Well, it’s that time of year again. Who’s going to win it all?

I don’t have as much interest after the season my raiders suffered through, but I foresee some exciting games over the next few weeks, so let’s get it going.

I set up a challenge again this year for bragging rights only. Feel free to click the link and join. Doesn’t matter if you’re a college basketball guru or just picking teams based on mascot.
“Blessed Bracket” claimed the top spot last year slightly ahead of Tlew and Cbump. Can Kyle make a comeback from his 2021 title??? You have today and tomorrow to get in on the action, and as always, trash talk is highly encouraged!

Looking forward to it!

https://fantasy.espn.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/2023/en/group?groupID=5674199

In

In

in

Alabama beats Kansas 87-84

Wonder who Max is going to pick?

Right...stab in the dark. I'm a huge Kansas fan too!

As soon as he starts throwing out the word "sportsballer" the thread will be locked.

Rev Dave is about to bless this year's winning bracket. We putting anything on this other than bragging rights?

In.

Kentucky

I'd slap a twenty on it if the mods allow for it

It’s just bragging rights at the moment

I would suggest you have a neutral party hold all the money and do the payouts after the tourney if y'all decide to have a payout. It may be too late, when I did ffl's I always got the money before the season started.

My brackets already blown

Good advice. Anyone that wants to do $20 a piece, let me know and we will send it to someone. Those that want to do bragging rights, that's ok too. Payout will depend on number of people putting cash in the hat -- more than 5 and first gets 50%, second gets 40% and third gets 10%. Ties split total by place.

I'm in if we get enough commits.

Or we could just say losers bring winner a 12-pack each to the clay shoot...

We need some more participants.. come on guys. Last day to get in..

There’s a lot of upset opportunities if you’re just gauging by seed. Should be an interesting tourny

I’m in. Looked like it was setup for two entries, so I did two brackets. Let me know if I need to withdraw 1. I’ll default to the first bracket and remove the second. Thanks for setting it up. Should be fun.

where is all the basketball gurus

We did 2 per last year, so no worries.. everyone is welcome to make another if they’d like

Sounds good, sir. Thanks! Good luck to all. I’m sure to have a busted bracket by tomorrow night. But it’s always fun to see how the tourney shapes itself.

I completed a 2nd bracket but it doesn't show in the THF Group. Any thoughts on how to add it to the group?

Drop one in under Budro

Select the drop down for “my brackets”. Select your new one. Scroll down and hit join group. Both brackets should show in a gray box. The second/newest bracket should have a little box on the right to select, then hit join.

in, have Houston over Alabama ...

I’m to lazy to set up an account. But I would like to see Alabama v UCLA in finals. But think Texas and Arizona could also make it.

Looks to start at 11.
I may miss some. This is what I found on my TV.

W Virginia v Maryland
Firman v Virginia

1pm
Howard v Kansas
Utah State v Mizzou
Alabama v Texas A&M CC

Later
Illinois v Arkansas
Princeton v Arizona
Colgate v Texas
Auburn v Iowa.
Oral Roberts v Duke

Much later.
Texas A&M v Pedo State
N Kentucky v Houston
Louisiana v Tenn.

Alabama vs ucla is a pretty popular selection, but I could also see a Baylor vs UConn, a Houston or possibly a wild card atm vs az. So many combinations, and so many games I’d like to see play out.

Thursday games

I have a round robin parlay for:
UVA -5.5
SDSU -5.5
Duke -6
Boise St +1.5
A&M -2.5

Let's get this thing kicked off

Based on the way these first couple games are playing out, most brackets will bust.

First game over and my bracket is no longer perfect

Damn, 0 for 2

I watched the last 5 seconds of the Furnan game at least 10 times.

I convinced my wife to make a bracket. She knows nothing about basketball.
She was so proud. Send me a pic this morning.

I texted and said you’re out.


She said. This is stupid. 😂

WV

Boy, there are a lot of us in 2nd...

I had Virginia as a sweet 16 lock. What the hell is a Paladin?

Only 4.2% of brackets remained intact after those first 2 games.

Princeton?

Has gun, will travel…..

WOW. A 2 and a 4 seed gone already. Nutso start...

I watched part of the Princeton game. Their big guy can play.

I guess my picks were incomplete so I will finish last but it let me move my other game to this one so guess im still in it.

Any more upsets?

I

Have no skin in the game and no brackets but was pleased to see Iowa get knocked out. Great uniforms.

Who saw Furman beating VA? Furman who?

Day 1 was pretty wild.. here’s todays line up.

BigBob in our group actually called it.

To be fair, I let the computer make my pics.

Had a guy in my work bracket call Furman too. Now, the guy had to ask me the difference between UT and ATM, what the numbers beside each name meant, and if the common basketball scores were over 100, but that just proves stats can be thrown out the window for this tournament.

And who (besides a computer) picked #15 Princeton over #2 Arizona in the first round? Crazy!!!

Xaxvier is struggling

So is Baylor. With a 14 seed.

Yikes. Xavier is really struggling. 59-46

Tied up

Xavier up by 1, 12.8 on the clock. kennesaw ball.

Baylor wins 74-56 sic'em

Slow start for Iowa State. 19-2.

Yeah, the Iowa state doesn’t surprise me. So inconsistent all year. Beat Baylor 3 times, UT, TCU, NC, then loses to the bottom half of the big 12. Good defense but no offense

Just got home.

Turned on FDU v Purdue. Pretty tight. Almost half

B-Makers are struggling against #16 seed

Good game

Would love to see FDU win.

Probably won’t happen.

Up 3 with 30 sec.. going to be close

#16 FDU for the win

Only happened once before

Well, my bracket is now shot to hell and back lol

Willing to bet all brackets are busted now

Still in 1st, dude.

It's funny too, my self-picked bracket is doing way better than the one I let ESPN pick.

Come on TCU. ASU running a slam dunk contest.

I knew it was short lived when I saw that earlier. End of the day it is all for fun anyway lol

The games only get more interesting starting today..

GO FURMAN!

Duke vs Tenn and Arkansas vs Kansas could be interesting although Arkansas played like carp in the first round

Wow. Purdue makes NCAA choke history. Bet the blew up all remaining perfect brackets.

Arkansas going to pull it out

Arkansas played hard until the end. Go win for Arkansas

Princeton about to make sweet 16.

Nobody watching Houston/Auburn?

Not really.

I’m kinda basketballed out until 830.

Houston won, insure you’ll let us know how the 830 game goes.

I think tip-off is 858.

I’m periodically checking Longhorn score.

Man, I got kind of basketballed out last night too. Watched the end of the Houston game and had no interest in the short horn or Alabama game.

Was watching Pitt Xavier at the gym. Pitt is not very good.

K State got good win over Kentucky

Fun game to watch but was really pulling for Kentucky

Me too.

Ive got the Zags winning it and my bracket sucks

One thing is absolutely true about college basketball. Every player has had to perfect the flop and no sport gives the officials more opportunities to affect the outcome. Some of these calls have me believing that the officials have money on the games.

Baylor starting slow again.

Much better second half team

Not any better in second half

Pulling for FDU. Just because I’ve never heard of them.

Making sweet 16 could put them on map.

Well Baylor sucked it up now let’s see what TCU can do! I do like Timme though, local boy

I like Timme too. JJ Pearce alum.

Should be able to go on and have a solid career in NBA

Think it’s over for TCU.

Leaving on Houston from Texas.

Our leaderboard heading into the sweet 16.

Let's go, Houston!

This tournament has been anything but predictable

yeah, go Houston ... surprised I am in a 2 way tie for first place

I’ve been impressed with Arkansas. I thought I heard someone say that Arkansas has made sweet 16 the last 3 years in a row. And Kentucky hasn’t made a sweet 16 in 4 years.

If Arkansas has that much experience, I expect them to learn how to win and push through.

Things getting interesting now.

K State vs MSU and Gonzaga vs UCLA are the ones I'm looking forward to. K State gets no respect. They were a dog despite being the higher seed against Kentucky and now the same thing with MSU.

Interesting fact- 12 of the 16 teams still alive have never won it all. Only UCLA, Arkansas, UConn, and MSU have won.

Thanks for posting schedule.

I thought it was tomorrow and Saturday.

Kstate taking Michigan to OT.. they had it in the bag too..

K State sure screwed up that last minute with shooting 3s.

They were up by 5 with a minute to go.

WTF is K State doing with 3s??

A no look dunk

What a game

What a game is right! Unbelievable performance by Nowell.

Nowell was definitely the star, although he was feelin' it a little too much w/ a minute left in regulation.

Gonzaga vs UCLA…what an epic game. Hell of a comeback by Gonzaga to go up 9 late, only to give it all back in the last few seconds. Great win for the Zags.

Kansa State Sucks

Games don’t look as appealing as last night’s, but who knows. Princeton May shock us all.

I've been looking forward to the Texas game all week long. Can't wait.

Number 1s going down. Bama down and Houston ain’t gonna make it.

Would like to see a variety in final 4. Probably pulling for Gonzaga., always close. But don’t think they ever won a championship.

Go Horns!

This has got to be one of the most bazaar tournaments ever.

One thing is for sure, you don't want to brawl with San Diego State. Those are some grown men out there.