HUH??
Oh that is me on the bottom. :D

Don't worry Jim - before this is all over I'll be down there myself. :(
Sue is just too good for all of us.

What a fantastic opening weekend for NCAA basketball! There were so many close games - down to the final wire .. and now we've got to wait until Friday for more action. Back to reality. Davidson is the new new Belmont.

Sue continues to lead; Jim, you've moved up a notch! Our leader board all have a decent number of total possible points. Gary's got a lot of firepower left based on his total possible points and could move up. Arlene's our leader here with 174 points. Marc has set the floor with 132. I've only have two picks alive for the Final Four and am in the lower section of the total possible points standings. M'ellen crept up the standings, but also has moved way down in total points.

Be sure to get your picks in if you want to join the second chance pool. LCT Take Two is the group name, the group number is 3610 and cruise is the password.

It's tough being #2. Thanks for the memories, Duke and Georgetown.

Player Bracket Championship Points Possible Pts
1 Sue (Kansas) 47 167
2 Arlene (Tennessee) 46 174
2 DenaH (Kansas) 46 166
4 Michele (UCLA) 44 164
4 Betty W (UCLA) 44 152
6 old3 (North Carolina) 42 154
6 Betty & Larry K (North Carolina) 42 154
6 Anne (North Carolina) 42 146
9 mellen (Memphis) 41 153
10 gary (Kansas) 40 164
10 grant (Memphis) 40 152
10 Marc (UCLA) 40 132
13 Gil's Picks * (North Carolina) 39 139
14 Jim B (Memphis) 37 157
15 southernlady (North Carolina) 36 144

So .. anyone know any good basketball jokes while we're waiting for the next round?

Cheers, Anne

I know a really FUNNY BAsketball joke.
This one has irrefutable proof based on the past several years' performance.

The joke is:

GIL'S PERFORMANCE IN AN NCAA POOL!!!

Guess the not taking time to think is working so far! KU needs to paticipate in those practice sessions for free thows. Doesn't matter how many you get if you can't hit them!

Here's the NIT update from last night. Betty and Joanna, Florida is up tonight!

NIT Bracket Mar 24

The women's tournament also had its share of games going down to the buzzer. Two of the 3 seeds (Baylor, Cal) are out. Suzanne, we can sit together on the cheap linoleum floor drinking champers to commiserate. It was cold comfort watching LSU beat up on Marist. More games are on tonight.

NCAA Women through Mar 24

Thanks Anne! GO GATORS!!!!!

Well I have been moving (yet again) so I missed out on ALL the bracket picks, darn!!! I love this time of year. Well, I am back now, so GO WISCONSIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No one ever gives us a chance, so hopefully we can surprise some people.

Kristin - moving where??? Hope you didn't post the news as I missed it - wish you both the best -

Kristin - you are JUST in TIME to play the second chance bracket. Let me know if you have trouble signing up with the group.

Cheers, Anne

:hug: Joanna, as always, you are just so sweet! I didn't post anything because it's such a yawner, we keep moving and moving. Job circumstances. THIS TIME we really hope to stay for awhile, now in the Fort Worth area. One week here and I have to say, we are *quite* happy. I might not have my hot dry 100 degree temps, but nothing can rival the quality of life thing.

Oh! Anne, we cross-posted. Thanks for letting me know! I will try to make my picks!

Kristen: Good for you! You're getting closer to Florida - call us :D :D :hello1: :hello1:

Found out tonight my son has 2 tickets for the Sweet 16 here in Houston this weekend. Friday will be crazy and loud, since Texas plays here. How for the Big question - who gets to use ticket #2? Mom or dad?

Joanna, believe me, we tried to get back to Florida, but it just wasn't meant to be. In fact, we almost ended up in Pensacola, but Texas had the better job opportunity for Greg.

Now...I have been trying to find the LCT league but it's not letting me in...help me, Anne, please! :)

Kristin - at least you are back in a state with no state income tax, like FL! You'll love it here. Dallas/Ft worth area great place to live. And don't fret - your hot dry 100 degree temps are coming. And most likely even higher than 100 degree temp. You'll be screaming for a cool 80 degree day by July. :)
Welcome to Texas.

Thanks, Betty! And how cool that your son has tickets for this weekend. Hopefully you get to go with him!!!

Betty,

Should be plenty of Burnt Orange in Houston for U. of Texas -- "Hook 'Em" ... incredible road for Texas -- Little Rock, Houston, and San Antonio.

Second chance bracket information (must be in before tipoff for the games on March 27)

Sign up for a Yahoo! ID on the main www.yahoo.com page if you don't already have one.

Use this link to find the second chance bracket. You have to agree to the terms & conditions. If you get all the picks right, you're in the pool for a $1 million prize. Not too shabby!
Yahoo Second Chance Tournament

After you complete the sign-in correctly, you have a couple choices on the next page. You want to join an existing group. Ours is private, so you need the group ID and password to sign in.

Our group ID is #3610 and the password is cruise

Pick your teams (will the Badgers go all the way? Only America's Dairyland knows for sure!) and submit your bracket.

I'll keep an eye on new brackets today. Problems? Let me know & I will try to help.

Back to our regularly scheduled NCAA/NIT updates:

Women's Tournament:

The Big East is proving it was the toughest conference for the women's teams this year. There are 5 teams still standing in the Sweet Sixteen.

Old Dominion-Virginia women's second round was the highlight game last night. Ill-timed foul by Old Dominion at 0.8 seconds in the regular game led to overtime. Amazingly, Old Dominion managed to regroup and win in the final seconds. What a game!! :ohmy: Having been on the receiving end of a UConn blistering in the Big East tournament, I can empathize :mecry: :b: . Great run, Longhorns, and we'll see you next year. Maya Moore looks like the next Candace Parker.

NCAA Women Sweet Sixteen matchups


Now for our GATOR fans - Congratulations! It was upset city for the Arizona State Sun Devils. Big GATOR win 70-57 last night. Next stop: Madison Square Garden, folks, and a semi-final matchup against UMass (who upset Syracuse last night) That would have been something .. can you imagine the sea of blue and orange at Madison Square Garden if Florida played Syracuse? You'd need shades for sure!) The other bracket is decided tonight.

NIT bracket 3-25-08

Back to something other than basketball .. ;)

Cheers, Anne

Anne, you are awesome! I love your enthusiasm. And thanks for your instructions, they worked perfectly and I am now a contestant in the LCT second chance bracket!

I'm In!! :banana:

Gee! When I win I will be able to cruise more. :D

Terrific! The LCT Take Two bracket has the following players:

Anne - The Mini Commish
Gary - The JayHawk wannabe
Arlene - The Mojo Mama
Luke - Were you able to squeeze Belmont into the brackets? Or are you a Davidson Devotee?
Gil #2 - The REAL Commish from our main brackets
Kristin - The Badger Booster
Jim B - The Montana Mensch

Wouldn't that be terrific if one of us won $1 million? Gil, I hope you read the fine print. I just checked the 'heck, yes, I'd like to win $1 million' box and proceeded to pick my bracket.


cheers, Anne

LOL Anne, I never read the fine print when I see a dollar amount like that. I figure I'll deal with whatever they throw at me!

I can't read the fine print - It's too small! :rolleyes:

The Sweet Sixteen is whittled down to the Twelve Titans! West Virginia and Xavier made it a buzzer beater game; the others were won by comfortable margins. Tennessee and West Virginia's departure have moved the standings and overall points around. Sue's still at the head of the class, both with total points and remaining possible points. Betty .. you are in the rarefied air of the top three players! Arlene looks vulnerable on the total points front. The rising star candidates are Michele and Gary with total points possible of 160.

As of 3/27/08, the standings are:

Player Points Possible Points

1 Sue 59 167
2 Arlene 58 114
3 Betty W 56 152
4 DenaH 54 150
4 Anne 54 142
6 mellen 53 153
7 gary 52 160
7 Michele 52 160
9 Gil's Picks * 51 135
10 Betty & Larry K 50 154
10 Luke 50 150
12 Jim B 49 157
13 grant 48 124
14 southernlady 44 140
14 Marc 44 116

A sidenote: I will be away and unlikely to grab internet time this weekend. If anyone else wants to keep the bracket score posted, please feel free.

The second chance pool still has Gil alive in the $1 million prize bracket:

Player Points Correct Picks Possible Pts
1 Gil#2 4 4 of 4 32
2 Kristin 3 3 of 4 29
3 Jim B 3 3 of 4 31
4 Anne * 3 3 of 4 31
5 Arlene 2 of 4 28
6 Gary 2 of 4 30
7 Luke - second 2 2 of 4 30

Cheers, Anne

Ugh! My Elite 8 is down to 2 for sure and 4 max. I sure needed Tennessee and West Virginia last night!

Yes, Michele and Gary are lurking in the wings with lots of potential points remaining. I predict they will move up as I move further down tonight.

Dena

Dena, I needed Tennessee more than all of you. LOL.

I guess this isn't my year. Go Gil!!!

Anne - I can't believe you are going to be away this weekend. Hope you'll be close to a television or they will have to come and "take you away!" ;)
I'll enjoy my time in the "rarefied air for these few hours. I don't think anyone is going to catch Sue!

Yikes - KU doesn't play until 8:40 tonight! I hope I'm still awake!

Sorry I didn't get in the sweet sixteen pool - too much time away from the compauter is a bad thing...

Um this was from me. I was again at Gil's computer.

And I guess this isn't my year. Now I'm rootin on Nova and Davidson

Davidson is unbelievable! Hats off to them, and at this point, this Badger fan actually hopes they win the whole thing. :( :mecry:

My ex-boss is a Davidson alum...he must be THRILLED! It's always great to see a dark horse, underdog type thing.

That was an unbelievable game between Davidson and Wisconsin (sorry all my Badger buddies). Davidson is certainly wearing Cinderella's slipper so far this weekend.

Here are the standings going into the Elite 8...Betty and Larry made a nice move up tonight, as did Michele! :ch: :ch:

Player Points Possible Points
1 Sue 71 167
2 Arlene 66 98
3 Michele 64 160
3 Betty W 64 152
5 Betty & Larry K 62 150
5 DenaH 62 150
5 Anne 62 142
8 Jim B 61 157
8 mellen 61 149
10 gary 60 156
11 Gil's Picks * 59 131
12 Luke 58 146
13 grant 56 120
14 southernlady 48 136
14 Marc 48 104

Davidson looked darned impressive! I'd be rooting for them except for.....well....Beak-em Hawks!

Well, I was thinking both games were yawners yesterday, until Louisville made it a little interesting in the second half of their game. Two #1 seeds advancing to the Final Four so far...let's see what happens today. The seeding committee seems to have done well picking the #1s but not so much with the #2s.

The Yahoo standings for our group don't seem to be updated with yesterday's games, for some reason, so we'll wait and see where everyone is after today. The first game has just started and I'm cheering for a Texas upset!

Dena

waving Memphis pennant....

Yay, Team!

Your team is quite a strong one, Pam! ...as are those Jayhawks (and,tough UNC, too.) My Longhorns & Bruins are tough for me to watch...mercy!

Can't even get into the game that is on right now, although Davidson looking good. I went with my steadfast rule - support the conference! (Sorry, Pam) Well, that little rule certainly did me no good in the LCT pool standings this afternoon. :mecry:

As one always for the underdog, am SO sorry to see Davidson lose - what a run!! (Sorry Sue - but Congratulations.)

Guess I'll go with UNC, ACC, but a "bitter pill" with son a Duke alumnus!

Well, it's one for the record books with all four #1 seeds reaching the Final Four. (This is not exactly rewarding "bold" folks like me who predicted a few upsets...)

Congrats to Michele for somehow squeaking by Sue, whose lead seemed insurmountable a couple of days ago.

1 Michele 96 160 UCLA
2 Sue 95 143 Kansas
3 Jim B 93 157 Memphis
4 gary 92 156 Kansas
5 Betty & Larry K 86 150 North Carolina
6 mellen 85 149 Memphis
7 Gil's Picks * 83 131 North Carolina
8 Luke 82 146 North Carolina
8 Arlene 82 98 Tennessee
10 Betty W 80 144 UCLA
11 Anne 78 142 North Carolina
11 DenaH 78 126 Kansas
13 southernlady 72 136 North Carolina
14 grant 64 112 Memphis
15 Marc 56 104 UCLA