It’s Sweet Sixteen time in the 2012 NCAA Tournament and we certainly haven’t seen the usual load of upsets and heart-pounding finishes. Although this is true, there have been not one, but two 15 seeds knocking off two seeds, as Norfolk State stunned Missouri and Lehigh shocked Duke. Other than those two bracket-busters, there has mostly been chalk. Will that continue in the Sweet Sixteen? It is time to find out. Here are my picks for day one the 2012 Sweet Sixteen:
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(ALL GRAPHICS MADE BY SAM BRIEF)
sam, this post is astounding…from the lede [newspaper talk] to the finish, you take your readers on a fast-paced ride, packed with informed opinion and writing that sizzles.
great job!
love from g-pa
Thanks!!
This blog is fantastic– great graphics!
Thanks so much!!
How long has it been since the orange were in the final four??
Their last Final Four appearance was in 2003.
I agree with you on Wisky. If we are going to see an upset today it will be in that game. Wish Missouri was still around to face Marquette, was looking forward to that game. I love Ohio State’s chances this year, they received a fraction of the attention this year they did last year and seem to be more balanced as a team with Thomas down low and Craft is a very smart player.
Thanks Gary. In terms of the potential Missouri-Marquette game you were talking about, while I think that would have been a great game, Michigan State – Missouri would have been one of the best games in the tournament.
Sam
My brackets have been busted , so my work colleagues and I have resorted to assessing the remaining teams , placing their names on a piece of paper and then sticking them up on a dart-board . Then we simply take shots at determining a winner . .
By the way there’s no truth to the rumors that Stan Van Gundy will take his talents to the WNBA and coach a team ….. there . Damn ! I wish he would !
Rumor has it that Saints’ owner Tom Benson is looking to hire a hit-man to ” take out “ Sean Payton , Joe Vitt and Gregg Williams . Now wouldn’t that be something ? Saints’ GM Mickey Loomis is said to have gone into hiding . LOL,LOL,LOL !!!
The wins by Norfolk State and Lehigh surely busted quite a bit of brackets.
About the Saints, I am glad that the NFL is starting to hand out strict punishments. The bounties are an act of crime, and it is releiving to see the penalties come forth.
No doubt there’ve been some terrific results in the tournament and it will abate the idiocy of these on air personalities claiming that many of the smaller programs shouldn’t be there at all .
I’m just glad that Goodell has finally shown that he’s got a backbone ! I actually thought that he was a a eunuch ! No ‘ balls’ whatsoever ! Next up should Payton be allowed to return to his position , given the fact that he lied repeatedly not only to owner Tom Benson but also to Goodell and the investigators from the NFL ? $500,000 is a small price to pay ….. financially given the millions in revenues that the Saints receive annually .
I’m glad to see schools like Ohio and NC State in the Sweet Sixteen. There is no doubt that they earned their way in with grit, toughness and determination.
Four schools from the state of Ohio left in the tournament . They’ve got to be doing something right don’t you think ?
Oh for sure, but I only have one of those schools going to the Elite Eight: Ohio State.
I’m just impressed ! I’m glad that Shaka Smart didn’t accept the Illinois position !
Him and VCU are a great fit. I am also glad that he is staying.
Nice job. The Badgers lack of front court depth scares me. Not sure they can get by an Orange team that has way more offensive firepower. I’ll be rooting for Bo Ryan and company…
Wisconsin does lack a threat in the frontcourt, but, with the absence of Fab Melo, so does Syracuse.
If Berggren gets into foul trouble, they could struggle…
Well, what a game that was! Wisconsin really caught fire from downtown, but they couldn’t stop Syracuse when they needed to. That last possession wasn’t ideal either, with Jordan Taylor dribbling for ten seconds.
Great game…the Cuse was lucky to escape. Most teams wouldn’t be able to overcome that hot of shooting from the other team
Yes, that stretch when Wisconsin hit six threes in a row was just sick.
Great post Sam. The Louisville Cardinals vs. Michigan State Spartans game is a toss up to me. Siva is finally anchoring the offense and if he is able to drive and dish consistently, Louisville has a great chance in winning this game. I am just glad you had Ohio St. winning or I would’ve went crazy… hehe
As of now, Louisville is up 46-38. I guess they truly are on a roll. This year’s UConn?
Cardinals to the Elite 8 huh? What about that? My pick of the year is the Buckeyes and they’re still in it…. I think they will pass through Syracuse.
They most likely will. Sullinger and Thomas down low can overpower a limited Syracuse frontcourt.
Now, I’ve got Louisville winning it all.
The MSU Spartans now how have feet of clay or more appropriately concrete ? Dead and buried ! Now it’s on to the next round where just about anything and everything could very well happen .
So Tim Tebow and Antonio Cromartie might not be sharing the same area of seating when the Jets travel for their away games next season ? That was really a warm welcome to Tebow from the Jets’ player before the trade don’t you think ?
44 points is unacceptable for a one-seed. It’s the lowest by a Michigan State team in NCAA Tournament history.
Oops ! But that mightn’t be the worse offensive output we’re liable to see in the tournament so at this juncture watch and pray for something better .
For sure. The scoring in this Tournament has been putrid.
I would like to thank Billy Donovan for choking in the second half against Louisville ! That wasn’t a bone that the Gators’ players choked on and ” swallowed ” was it ?
I think Louisville’s perseverance in the second half was the biggest factor.
I couldn’t understand why Donovan didn’t adjust in terms of the team’s play .
Spent this past weekend in Key Biscayne , taking in the Sony Ericcson Open tennis tournament . Great fun .
tophatal …………
Fun! Glad you had a good time!
If at all interested merely click unto to the link shown .
Damn I Knew He Was Good …. But Really !
Never one to look ” a gift horse in the mouth ” ! Tickets came free , courtesy of the girlfriend and one of her business clients .
tophatal ………
Cool! Sounds fun, I’m glad you were able to go!
I want to take in the new Marlins’ ballpark but I want to know what the hell they were thinking in terms of making it only a 37,000 seater ( max. capacity ) venue ! That to me is far too small but then again baseball within the state has never been truly supported at the professional level . Simply look at the attendance figures over the last two years for the Marlins ( 2011 & 2010 ) and Rays .
Opening Day however , tends to be an anomaly in terms of attendance so the games played thus far tends to reveal that .
tophatal ………….
I think people forgot just how bad the Marlins are. Even with the new stadium and the new look, they seem to still stink.
Sam
With the outlay made by the Marlins in terms of their off-season moves it’s now or never for the organization . I use to be a fervent supporter of the team (now an avid Braves’ fan) ’til that butt-hole Jeffrey Loria becamse such a lying SOB ! They’re ready off to a horrible start and it could very much mirror their entire season in terms of their inept play so far .
If at all interested let me know what you think ? Merely click unto link shown to view .
An Ass By Any Other Name Is Still An Ass !
tophatal
They got a new look, a new stadium, a new manager and even some new players, yet they still stink…
Sam
Were you under the impression that because of Guillen and the players acquired things would change for the Marlins ?
If by June this team isn’t contending in the NL East then you might as well count them out !
tophatal ………
I had a feeling that they would become a decent team at the least.
For now they’re a decent ….. team but look at the mess Guillen … now has himself in after his comments concerning Fidel Castro ? How much of an @ss does this guy happen to be ? And did he not realize what outrage his comments would create in of all places Miami ? A city where more than 55% of the populace just happens to be of Cuban lineage and anti Castro.
Courtesy of USA Today
Marlins Ballpark is in Little HAVANA. These comments were obnoxious and ill-advised. I don’t know why Guillen felt the need to say this.
Sam don’t blame Ozzie Guillen …. solely for this mess but also the Marlins’ front office as they sold their souls to the Devil to get him as the next manager to succeed Jack McKeon . I mean this is the same guy who derided Ken Williams and Jerry Reinsdorf , the two senior most executives within the White Sox organization . And the Marlins expected this to be all smooth sailing ? What a bunch of idiots !
The warning signs were already there with his antics before he left the White Sox . His anti homophobic rants , and expletive laced postgames interviews in the end became way too much ! And it simply showed him to be a coach who’d lost his touch in spite of the World Series’
win .
Ozzie is about to be designated a state department special ambassador as he’s about to be assigned a post in Iran . Nice !
The comments came out of Ozzie Guillen’s mouth, not the Marlins’ management. It falls 100% on Guillen.
Sam
The Marlins’ front office knew exactly what they were getting with Ozzie Guillen ! So for them to be to somewhat angered by this all is a joke ! Guillen derided White Sox execs Kenny Williams (general manager ) and owner Jerry Reinsdorf as way of getting himself out of Chi-town and you’re suggesting that the Marlins didn’t know what to expect from this ” moron “ ? It’s been a pattern of behavior of his for years that simply hasn’t changed . Never mind his anti homophobe slurs and expletive laden rants in his postgame interviews . Guillen’s IQ might just be higher than that of Paris Hilton’s and Kim Kardashaian’s combined !
Lamar Odom is a cretin ! A wannabe reality tv star whose NBA career has been on the decline . Never mind the fact that he and “skanky wife ” </b< supposedly avow their love for each other and want kids . Perhaps if he acknowledged the kids he'd already fathered then perhaps someone could take him seriously . The Mavericks were right
to cut himhaving bought out his contract !tophatal ……..