Running Diary: Tourney Day 1

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:52 pm

With my roommate and girlfriend both at work, I'm stuck watching the games alone today. So, unfortunately for you guys, I'll be posting my stupid thoughts here for all to read. (NOTE: All times are Pacific.)

1:50 Cal looks like they are falling asleep against Maryland. Does anyone believe in the Pac-10? Did anyone actually pick Cal in this game? I jumped all over it with Maryland getting 1.5 points. Let's hope I don't jinx it.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:56 pm

1:55 The KGB commercials forced me to search for and watch this awesome video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLO1YIWQuXE . They don't make them like that anymore.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:02 pm

By the way, KGB charges you as a premium text message, so even unlimited text message plans get charged. At least that's what I was told.

I recommend Cha Cha. Its free and quick. It's also a lot of fun when hanging out with your buddies and you're not sober. You can call or text them - 1-800-224-2242.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:22 pm

2:20 See, this pisses me off. Right now Washington and Miss St are playing what should be one of the better games of the first round and I have to watch the Price is Right. Fuck you CBS and fuck you NCAA. It was really important that I saw that 2/15 game earlier, wasn't it?

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:26 pm

NCAA.com has a free broadcast of all live games. Just watch it on there. That's what I did earlier, I had Memphis on on the computer and was watching Butler on TV

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:30 pm

Yeah. Still...kind of rendering my flat screen TV useless for a few hours.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:16 pm

3:15 Miss St has gone cold. I only played this game on one parlay card, and I took Washington -6. We'll see. There's an inevitable run in Miss St.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:34 pm

3:27 Commentators state that it makes no difference whether or not Ty Lawson in injured. They justify this by pointing to UNC's blowout win over Radford. Of course they didn't need Lawson to beat Radford. The IBC Pick up game All-Stars could beat Radford.

And I think we should do that by the way. There should be a default IBC team for any given situation, in case the need arises. It would be a public service. The IBC Basketball team in case aliens challenge us to a game where first prize is control of the world. The IBC Swat Team? Aaron, JB, Nick, and Dave with machine guns and rocket launchers rescuing kidnapped kids and collecting forensic evidence and semen samples. The IBC lobbying team? Traveling to Washington to fight for tougher steroids punishments and the legalization of prostitution, marijuana, and online poker?

This could work for us. Let's look into it.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:06 pm

4:02Having a great day so far. As far as brackets go, we're perfect. Haven't missed a game yet. Gambling wise we're not perfect, but we're close. We played the over/under on BYU/Texas A&M. Oh well.

Next two games - Michigan/Clemson and Minnesota/Texas. I went with Michigan +5 and Minnesota +4. No one is with me on Minn over the Longhorns, but I love Tubby Smith and I have faith. Plus, are people really that impressed by Texas this season? I'm not.

Giants · Post by **Giants** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:16 pm

I really like Minnesota as an upset pick, Rick Barnes teams have always been upsettable.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:20 pm

4:19 Minnesota has a hot start while in the other game Michigan looks lost and undersized. Clemson's pressure seems to be suffocating them and throwing their sets off. Hopefully they make some adjustments during this timeout.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:27 pm

4:26 Michigan is up 11-9 now, but they could have a 7 point lead if they could figure out how to hold onto the ball. Apparently the whole team shared a giant tub of popcorn before the game. Someone get them some paper towels.

Orioles · Post by **Orioles** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:32 pm

Even though I knew it was dumb b/c lorenzo romar is a good enough coach not to pick against him in a 4/13 matchup, I foolishly picked Miss. St. to win two games b/c I really really wanted to see a Jarvis Varnado/ Hasheem Thabeet blockathon in the sweet 16. oops.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:39 pm

4:36 These games are why I buy into Z's claim that the NBA plays better basketball. This Clemson/Mich game is a "Launch-A-3-athon." 12 minutes in and I think 22 attempts from behind the arch already. Jesus.

Dan, you weren't alone. I've seen a bunch of brackets that picked Miss St over Washington, though not as many putting them passed Purdue in the next game. The Boilermakers are one of those middle seeded teams who bandwagon a lot of people, including me, have jumped onto. Purdue and Wake Forest...I'm loving them both.

Yankees · Post by **Yankees** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:49 pm

If you want to watch a 3 launch-a-thon, I'm going nuts over here watching American. The little buggers just gun and gun - it's fantastically horrendous basketball - but entertaining as shit.

Yankees · Post by **Yankees** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:51 pm

On a related note, they are going to lose by 20, but it's fun whilst it's raining...

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:55 pm

Unfortunately I'm missing American/Nova right now. I've got two computer screens up and Gonzaga/Akron on TV, so thats the game being left out. I'm loving this Zaga game though. I bet the over, so its just fun to root for these guys to run and gun all night long.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:08 pm

5:07 Haltime for two of the games so I'm getting to see some American/Villanova action. It would screw my bracket all to Hell but I would love to see American pull this off. It's not just they're threes, they're God help me short range off-balance jumpers are falling at a suspiciously high rate as well. AND BOOM! Another 3 from American. What's the largest lead a 14 seed has ever over a 3 at halftime? 10 point advantage for American. Wow.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:11 pm

5:11 Is anyone else loving this Zips versus Zags theme in the Akron and Gonzaga game? Maybe I'm just easily entertained but that shit is awesome.

And do they ever plan on making new caveman commercials for Geico? I've seen this Jumbotron one a good four billion times already.

Astros · Post by **Astros** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:17 pm

When I keep hearing Dick Enberg screaming about the American Eagles, only one thing runs through my mind. This team sounds like a face jobber tag team in the NWA in the late 1980s. I can just hear Jim Ross screaming now as the 4 Horsemen beat down Sting, "Here come the American Eagles! Double dropkick to Windham! OH Anderson and Blanchard from behind. Spinebuster from Arn. Flair's got Sting in the figure four! Somebody stop this!"

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:17 pm

5:16 A note to whoever is in charge of which games get the most TV coverage. There's another factor to consider - Cheerleaders. Some of these mid-major schools just aren't quite ready for prime time. Have you seen some of these girls from Akron? They aren't exactly HD friendly. Anyway, just a suggestion.

The scoring has slowed down considerably in the Zaga/Akron game. Come on guys, we still got 82 points to go.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:20 pm

Jim Ross can make anything awesome. "AS GOD AS MY WITNESS HE IS BROKEN IN HALF!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qFWaCoe78k

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:40 pm

5:39 Abrams hits 3 3s in a minute. 9 points and all of the sudden my beloved Golden Gophers look dead in the water. Still got hope with the spread though. Come on TUBBY!

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:03 pm

6:02 American looks done. They're up by 3 still, but Nova is charging hard and they just look tired. All they're got now are desperation 3s and thats not gonna hold off Nova for another 8 minutes.

DBacks · Post by **DBacks** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:04 pm

6:03 Zaga and Akron - Comments about the humpty hump song and a wedding night that we all could have done without. Geeze.