March 16, 2005
Let's do the math.If I never participate in another office pool again, I'll save five bucks a year for, let's say, the next 50 years.That means I would have $250 more when I die. I could pass it along to my grandchildren, give it to charity, or make a difference in somebody's life with that money.Instead, I'll just keep pissing it away.Every March, I keep jumping back into the office pool, even though I'll never win. That's the only certainty in March Madness. Those who know the most will finish last.When I was growing up, we used to have a family pool with a pretty sizeable pot, thanks to the wonders of my large stepfamily. Every year, my mother would win it, making her picks on whose uniforms she liked the best.This year, I fully expect my girlfriend who used to think that March Madness was a sale at Nordstrom's to take home the pot.Anyways, I gave it my best effort again this year. If you're interested in my picks, read on.If not, I'll try and post something after the Bucknell game.CINDERELLAS:It always seems that the non-conference teams that give KU trouble always go pretty far in March.With that in mind, I'm picking Pacific (which everybody has picked, I'm told) to upset Washington and Louisville and reach the elite eight. The Tigers are a well-coached, experienced team that knows how to win.Along those lines, I'm also predicting Wisconsin-Milwaukee to reach the sweet sixteen. Also, KU will never see Wisconsin this weekend.Northern Iowa will knock off the Badgers, then dedicate the game to UNI alum Terry Allen.OVERRATED:Does anybody and I mean anybody believe in the Pac-10?Somehow, I have Arizona making it to the second weekend, where the Wildcats will be the last Pac-10 team standing.Also, I'm not buying into the Kentucky hype. That's a team that couldn't beat KU at home without Wayne Simien. Plus, ever since winning the title, Tubby Smith has endured some Roy Williams-esque faceplants in the big dance.KU:I'd love to [see it happen,][1] but I don't think the Jayhawks will be alive for the Roy Reunion in the elite eight. The athleticism of Connecticut's front line proves to be too much for Christian Moody and company, and the Huskies eliminate the Jayhawks 78-72.Still, there's nothing to be ashamed about a sweet sixteen appearance. If KU makes it to the second weekend, it will be the fifth straight year the Jayhawks advanced the second-longest such streak in the nation.FINAL FOUROklahoma State, Wake Forest, UConn, and Duke.The Cowboys beat the Blue Devils in a shocker, and Eddie Sutton rides off into the sunset.That's just my two cents or when it comes to the company pool, my five dollars. [1]: http://blogs.lawrence.com/rigg/2005/mar/13/prayer/
Comments
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Joel (Joel Mathis) says...
Heh heh, of course, heh heh, office pools are ILLEGAL. So what I'm sure you're talking about, heh heh, is your $5 in Monopoly money.
March 16, 2005 at 3:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chrisgladfelter (anonymous) says...
For what it's worth, ESPN basketball gurus Digger Phelps and Andy Katz both predicted that Pitt would beat Pacfic and that KU would beat UConn. I don't know who Vitale picked, but he has three teams from the ACC in the Final Four. What a shocker.
March 16, 2005 at 3:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Joel (Joel Mathis) says...
Also: Five bucks a year for 50 years would be $250.
You're going to be one of those office pool criminals we read about in "News of the Weird," aren't you?
March 16, 2005 at 4:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Rigg (Mike Rigg) says...
Joel,
That's why I wasn't a math major. I'll change it before anybody else reads this.
March 16, 2005 at 6:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cwrist (Chris Wristen) says...
Joel,
That's his journalism degree shining through :-)
March 16, 2005 at 7 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lazz (anonymous) says...
I'm shocked, shocked!, to find that gambling is going on here!
You know, I think I'm gonna spout the sort of steam I usually reserve for the issues discussed over at Yellowdog and say, DAMN! Who got the burr under their saddle and ruined the office NCAA pool? Whatever self-appointed Morality Police decide to take up this cause really should back the F--- Down. Seriously. Since when was having fun against the damn law, written and otherwise, in this country?
And I just find it so G.D. OUTRAGEOUS that our governments sanction and profit from the most absurb gambling systems ever invented -- the public lottery -- and yet our prosecutors, cops and self-beloved politicians are out there looking to bust up $5 NCAA office pools.
The hypocrisy is just numbing ...
March 17, 2005 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Rigg (Mike Rigg) says...
Lazz,
They aren't out there actively busting up office pools.
I have never heard of that rule actually being enforced, sort of like the right-of-ways on four way stops around town.
March 17, 2005 at 11:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tater (anonymous) says...
I'll admit every time I do one of these things I use some sort of logical process to figure out who will win. Every year I get burned. So this year I tried to not know the difference betweeen Utah and UTEP. I just picked teams by my gut feeling. Hyphend schools will win the first game. The bigger state will win. Teams with green unis will win on St. Pattys day.
Either way I have the same final four picks as you Rigg. Should I be concerned?
March 17, 2005 at 12:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lazz (anonymous) says...
no, they're not handcuffing office-pool bettors and dragging them through the streets in stockades, but every year there's stories about district attorneys reminding people that gambling pools are illegal, somebody somewhere gets busted, a firehouse gets busted or something else happens that makes news ... and in general, the "office pools" don't seem to be as ubiquitous as they once were. just seems that every year somebody is getting their face in the paper or on TV to remind everyone that gambling is illegal, and the whole idea of office pools gets poo-pooed again ... the story in today's paper, notebook item about Shaq saying he has KU picked to win it all, he adss, "Be sure to write in there that there's no money involved." Yeah, go forbid guys on an NBA team get together on a $20 NCAA pool ... baseball teams used to always have big NCAA pools during spring training, anybody could buy in, reporters or aybody else ... not so anymore...
just the whole Stop Having Fun culturewars ...
March 17, 2005 at 12:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
alm77 (anonymous) says...
Well, you got one thing right....
"Also, KU will never see Wisconsin this weekend."
March 19, 2005 at 7:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )