For What It's Worth

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

If it means anything at all, this is the first time all week I have even looked at the NCAA brackets for this year. It’s 12:00am on Wednesday as I type this. By now I usually have Carolina written into the sweet 16 (even in off years) and fill in the brackets accordingly. I’ve done it that way for 20 years. Not this year. The dark cloud over the Heels this year caused “the boy” and I to not watch nearly as much college basketball as we normally do. With that in mind, Here’s my picks:

Sweet 16: Kansas, Maryland, Georgetown, Ohio State, Syracuse, Butler, Pitt, Kansas St., Texas, Wisconsin, Marquette, West Virginia, Louisville, Texas A&M, Baylor and Villanova.

Elite 8: Kansas, Ohio State, Syracuse, Pitt, Texas, West Virginia, Louisville and Villanova

Final 4: Kansas, Syracuse, Texas and Villanova

Championship: Kansas and Villanova

Champion: Kansas

My only gripe with the selection committee is that they blew my pre-season prediction that either Kentucky or Texas would win it this year by putting them in a potential matchup in the 2nd round. Then again, Texas’s fall from #1 to an 8 seed didn’t help either. I said before the season started that Kentucky would win it all. I still think they could (then be on probation in 2 years but that’s another post). However I am taking Texas because they are LOADED. If they can figure out what caused their slide the last 6 weeks, they can easily run the table to the Final Four. 6 wins brings home a Championship.

Ohio State’s bracket scares me a bit. There are great teams through out that region. It could be anyone’s game. In true Tar Heel fashion, I had to choose Duke getting upset. I like Louisville’s chances in the 2nd round. Matter of fact, nothing would make me happier. Don’t go to sleep on West Virginia either. They could run the table too. A West Virgina and Kentucky Elite 8 game would be some “must see TV”.

So there you have it. That and 50 cents will get you a whole lot of nothing. What a difference a year makes….