Madness is here!

Okay, so it's NCAA tourney time. Two things I'd like to point out this year: the Hogs are NOT going to the big dance, and the Horns are an 8 seed.

First of all, is anyone really surprised that the Hogs ended the season the way they did? Last year they started off so well, beating Oklahoma and Texas and then they tanked and went 2-14 in SEC play. This year, it was the opposite. They started out bad, got better and got on a roll, then tanked at the end when it was most important for them to play well. The let LSU beat them. LSU, a team that hadn't won a single conference game all year, and they beat Arkansas. Now, one could look at this two different ways: the first way being how horrible it seems, the second being that the Hogs were very nice and kind to LSU, giving them their first win so they wouldn't suffer through a win less conference season. You can pick which one you think it is. (LOL)

Second of all, the Horns really blew it. They were ranked #1 in the country for all of a day, then ended the season on the lowest note ever. When I watched their games on television, I thought I was watching AAU basketball or something. They didn't look like they were playing at the college level at all. I'm not sure what's going on with them. I suppose they could get hot right now and win it all, but does anyone believe that will actually happen? Maybe they are playing with my mind. Maybe they'll come out smoking and go to the Final Four or something. But, I'm a fairly realistic person and I don't believe that. I think they'll win that first game and then lose to Kentucky. Now, I'm not of the opinion that Kentucky is unbeatable or that they'll go all the way. I watched them play Mississippi State today in the SEC tournament final and they BARELY beat the Bulldogs. Miss State is a good team, but come on...Arkansas beat them. I think the Kentucky Wildcats are good, but I'm not ready to crown them the victors just yet. If Texas starts playing the way they played at the beginning of the season they could get past Wake Forest and then Kentucky. Who knows...maybe some of that New Orleans voodoo will work again the Demon Deacons and Wildcats and work FOR my Horns. I still love my buddies in burnt orange and I always will, but they've broken my heart many times this season and I'm bitter. Since I don't have another team to cheer for....Go Horns!

Now, I have to mention that the ONLY team from Arkansas in the tourney is the Golden Lions from UAPB. Great story here. I'll cheer for them, but they've got a tough road to get anywhere. They have to win the "play-in" game before they can even get to the actual tournament. I'll cheer for them. Assuming they can win the first game against Winthrop they'll have to turn around and play Duke. Good luck with that.

So, I'll fill out a bracket. I'm not going to call a winner here yet, but it'll be fun this year. Who wants to have a "bracket war" with me? Any takers or is everyone scared? :)