The Final Bracketologist Post of the Year, (maybe)

I would like to take a minute to clear the air. We, here at Life Explained Department of Bracketology, don’t want anybody to lose. We would like everyone to win, go home happy, be greeted by celebrations, parades, adoring crowds, and unbridled adulation. But, we are realistic enough to understand that is not going to happen. So, as long as someone is going to lose it might as well be the teams we had picked to lose. Only one team is going to win the championship, that is a given, but, who wins is a matter of circumstance, luck, unkind fate, uncalculable variables.  

As long as that is the case we feel we would be remiss to just let nature take it’s toll on these hardworking young men. With that in mind we have a foolproof plan for next year’s tournament. We are going to fill out our bracket and email it to every school participating in the “big dance.” It will act as a script. They will know when to lose, and avoid all the heartbreak, all of the crushing pain of loss, and the inescapable cloud of uncertainty. 

Now they can plan their spring breaks, know when to plan their homecoming parade, the coaches could schedule vacations, golf trips, and time with the family. Fans will know exactly how many tickets to buy and would be able to book rooms and arrange travel. It would be a boon for so many people. Plus, we would do so much better in the pools.

It is probably going to work so much better than our previous attempt. We asked each team how many games they intended to win. Oddly enough they all said they were going to win all the games, and intended to be champions. That plan, relying as it did on the ability to understand ego and reality was riddled with flaws. We feel this plan has some real potential, some real possibilities. We should have thought of this years ago. 

I would like to mention my friend Mike Raven, over at the Blog Of Thog, has something cooking up for next weekend. Mike may not be much of a cook, but he knows a little bit about having a drink, and writing a blog post.  Go check it out, and see if you are interested. 

Don’t forget about my coming trip to Shawnee State Park. Save some time to read all about it, and watch the blockbuster movie, made with my newest app, LumaFusion if I decide to spring for the twenty samoleons. It looks like an app I need to have. But, twenty bucks, I don’t know.  If you have a vote let me know in the comments.

Pick your winners?

We are halfway through the Elite Eight and have almost arrived at the Final Four.   In essence, we are at the So Close Six.  With five games left to play, I am no longer in the running for the Warren Buffett / Quicken Loans Billion Dollar Dream.  I have no chance to win any of the pools I entered, all of the teams I really like are eliminated, and I am left to choose the least distasteful from the teams remaining.  Kind of like almost every year.

But, there is no sadness, or self pity around here.  If loss is uncomfortable, you should probably find a different choice of viewing pleasure, because as Danny O'Keefe sang so hauntingly and so appropriately so long ago, "sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, good time Charlie's got the blues."  So, I will watch the games today, make my choice in the Final Four and post it here, tomorrow.

You might wonder why I do this, you might ask "Tim, why do we care who you pick?"  A very good question.  It is a public service, and I like to give you plenty of time to make wagers against the team I choose, because no matter how good they are, they have no chance.   I am like the Sports Illustrated jinx, magnified, bulked up, and packing heat.

At this point, I should apologize to a person who writes a very enlightening, insightful blog, and happens to be a Virginia Cavaliers fan, and I dragged them into the abyss, with the Huskers and the Cardinals, and the Jayhawks, and... and I am sorry.

On a plus note, I have found a way to win without cheating, technically, at Words With Friends.

Pumpkin Face added to protect the Innocent.

Strange, isn't it?

Last night I had the strangest dream, wonderful, but odd.  I dreamed that the Nebraska Cornhuskers beat the Wisconsin Badgers in basketball.  Weird, right?  What makes it even more unbelievable is the part of the dream where the Badgers were on eight game winning streak, including wins over ranked Iowa, and Michigan teams.  And it happened on the same day the Cornhusker Women's team beat Iowa to win the Big Ten tournament.

Here is where it gets really strange.  By winning the game Nebraska played it's way to a first round bye in the Big Ten tournament, and many people feel that the team earned an at large bid for the NCAA tournament.

Every Husker Fan Loves Terran Petteway!  Thank you Cornhuskers Men's
Basketball Facebook Page, and Thank You, Terranasaurus!

And, if that were not crazy enough, the Cornhuskers, in this amazing dream, had the leading scorer in the Big Ten, and he was only a sophomore.  Surrounding this marvelous, magical sophomore was a whole team of outlandishly talented, victory hungry, underclassmen, with more sitting on the bench.  And, they had a coach who was enthusiastic, energetic, and won everywhere.  Taking teams (like Nebraska) and turning them into winners, time after time, and he was coaching Nebraska now!!!

Man, I hated to wake up this morning.  Well, off to get some coffee, and tell my wife about this wonderful dream.

NEWS FLASH!  This just in!  Our fact checker (my wife, who is pretty smart, smart enough to know how fragile I am when discussing college basketball in March) just informed me this was no dream, but all of this really happened.

Thank you Cornhuskers Men's Basketball
Facebook Page, and Thank you  CBS And
Thank you Walter Pitchford.

Thank you Cornhuskers Men's Basketball
Facebook Page, and Thank you  CBS And
Thank you Shavon Sheilds

I know there are a lot of people who deserve a lot of credit for this dream season, but hey I was lucky to get these photos on here.  Blogger does not make that easy, you know. So, thank you all, and keep your eyes on this blog, you just might see your picture.

March Insanity.

Here at Life Explained we are big, big sports fans.  We enjoy the thrill of competition, the noble pursuit of victory, the never ending chase of perfection.  And, we enjoy it from our couches and recliners, with a big plate of nachos, and a couple of beers.  We were particularly excited for this years cold, and flu season.  It is a wide open race to the top seed in the cold and flu playoffs!

The last couple of seasons there was a clear favorite to win the cold and flu championship.  A lead pipe lock to the cold and flu title.  Not this year, it is a whole new game.  Sure, there are a couple of heavy hitters that look like they could go all the way.  But, it could be the year of the underdog.

The bird flu (H5N1, for those of you with a score card) is looking pretty tough, but what do you expect from a group of creatures that figured out how to fly thousands of years ago.  You know they are always going to come up with a contender.  It is always a safe bet.


But, the swine flu (H1N1, if you are thinking of looking at the latest line from Vegas) is making a late season run, too.  Trust me, pigs really know how to generate some germy stuff, including virus'.  Just grab yourself a BLT, and check out the nearest pig pen.  They are, at the very least, unsanitary, and probably worse, filthy, (as a side note, my mother always said my room at home was the worst looking pig sty she had ever seen, when pressed for details she assured me it was a very complicated grading process, one I would never understand).  It is obvious hygiene means little to the average swine.

Anyway, it is a very exciting season, and we have started a pool.  Anybody can play, just send your completed bracket and $5.00 to us at;

The Top Secret Life Explained Headquarters,
****************
**********. ** *****
(address redacted)

 If you win we will send you the money, we promise, you can trust us.

A funny thing happened on the way to spring training.

Growing up in Nebraska provides an incentive to become a college football fan.  The Cornhuskers are normally pretty good, and win enough to keep most people happy.  It provides a certain herd like solidarity, and makes for good conversation.  However, at some point, the details are foggy with the passing time, college basketball became my favorite sport.

Basketball games are frenetic, passionate, fluid affairs.  They are an art form unique to sports were height and strength are rewarded, but so are quickness, speed and elusiveness.  Each game is a drama, complete with heroes (your team), villains (the other team) and corrupt, indifferent administrators (the referees).  That was just a joke, the referees do a fine job, when my team wins.  Each season is a chase to end, teams trying to win enough games to get a good spot in the conference tournament, and a chance to play for the National Championship in the NCAA tourney.

The NCAA tournament is a season of it's own.  A single elimination meat grinder that chews up dreams and leaves them on basketball courts in places like Dayton, Lexington, Palo Alto, or Syracuse.  Out of 68 one will go home champions and the rest will take their place in the shadows.  It is the pinnacle of sports entertainment, it is my fantastic.

But, as a Nebraska fan it was more a show of support to watch a game, maybe a little punishment that you took with a good natured smile as you thought "well, at least we were only down by eight at halftime."  Even though we got trounced.  But, they were Huskers, so you loved them.

Then something strange happened, Nebraska hired this guy to coach the team.  He was exuberant, and charming, and he had such a youthful appearance and enthusiasm that it seemed like they may have picked the biggest smile from the student section and made him the coach.  But, there was something about him, something promising, it came through during interviews, and in the way he carried himself.  Even my wife said he was going to do good things.

Last year, Coach Miles had a rough year, his players were mostly recruits from the previous staff, and he did well, and never lost his composure.  His exuberance was contagious, and his charm was undeniable, and he looked like he enjoyed what he was doing, and he seemed to love the players.  He always seemed to say the right thing, in a way that made you like him more.

This year, his teams started winning, beating teams named Indiana, Ohio State, even Michigan State, in East Lansing, and when they play it is with a manic, wonderful joy, that is fun to watch, because it looks like they are having fun on the court.  They jump into passing lanes, and back again with a quickness that is alarming, they shoot, and rebound, and move, and win.  And, through the winning Coach Miles is as pleasant and charming.

He has recruits who are winning now, and there are some, waiting on the bench, and will be on the court next year, and his team is only going to get better.  Tonight Penn State comes to Lincoln and I will be watching on the Big Ten Network, and Nebraska will try to avenge a loss from earlier this year.  My advice to all right minded people out there, start watching, and cheering, and enjoying the show, order your Nebrasketball shirts, and hats, it is going to get better.  Bob Dylan said it best.

"Come along with me, babe, I wish you would,
You know what I'm saying, it's all good."

Dylan wouldn't lie.

Thank you, Coach Miles, it is nice to be able to say Go Big Red in February.