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Post by Crosser on Mar 17, 2024 0:06:48 GMT -5
Are you ready for some prognostications?! Well, you're in luck because the Crossports Bracket Challenge is back for another year of the agony and ecstasy that goes with seeing how all are picks turn out. It's never about the money as the Crossports Bracket Challenge is one of the last true amateurs in sports betting. It's all about the bragging rights gained from finishing atop our standings. And CHC16 certainly earned his lofty position last year with an amazing 98.8 percentile of the millions of ESPN brackets. It's the same deal as last year, - go to ESPN web site, find the Men's Tournament Challenge tab and look for our group Patriot League Cohorts, and enter our password plhoops. Then create your bracket and enjoy the games! Limit of one bracket per person as I just noticed that there's a maximum limit of 25 entries. I may have accidentally just put in two brackets, but I'll delete it out or just not fill it in. This link should take you to our group, but who knows because I tend to goof these things up.
fantasy.espn.com/games/tournament-challenge-bracket-2024/group?id=b6f5981f-79b4-3647-8f04-545902476258
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Post by alum on Mar 17, 2024 5:32:07 GMT -5
Thanks for setting this up. It’s always fun. Joe Lunardi at ESPN projects Colgate to be a 14 seed and to open with Illinois in Pittsburgh in the South Regional
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Post by thecrossisback on Mar 18, 2024 21:25:43 GMT -5
Can somebody explain how St Mary's is a 6 seed?
26-7. Where are the quality wins?
3 Quality wins 2 against Gonzaga and 1 against Colorado State?
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Post by rgs318 on Mar 19, 2024 10:05:18 GMT -5
I am now posted...thanks for the reminder!
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Post by Crosser on Mar 20, 2024 22:28:50 GMT -5
Bumping this up. Brackets need to be completed by noontime. We have a few openings left, so get yours in. We may have to convene the rules committee as I just noticed someone submitted two brackets. No fair!!  |
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Post by mm67 on Mar 21, 2024 8:59:45 GMT -5
MSU coach Tom Izzo has suggested eliminating automatic bids to the NCAA tourney for mid-majors and expanding the field to 100 teams. He points to the obvious. Namely, there were many major programs which did not get their teams invited although they were far superior to the mid-majors which received bids. I have heard anecdotally, interest in March Madness is ebbing for a variety of reasons. Possibly eliminating the lower ranked teams in favor of the big boys would spike ratings? Is March Madness in danger of becoming March Numbness?
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Post by rgs318 on Mar 21, 2024 9:35:51 GMT -5
I would have the opposite reaction to eliminating more of the mid-majors. Look at the huge interest generated by St Peter's run. If they go in this direction I am afraid it only dilutes my interest. I have not been a fan of professional basketball for many years now. In pro hoops the actual rules seem to have become merely "suggestions." The major basketball programs seem to be moving in that direction.
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Post by Tom on Mar 21, 2024 9:37:53 GMT -5
Possibly eliminating the lower ranked teams in favor of the big boys would spike ratings? My guess is the opposite would happen. Stetson knocking off UConn is a way more compelling story than if snubbed St Johns knocks off #1 |
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Mar 21, 2024 9:46:00 GMT -5
The "major" teams really need to curtail the whining. If you cannot win your conference tournament you must throw yourself on the mercy of the court.. If you don't get invited it is on you
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Post by mm67 on Mar 21, 2024 9:47:08 GMT -5
Tom , I don't agree with Izzo. In a sense I am in your camp. I like the idea of David vs Goliath. However it is a ratings game.
Do you think Stetson vs UConn would garner higher media ratings than UCLA vs. UConn? Money rules the roost. One & done, NIL, the transfer portal all have changed the game. As a result, maybe fewer people feel attached to teams & ultimately to the game itself. Hope not.
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Post by hc1996 on Mar 21, 2024 9:52:58 GMT -5
I think the Izzo plan will eventually be adopted. I don't know, but I just feel like that would generate far more revenue. That said, if and when it becomes real I think the NCAA will need to add a division. An FCS for basketball. And that would clearly be where we belong.
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Post by Tom on Mar 21, 2024 10:07:40 GMT -5
Tom , I don't agree with Izzo. In a sense I am in your camp. I like the idea of David vs Goliath. However it is a ratings game. Do you think Stetson vs UConn would garner higher media ratings than UCLA vs. UConn? Money rules the roost. One & done, NIL, the transfer portal all have changed the game. As a result, maybe fewer people feel attached to teams & ultimately to the game itself. Hope not. It's the different bracket pools #1 and the storylines #2 that drive the ratings. Most people without a strong rooting (gambling) interest will channel surf the games and if there's an upset in the making, they will lock in there |
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Post by longsuffering on Mar 21, 2024 11:37:47 GMT -5
I think the Izzo plan will eventually be adopted. I don't know, but I just feel like that would generate far more revenue. That said, if and when it becomes real I think the NCAA will need to add a division. An FCS for basketball. And that would clearly be where we belong. HC's D-1 status attracts quality student athletes in the numerous minor sports. As long as D-1 only gets watered down in the scholarship sports, we should be OK. We need a non-scholarship (or token scholarship) team to win the PLT and make an appearance in the NCAA tournament to validate HC as a full D-1 school. (Was baseball the last one?) Paging 2024 Women's Lax. Obviously we are officially a full D-1 school but when winning seasons in the non-scholarship sports come around on the same schedule as Halley's Comet, attention is needed. |
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Post by newfieguy74 on Mar 21, 2024 12:46:43 GMT -5
MSU coach Tom Izzo has suggested eliminating automatic bids to the NCAA tourney for mid-majors and expanding the field to 100 teams. He points to the obvious. Namely, there were many major programs which did not get their teams invited although they were far superior to the mid-majors which received bids. I have heard anecdotally, interest in March Madness is ebbing for a variety of reasons. Possibly eliminating the lower ranked teams in favor of the big boys would spike ratings? Is March Madness in danger of becoming March Numbness? I disagree with Izzo 100%. Part of the charm of the tournament is underdogs making a run. |
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Post by Tom on Mar 21, 2024 13:27:15 GMT -5
Because of the incestuous nature of rankings, St Peter's would not have made the tournament at all in 2022 under Izzo's plan, never mind an Elite Eight run
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fz
Senior
Posts: 44
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Post by fz on Mar 21, 2024 14:12:02 GMT -5
Im use to seeing Izzo cry durning the game. But to see him now complain about Mids getting into the tourney is a new low.
This almost puts him in the Slease Ball Rick P hall of trash.
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Post by hchoops on Mar 21, 2024 14:33:56 GMT -5
Im use to seeing Izzo cry durning the game. But to see him now complain about Mids getting into the tourney is a new low. This almost puts him in the Slease Ball Rick P hall of trash. I disagree with Izzo, but he is very far away from Pitino |
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Post by mm67 on Mar 21, 2024 18:20:17 GMT -5
Upset special: Duquesne defeats BYU. Sihugo Green & Dick Ricketts are celebrating from above. Go Dukes.
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Post by Crosser on Mar 21, 2024 19:04:53 GMT -5
Every year I always pick Michigan State to go deep into the tourney on my bracket. But I was so infuriated by Izzo’s comment, I picked them to lose in the first round. That’ll show ‘em! 😐
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Post by mm67 on Mar 21, 2024 19:35:07 GMT -5
Disagree but don't be disagreeable. Why trash Izzo by putting him in the company of ethically challenged RP? Because we disagree strenuously with him? Nah, not for me. Peace.
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Post by mm67 on Mar 21, 2024 21:49:57 GMT -5
More upsets but one of note: Oakland U knocked off Kentucky. One & Done Kentucky players & team. Izzo's suggestion is looking more & more ridiculous. Obviously the more ridiculous the more likely the Lords of the NCAA are likely to adopt it. For instance use a computer generated ranking regardless of league championships to select teams 1 to 100. And, I don' like it.
I'm looking forward to DP bringing his guys to the Big Dance.
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Post by Tom on Mar 22, 2024 7:16:21 GMT -5
Another aspect of Izzo's plan occurred to me. With no automatic bids, there is no need for conference tournaments. There's a bag of cash that would just go away. Even if conferences still had them, fewer eyeballs on TV for games that had no more meaning than a regular season game.
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Post by Tom on Mar 22, 2024 9:25:11 GMT -5
There seems to be something wrong with the bracket website. It seems to think a bunch of my picks were wrong. On the brighter side, I am in the top 14,600,000 brackets on ESPN
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Post by newfieguy74 on Mar 22, 2024 10:03:12 GMT -5
There seems to be something wrong with the bracket website. It seems to think a bunch of my picks were wrong. On the brighter side, I am in the top 14,600,000 brackets on ESPN Maybe I didn't hear this correctly but on ESPN they said that 22,000,000 brackets fell apart yesterday and that just 1,800 perfect brackets remain. |
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witz
Sophomore
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Post by witz on Mar 22, 2024 10:14:23 GMT -5
missed only 1 game yesterday, but it was Kentucky...
who i have in the finals.
Oh well.
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