One myth about *my* NCAA bracket: That I care about my NCAA bracket. I do not care. It's entertainment. College and pro sports serve no other purpose.
Top seeds make it to the Final 4 42% of the time so pick top seeds? I'll put my bracket up against anyone who follows these 10 "debunkings" any day, any year.
GO GATORS! And, pick plenty of brackets. Enjoy the ride
How much are you willing to wager?
I wouldn't spend much time agonizing over 8/9 games. Which teams wins will be eliminated when it plays the top seed in the second round. Teams ranked seventh, and tenth through twelveth, all have better records than teams seeded eighth or ninth.
http://sportsbythenumbers.org/2015/03/how-much-does-seeding-matter/
4. Defense wins championships.
5. Be "up" on the Wolverines.
Love our tenacious team, love our staff — led by the cleanest coach in college basketball, John Beilein.
Go Blue!
"But Duke is the most successful team in the current era of college basketball. "
Since 2000, North Carolina has won more games (47) in the dance than Duke (43).
During that same time, 11 seeds have won more games (50) than 9, 10 and 12 seeds. 7 seeds have won more than 6 seeds.
"The last true Cinderella might have been No. 11-seeded Dayton, which made the last eight four years ago."
In that same year #7 Connecticut beat #8 Kentucky in the final. I'd call Uconn and Kentucky Cinderellas too.
Fun article. Thanks!
What's the most ridiculous situation in sports? In many basketball games, a team trailing in the closing minutes commits deliberate fouls over and over again to stop the clock because it's the only strategy it has. It's irritating and annoying for fans, players and coaches and it's not the way the game was meant to be played. The current rules just don't work in the closing minutes of games.
The closing minutes of games could be played in a more exciting and enjoyable way.
1. A team trailing in the closing minutes would have only one sensible strategy: play normal defense by not committing fouls, preventing good shots and trying to get turnovers.
2. A team that's trailing in the closing minutes would still have a fair chance to catch up.
3. A team that's leading in the closing minutes would have an equally fair chance to maintain or increase it's lead
This could all be done with just one new rule. During then last 2 minutes of the second half and the last 2 minutes of any overtime period, the game clock would stop when a team with a lead has possession of the ball. The game clock would run normally when a team that was trailing has the ball and when the score is tied. The 30 second shot clock rule would not change; it would be in effect all the time.
This new rule would be a radical change. The shot clock and 3-point shot were also radical changes and those changes made the game more exciting and enjoyable.
12
This is a joke right? I've never heard such a ridiculous proposed rule change.
So, the team that was better for 18 full minutes of open play (or more in the second half) can only have a positive possession if they score, while the opposing team just launches 3s at will trying to maximize their last 2 minutes of play? This makes a huge part of the game less meaningful and is a gigantic, completely unfair increased benefit to teams down 1 with something like 10 seconds left on the clock. It also won't stop fouls in situations where hack-a-Shaq applies or where a team wants to prevent the leading team from scoring 3 (or where 1-and-1 still applies).
Not a bad idea. I've often thought that we should just let any team that is ahead and fouled in the last two minutes choose whichever player they want to shoot the free throws.