Why does ESPN even have “experts” picking to talk about the NCAA tournament? Their insight is no better (actually, it’s worse) than simply looking at the seedings. Last year, we heard “look out for Long Beach State,” which got dismantled by Tennessee in the first round.
This year, ESPN had five “experts” pick their Elite 8 and Final Four during their “Bracketology” special about how to fill in your brackets. Of the combined 40 teams they selected in the Elite 8, 33 of them were either a 1- or 2-seed. And of the 20 Final Four teams, only four weren’t a No. 1 seed. Two of the five “experts” had all the No. 1 seeds in the Final Four (oh, by the way, that’s never happened).
Somebody made a “wacky” pick and had No. 6 USC in the Elite 8; Bob Knight thinks a 4-seed, Pittsburgh, will win it all. Other than that, you can just look at the seedings to see who the “experts” picked.
Listening to them talk for an hour, you realize how Susie, the woman who picked Georgetown to win it all (because her husband is named George) over Purdue (because her daughter’s boyfriend went there), ends up winning every office pool.
By the way, this “expert” called a Stanford-Cornell first-round match-up a week ago (they are sister schools; oh, that silly selection committee!). This expert’s completely meaningless national championship game: UCLA over Louisville. -Cyd Zeigler jr.
Why does ESPN even have “experts” picking to talk about the NCAA tournament? Their insight is no better (actually, it’s worse) than simply looking at the seedings. Last year, we heard “look out for Long Beach State,” which got dismantled by Tennessee in the first round.
This year, ESPN had five “experts” pick their Elite 8 and Final Four during their “Bracketology” special about how to fill in your brackets. Of the combined 40 teams they selected in the Elite 8, 33 of them were either a 1- or 2-seed. And of the 20 Final Four teams, only four weren’t a No. 1 seed. Two of the five “experts” had all the No. 1 seeds in the Final Four (oh, by the way, that’s never happened).
Somebody made a “wacky” pick and had No. 6 USC in the Elite 8; Bob Knight thinks a 4-seed, Pittsburgh, will win it all. Other than that, you can just look at the seedings to see who the “experts” picked.
Listening to them talk for an hour, you realize how Susie, the woman who picked Georgetown to win it all (because her husband is named George) over Purdue (because her daughter’s boyfriend went there), ends up winning every office pool.
By the way, this “expert” called a Stanford-Cornell first-round match-up a week ago (they are sister schools; oh, that silly selection committee!). This expert’s completely meaningless national championship game: UCLA over Louisville. -Cyd Zeigler jr.