry Tarkanian is biting his towel nodding is head.

The Predictions

Based on my careful studying of the teams, I now believe that I am going to win the whole thing. C will come in second (by default).  G and DLG will fight it out for the basement and first overall pick in next year's rookie draft.

Follow us to see who wins the Great 2013 Brackets Challenge.