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The stage has finally been set. The teams have been selected. This week 64 teams will battle it out to become one of the finalists in both men’s and woman’s college basketball. The Final Four. 64 teams from the men, 64 teams from the ladies will battle head to head in a three week span of looser go home competition that will keep most of America occupied and on their seat. Forget the rest of the world people, it’s time for March Madness!!
I’ve been spending the last week or so going over a lot of information on who’s in and who’s out in this year’s tournament. If you follow a lot of sports writers it can be mind boggling. It’s pretty much a case of no one really knows”who will be there at the end but of course there are the favorites. We all know however that the road to the final four will be strewn with upsets so fill your brackets accordingly. Try to follow your instincts and not your raw emotions (as I do). Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst and remember it’s only a game. It’s supposed to be fun right?
Let’s look at the four regions that represent the entire nation wide tournament and talk a little Turkey about the top seeds.
No one is going to have a tougher time getting to The Final Four Weekend in Phoenix then Purdue. To be one of the last teams standing they have to get thru a Midwest region that includes Tennessee, Gonzaga, Kansas, Creighton and TCU, all tops teams playing well except for Tennessee that seemed to go slack at the end of the year. Like most people I like Perdue to come out of the Midwest on top but they live and die by their big man Zach Edey. At 7’4” and 300 pounds this guy is a monster and literally lays waste to anything in the paint but without him Perdue is a foundering ship on a rough sea. Keep a close eye on his fitness and health because it can make the difference.
The Western region holds a lot of the Blue Bloods of College Basketball but I would also call it the The Upset Region. North Carolina, Michigan State, Arizona and Baylor begin their quest for a championship here. Additionally New Mexico, coached by the son of Hall of Fame Coach Rick Pitino, is on a hot streak and could be aiming for an upset of any one if these teams. I still like Carolina in this region but The Lobos look dangerous.
The South Region is by far the weakest region. Duke and Kentucky, both perennial favorites for The Championship, should rip thru this region like a fox in a henhouse. The top seed in this region, Houston, is by far one of the greatest over rated teams in the tournament. I’m looking for a first or second round knock out if the Cougars. How they slipped in as a top seed I had no idea but of course if I’m wrong I’ll be the first to admit it, maybe!
What can you say about the East Regional? Placing UConn in with the likes of FAU, Auburn, Drake and Iowa State virtually assures the Huskies a spot in the final four. I don’t see anyone stopping UConn but you never know. Added to the fact that they most likely have three of the top ten draft picks in this year’s NBA lottery draft and are time tested as last year’s champions you have a good shot at The Title. I like UConn a lot but not to win it all.
As it is only Wednesday I’m still not sure how I’ll fill out my bracket. I have some favorites to come out of the regions I’m also checking out some upset possibilities just to make things interesting. I think there are some very strong teams that have been overlooked. Michigan State, NC State , Duquesne and Wisconsin come to mind. All strong teams that finished strong in the regular season do well.
The bottom line in all sports is of course this; They play the games for a reason. There’s no sure lock to win it all. It’s a one loss and go home situation no matter if you are Florida, Duke or Wagner University. That’s why I love it. A small school team could end up being Cinderella or David slewing The Goliath. So sit back, ice up the beer and enjoy the games people and make sure you listen to my weekly pod cast with several relevant picks for your wagering enjoyment!! Play On I Say!!
Kev
Kev's Corner Our Staffs Weekly Sports perspective
(click here for more of Kev’s past articles)
Daniel Weinman was crowned winner of the 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event on Monday, taking home a record breaking $12.1 million in winnings. Weinman had to outlast the other 10,043 entrants to take home the prize and get his hands on his share of live poker’s largest ever prize pool – a staggering $93,399,900. As well as taking home the prize money, 35-year-old Weinman also got his hands on the WSOP Main Event bracelet. The huge bracelet contains 500 grams of 10-karat yellow gold, as well as 2,352 various precious gemstones.
Daniel Weinman won the World Series of Poker's main event world championship on Monday in Las Vegas, earning $12.1 million along the way. Playing in the tournament for a 16th year, Weinman was tops in a deep pool of 10,043 players vying for $93.39 million. His victory came after just 164 hands at the final table. "I was honestly on the fence about even coming back and playing this tournament," the 35-year-old Atlanta native told reporters afterward. Weinman's final table featured Jan-Peter Jachtmann, who landed in fourth place and took home $3 million, as well as Toby Lewis, who finished seventh and secured $1.42 million. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the main event's entry pool far outpaced the previous record of 8,773 set in 2006. "I've always kind of felt that poker was kind of going in a dying direction, but to see the numbers at the World Series this year has been incredible," Weinman said. "And to win this main event, it doesn't feel real. I mean, [there's] so much luck in a poker tournament. I thought I played very well." Steven Jones finished second, securing $6.5 million. And Adam Walton settled for third and a $4 million prize.
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