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The Tortured Fans Department
The Tortured Fans Department will meet weekly to discuss the latest news in sports and music. Our focus will be on providing a fun listening experience for everyone. Topics will range from fantasy football sleepers to album reviews for our favorite artists. We will talk about travel, TV or whatever else catches our attention, but we promise there will be something for everyone in each episode.
The Tortured Fans Department
Ep. 36 - Let's Dance (NCAA Bracket Breakdown, Opening Round Games to Watch, Players to Keep an Eye On, Upsets and Final Four Picks)
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Shaun is joined by the cousins (Jeremy Goode and Shane Douglas) to dive deep into the NCAA Tournament Bracket.
The trio goes region by region highlighting the best games to watch, players to keep an eye on and teams who should be on upset alert. Then, they give their picks for each regional final before eventually picking the Final Four and National Championship.
Song: 'Let's Dance' - David Bowie (1983)
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Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another episode of the Tortured Fans Department podcast. I'm your host, Sean Boyle, and joining me today, as you can expect, it is the Cousins. Shane Douglas, Jeremy Good, back with me again. Boys, how are you?
SPEAKER_01Sean, you promised me that I could be on this podcast with someone else other than Jeremy.
SPEAKER_03I made no such promise.
SPEAKER_01I'm good. How are you?
SPEAKER_03I'm doing well. I'm doing well. Thank you for asking. Jeremy?
SPEAKER_02I'm doing great. I love Shane Doug, my guy. I did see Sean over the weekend. I came out to uh his neck of the woods. Always a treat. So it was uh it was great. We watched some hoops. It was great to see Sean this weekend.
SPEAKER_03It was a great weekend, Jeremy. Uh, a couple of quick housekeeping items before we get into a jam-packed episode. Listeners, if you have not done so already, please go listen to my interview with Shiz Alston. It was our first piece of March Madness content that we put out this week. I think it sets the stage well for this episode. You get a behind-the-scenes look at somebody who played in a lot of these big NCAA tournament games, and there's some funny stories to round out the show. Also, a reminder to please join our bracket challenge. The link is in the show description. The winner gets $100 to the podcast shop as long as they are subscribed and follow our Instagram account, and it is free to enter. So tell a friend to tell a friend. Boys, opening question Did you guys enjoy championship week and selection Sunday? Jarrell start with you.
SPEAKER_02I did. Very good. A lot of games, a lot of not a lot of times now it wraps up on Saturday, and only a few teams wrap uh have their championship on that Sunday. Uh it was good. High-level basketball. Um, interesting how some of uh these conferences unfolded, especially Atlantic 10, with Dayton getting there and then uh ultimately losing, but it looked like they could represent. It was great. Great, great weekend, great basketball, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no doubt. I I feel myself more drawn to the one-bid leagues than I am watching the power conference tournaments. Um, unless there's like a a bid stealer or bubble team that's uh advancing deep into the conference tournaments. Only one I can think of this year is Ole Miss. Um they got bounced in the semis of the SEC tournament, but yeah, I love the one-bid leagues because it's just it's life or death, do or die. Uh Ivy League final, for example, was just a classic game between Penn and Yale. Um so yeah, I I loved championship week. Probably my fourth favorite week of the year behind the opening weekend of the NSA tournament, the second weekend of the NSA tournament and final four weekend, but then championship weekend right there, number four.
SPEAKER_03I actually think I might put championship weekend ahead of Final Four weekend just for the sole reason that my team's usually not in the Final Four. And a lot of times the teams that are represented in the Final Four are teams that have been there before or won a title. There are obviously cases where you find yourself with a dog in the fight, but for the most part, my I'm not lucky enough to have my team make it that far. So championship week, it just feels like everything's coming at me at once. And I would lump selection Sunday into that week as well, where there's nothing better than that hour where we get the brackets. Also, on this note of the selection show, my highlight of the week was seeing Clark Kellogg shove little Bruce Pearl into a locker when he was crying about his son Steven not getting in the tournament. Bruce would try to get Steven in talking about oh, the strength of schedule and all these different metrics. And Clark just said, Yeah, they lost, they lost 16 times. Never has there been a team one game above 500 get in, Bruce. How about you read a book? And Bruce, Bruce didn't know what to do. Lights were on him, and no one was home for Uncle Brucey.
SPEAKER_02The show is great, the selection show. You get a great half hour, it flows well too. You're not waiting too long. Um, interesting little thing, someone did a FOIA request on FOIA um request on Bruce Pearl. Public school. Auburn's a public school, so you can do it. He's been paid $150,000 since leaving Auburn in September of last year. Do with it what you will with that info. He was also getting paid by CBS and TNT at the time, so not uh not a great look for Bruce, but you know, you you can see it too.
SPEAKER_03That sounds like an Alabama fan, yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's that's great journalism, too, by our resident journalists here calling it a FOIA request. Uh the common man current commonly refers to it as an open records request, but as a journalist does, you just think it's a next level journal.
SPEAKER_02It depends on the state, but yes.
SPEAKER_03Look at this. A little litigation fact for you, Shane, right back in your face. Uh, another opening question before we dive into the bracket breakdown. I think this is an important one. It's highly contested between people. There's lots of different methods to the madness. But how do you fill out a bracket? What is the order of operations? Do you go round by round, region by region? I want you to be as specific as possible. Shane, how do you go about doing it?
SPEAKER_01Yep, my PEMDAS for my bracket is I usually give it about twelve to sixteen hours to marinate from the end of the selection show. So about 2-3 p.m. on Monday is when I crack open the book of the bracket, if you will. And then I go region by region. Start around one for that particular region, work my way through. Uh don't have to finish the region, but I go around to all the regions, and then I kind of fill in the puzzle pieces from there.
SPEAKER_03Um Do you go top left to bottom left to top right to bottom right?
SPEAKER_01I usually go, yeah, top left to bottom left. Yep. Bottom right to top right.
SPEAKER_03Oh, you lost me. I was with you. I'm a firm believer. Yeah, no, that's he's going counterclockwise.
SPEAKER_01Counterclock, yeah. Wait, wait, wait. So you're going to be able to do it. Top bottom left.
SPEAKER_03No, I go top left, bottom left. I don't scroll, I'm a pen and paper guy. Okay, that's where you're wrong. First of all, I have it printed in front of me and I write it down. And then I have to put it in the computer. Oh, it's Mickey Mouse, but that I go about just putting it in the computer based on what I have written on paper.
SPEAKER_02It's also not my it's also not much scrolling either, but I yeah, it's top left, bottom left, top right, bottom right.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Shane, I I didn't want to jump down at you, but I will say I have to do it on paper first. My brain's not smart enough to see it all in a list format like they have on ESPN now. So I can't do it that way because then I don't even know what the bracket looks like if I'm not doing a physical copy.
SPEAKER_01Remind me how uh how many of your family bracket challenges have you won?
SPEAKER_03One more than you. That's that is uh a fact. So my name is on the trophy, my dad's is not, so that's important to remember. Barnacle Dave has never won, will never win. Uh do you guys have a trophy of your family?
SPEAKER_01Not for March Madness. Um we do have fancy football one. Um that's it's it's what I can tell you is I I am ultra competitive uh year in and year out. Uh I I wish Jeremy was in our family bracket pool, because that would be just easy, easy win for me there.
SPEAKER_02Who's stopping you from the invitation from inviting me?
SPEAKER_03You also also listeners, before these two derail the show, that's a good point, Shane. Uh see how we all stack up against the competition in the Tortured Fans bracket challenge. So a chance to beat myself, Jeremy Good, and Shane Douglas all this year.
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, I was just gonna say, can the winner of the bracket challenge, in addition to getting the gift card, also get a cameo from Jeremy Good?
SPEAKER_03Yes, we could get that. We could get that taken care of. Jeremy?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, I'll do, I'll do whatever. This is this is this is the podcast, for sure. I I'd also add, too, Dave, I did laugh at your son's joke, uh, chirp. I don't endorse it, but I did laugh. Dave is my guy, but I laughed.
SPEAKER_03All right, let's get to the bracket breakdown. We are going to go region by region, answering the same questions, just so you all know. They are going to look like this. We're going to talk about an opening round game that you cannot wait to watch. We're going to give you a team that we are picking for an upset. We're going to give you a player or two to watch in some cases. And then we're going to do a couple remaining fun facts about teams in that region. And lastly, we will wrap up each region with our Elite Eight matchup and the team that we are picking to go to the Final Four from that region. Once we do all of that, we will move to the next region. Our order will be top left, bottom left, top right, bottom right. That's how we're doing it. So if you're following along on paper, that's how that's how we're doing it. I guess we're going to start in the east. And I have gone ahead and I have named each region by a song name that I think represents the region pretty well. The east I have dubbed the Isn't she lovely region? Shout out, Stevie. I think this region is absolutely perfect. It is full of pedigree and prestige. There are six schools with two or more national titles in this region. Blue bloods, big brands, heavy hitters. I love to see it. I want to watch every game in this one twice.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, very apt name. Shout out Stevie Wonder. And just a little fun fact for everyone isn't she lovely, I believe, was the song that Harry Styles originally used to try out on the X Factor. Uh it was how One Direction came to be.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and he was horrible singing it. If you heard that clip back, we would all be like, well, he's not famous because it was pretty bad. He has improved drastically since then. All right, look, boys, let's get into it. Our first item on the docket in each region is going to be a game to watch in the first round. I'll kick things off. I have St. John's versus UNI circled Northern Iowa. It's Friday at 7.10 p.m. That is a prime time game. I think it's a dangerous game for St. John's. I won't officially mark this as an upset pick because I love my Johnnies, who have won 19 of 20. But SJU loves to run up and down, and Northern Iowa is great at getting back. They're a very good defensive rebounding team, and I think that will help them against the Johnnies. I think they might drag them into the mud a little bit. And while I think St. John's is happy to play a grinded out game, I think this one could be closer than the experts think. Jeremy, what do you have?
SPEAKER_02I have Ohio State TCU, 8-9 matchup. Uh both teams play really good basketball at the end of the season. Ohio State top the 12th uh in the country in shooting efficiency. TCU to end the season went 6-1, 9-2 in their last 11 games. Two teams that probably could have, you know, argued for a 7 seed, maybe, and yet they're in the 8-9, which kind of stinks for them. But it's going to be a good game. And assuming Duke moves on against Siena, whoever comes out of this game, Ohio State, uh TCU, that's a really good second-round game, in my opinion.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, both good games, no doubt. I am going to highlight uh the 6-11 matchup in this region, which is Louville versus the South Florida Bulls, Bullskitball, as they are commonly referred to by me. Um, I think this is gonna be a fun game. Uh USF plays a kind of fast fun brand of basketball. Um they haven't made the tournament in a while last time they were there. I think they knocked off our Temple Owls. Uh, but I think this is gonna be a very fun game. I don't have these uh stats picked out like you two do. Uh more of an eye test guy, and I think this one will be fun on the eyes.
SPEAKER_03Well, he is wearing glasses, folks. Uh team, a team that you are picking for an upset, Jeremy. I think you're going to be staying on this game. Is that correct?
SPEAKER_02Yes, great transition. We have uh South Florida. Uh Brian Hodgson uh is the coach at South Florida. They have the eighth best offense in the country, scoring, I think, just under 88 points per game. Uh before he goes off to Syracuse. A little foreshadowing. We'll see. Uh, I think he'll make I think he'll make a run at least against Louisville and beat them in the first round.
SPEAKER_01Yep. You took my pick as well, Jeremy. I'm gonna go with USF, which probably means that they are gonna get absolutely killed by Louvle for all taking them. Uh but I think this this game is taking place. Don't quote me on this. I don't know if this is accurate or not. I think this game's taking place in Buffalo. Did you just say that?
SPEAKER_02It is. No, I didn't, but I know where you're gonna go with this.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um, which is where Brian Hoggson is from. I can't his last name is spelled so weird. H-O-G-G-H. Hodgson. Uh Hodgson. Anyway, he's from there. He has family be uh that'll be in attendance, including his dad, who has uh dementia and has never seen him coach. Uh, you know, uh I don't know if it's head coach or assistant coach. Anyway, as a head coach, he's never seen his son uh coach live, he'll be in attendance. That factor right there, stars are aligning for USF. Plus, Lilville's best player, Michael Brown Jr., is definitely banged up. I don't know if he's gonna play or not. He'll probably play if I had to guess, but he's definitely banged up and not 100%.
SPEAKER_03I think I am on the same page as you both, which as Shane mentioned is probably worrisome for Bulls fans. I will also note those the Shane and Jar are both notorious chalk guys, scared to take upsets. So it it's it's very unsurprising that this is the most trendy upset pick in the bracket, and they're both on it. I will add a second game to monitor, and I think this is one where nobody in the world is picking UCF. And I think UCLA is a much better team. I think they're gonna beat UCL handily, but uh McCronin's traveling east, we know he doesn't like doing that, and it just seems like one of those games where everybody just writes UCLA quickly without giving the game much thought, and next thing you know, UCF wins and not a single person had it. So even though it's only a 10-7, I have not seen anybody pick UCF yet. So I'm gonna put UCLA as a team that also could be upset alongside Louisville. Shane, why don't you tell us the player or players you are watching in this region?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, as you said, this is just a stacked region with a bunch of good players on it. So I think I'm gonna go uh with a couple players from like the top seeds, uh, and then one from the lower seed as well. Uh so I'm gonna stay away from like one or two seeds, but here I'm gonna highlight the four-seed Kansas and the five seed St. John's uh for Kansas. If you haven't seen Darren Peterson play, he's projected to be the top pick in the NBA draft, and he's electric to watch when he plays. We've discussed him at length on this pod. He uh sometimes misses second halves with cramping and just misses games for this and that. Uh, you would hope during then say tournament that he's locked in. Um and if he is, he's gonna be a joy to watch. For St. John's, the Big East player of the year, Zuby Edge of Four is just really fun to watch. He just uh dominates down low block, but he can extend uh his game as well, hit a couple threes in the big East final. Uh and then from lower seed, we're gonna go with Isaiah Nelson from South Florida. Uh started his career at Arkansas State, transferred over to South Florida, won Coach Hogston. How's that? Hogson? Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Hodgson. Hodge. You're getting worse. Coach Bryan. I like that. Coach Bryan's good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Uh Coach Bryan went from Arkansas State to South Florida. Isaiah Nelson followed him over there, and he won the American uh conference player of the year this year. Really fun to watch during their conference tournament run. Um, so keep an eye on him.
SPEAKER_03I'm gonna give you one from a small school. This is somebody who's probably a one and done in this tournament, not in his college career. I don't think Cal Baptist will be able to beat Kansas, but stranger things have happened. But Dominique Daniels from Cal Baptist, he is a tiny guard who can light it up. He's a top five scorer in the country. I hope he plays well and he makes Kansas sweat at least a little bit. And also, it is the first ever NCAA tournament appearance for Cal Baptist. So we love to see that.
SPEAKER_02I have Tyler Bilodeau uh from UCLA, top scorer on the Bruins. He had a knee sprain recently, so what to watch for if he does play in general there. If he does, I think UCLA can go far. I think they can flirt with an uh you know, lead eight appearance, honestly. Of course, like Sean said, they could also get tripped up by UCF, but it starts with uh it starts with Bildo, and if he uh plays, uh they have I think their 17-point score in the lineup, that'll be big for UCLA.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and and Jared, good point. It's not just him that's banged up either. Donovan Dent, their uh their point guard, he left the Big Ten tournament with an injury again. Hope he plays, but definitely if he does, uh probably won't be 100%.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Mick Cronin has said that both guys will play, but that also is before the selection show where all coaches say all of their guys are coming back in a ploy to try to get the best seed possible. So uh take that with a grain of salt. Any fun facts or items of note in this region? Shane, what do you have for me?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh you're asking for fun facts. I'm gonna go in a little different direction.
SPEAKER_03Uh, listeners quickly, this is just what he does. And I I sensed it from his notes in the show, Doc. He takes my questions and he laughs in their face, and then he completely changes them and just talks about things he wants to talk about. So this is gonna be Shane's section at the end of each region. Here you go, Shane.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. Shane's dream matchup of the East region. Oh, we gotta start in the round of 32. Rick Petino versus Bill Self. If St. John's and Kansas both make it out of the round of 64, what a matchup we have there between two coaching giants in the round of 32.
SPEAKER_03And yes, Shane, I'm glad you brought that up. That goes into the isn't she lovely region for me. Seeing these two as a four-five, when you look at the other four fives across the country, these two are a sight for sore eyes. They are beautiful, they're stunning brands of basketball compared to some of these other matchups across the uh the tournament. Also, the coaches, like you just said, Patino versus self in the round of 32, if things go according to seed, it does not get much better than that that early in the tournament. Chef's kiss.
SPEAKER_02Fun fact for me on this one. Uh, kind of like what Shane said. The fun fact is this is the Hall of Fame coaches region. Uh, Shane mentioned a few. You also could have Cronin against uh Dan Hurley in the uh round of 32. In Philadelphia, maybe it extends in the South Philly parking lots where they get fist fights with those two. That'll be fun. Uh, but it would also have been nice if some of the teams of the East were spread out in the West and the Midwest. But like the East is it, it's it'll be cool. They're good teams are gonna knock out good teams early, which is uh a little different than a lot of times. So that'll be fun.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, everywhere you look in this region, there's a big brand of basketball and then a big named head coach. So I think that's what makes it so appealing. And maybe it's like the old man in me that's starting to see things in this manner. But when I see all these teams, especially the top six seeds in this league, and I guess seven if you include UCLA, when you see all those packed into one regional, and then you see a regional like the Midwest or a br uh a region like the West where there's they're lacking a bit of pop, it really does make me wish they were spread out a bit more, even if it is fair based on this year's performance. It's just the name association with those big brands that really makes me wish they were dispersed a bit better. Also, my fun fact a number three seed has not made the final four since 2019. So it's a six-year drought for three seeds making the final four, which is the longest it's been in, I think over 50 years. So that changes this year, in my opinion, as I transition us into our picks from this region. I am going with Johnny's versus Sparty in the regional final. St. John's versus Michigan State. I think this bracket breaks nicely for the Spartans. And of course, I'm taking the three seed Michigan State to reach the Final Four. I'm addicted to taking Tom Izzo in March, January, February, Izzo, April. And I think we get back to that. It's it's just it's just in my blood that I have to ride with my guy Tom, even though they're offensively challenged a lot of the time. I kind of just hope they grind it out and they're somebody is able to take care of Duke so they don't have to. That would be my preference. If St. John's or Kansas is able to slay that dragon so we don't have to go to battle, that would be great. But I'm gonna go with St. John's facing Michigan State in the Elite Eight, Michigan State going to the Final Four. Also, if you guys want to touch on as you make your picks, I think Duke got a pretty bad draw.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no doubt. I uh what a shame. I just feel so bad for Duke. Breaks my heart. So bad for them. No, just kidding. I mean, I don't feel bad at all for them. Uh, but it is true that they got a brutal draw. Um just a loaded. I in my opinion, the East is is the toughest uh toughest region here.
SPEAKER_03Um Yeah, Shane, I would say I would say to back that up, I think you could argue that the East has the best two, three, four, and five seeds individually. I think you could argue that. I now the committee obviously didn't see it that way, but I think we could easily make that argument that if we had to pick a seed, a team from each seed line, the East has the best of those.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no doubt. And if I'm if I'm a one seed and you ask which region I do not want to be in based on the the other teams in that region, I am 100% picking the East. As the region I do not want to be in.
SPEAKER_03Correct, yeah. Who do you have, Shane, as your Elite Eight matchup and Final Four team from this region?
SPEAKER_01So uh a little bit of a cop out here. Uh I'm gonna have Yukon against the winner of the potential Kansas versus St. John's matchup in the Elite Eight. Uh and I think I'm going to go Yukon making the final four. Dan Hurley. Um, now it's it's tough because like when you're filling out your bracket and you take an upset like a like a four or five seed over one, it's like you kind of have to hedge a little bit because if they don't, you know, if you're taking a four or five seed to the final four, what you know, what happens if they lose uh you know in the four or five matchup? In this case, Kansas versus St. John's, who knows what's gonna happen in that potential matchup. Uh so yes, I'm taking the winner of Kansas versus St. John's uh to lose to Yukon in the Elite Eight.
SPEAKER_03You know what our great friend and founder of this podcast, Michael Collins, says hedging is for gardeners.
SPEAKER_01Then I'm uh trying to think of a famous gardener. Uh there's none.
SPEAKER_03Uh sauce would be the would be the answer there. I was gonna say two.
SPEAKER_02Uh Jeremy? Uh yeah, Duke got screwed. I don't know how the second best two seed is in the number one overall seed uh region. Uh St. John's got screwed out of five G's. Um but I have right now I have UCL UCLA Duke to make it interesting, not to get as chalky to try to see if there's something there. I think that might change in the next day or so. But for now I have UCLA Duke, Duke moving on to the final four.
SPEAKER_03I love it. We will go through at the end of this podcast, listeners, we will give you our final four again for the record and our national champion pick. But until then, we're just going to give you the regional winners. Let's move on to the south, which I have proclaimed as the better than revenge region, which is a nod to our queen, Miss Miss Taylor Swift. We have in this region, we have Fran McCaffrey trying to exact revenge on his close friend Brad Underwood, who has beaten him eight of the last nine times. Fran McCaffrey is now at Penn instead of Iowa, so it's going to be a little bit tougher to beat Illinois. We also have Vanderbilt, who I believe was maybe the most misseated team. I think them and St. John's are both very missseed as fives. We have that team trying to exact revenge on the committee and prove a point there. And then most importantly, we have the Houston Cougars trying to get back at Florida for their two-point loss in last year's national title. If the bracket holds true to form, it would be one versus two, Houston versus Florida in H Town to go to the Final Four. So that is why this region is the better than revenge region.
SPEAKER_01Sean, very important question for you here. Is this the better than revenge on the OG speak now? Or is this the Taylor's version better than revenge where the lyrics get changed up a little bit? Jeremy, I know you have no idea what we're talking about.
SPEAKER_03Shane, great question. Nope, great question, Shane. And Jeremy gave the wrong answer. If I thought it was Taylor's version, I would have included that in the title. The original better than revenge is my personal goat. Yep, that's my personal goat. So non-Taylor's version, original speak now. Shane, I'm gonna start with you on this one. What is your game to watch in the opening round?
SPEAKER_01For me, it was always VCU. Um, no, I'm going into this tournament as a VCU Ram. Uh, that's just where my allegiance is gonna lie. This tournament, uh, it it has been decided. Um so VCU North Carolina, I think, is a very interesting matchup um for North Carolina. They don't have their their best player, Caleb Wilson. Um VCU is playing really good basketball. They've won, I think, don't quote me.
SPEAKER_0318 of 19. 18 of 19.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say 19 of 20, close enough. Um so they are playing great basketball UNC without Caleb Wilson. Um they've you know, they've had some losses pile up uh down the stretch of ACC play. Um so I think that is gonna be a good matchup there, and I'm rolling with the Rams.
SPEAKER_03Shane, I think that's a great point. Also, I think you said 18 of 19 or 19 of 20. It's one of those two. Also, VCU, they basically have not lost since January 10th. That was the last loss they took. So going on three months now of high-level basketball out of the Rams, so I'm interested in that game as well. My game to watch, I'm gonna give you one that I think is going to be excellent. I mentioned that Vanderbilt was probably missed seeded as a five, and now what that has done, it has given life to McNeese as a potential upset and put Vanderbilt in the tricky spot. I think McNeese has three guards, Larry Johnson, Tyshawn Archie, and Javon Garcia, that can go. This game is Thursday at 3.15. It's in that second window of the tournament. I expect this one to be back and forth. I think Vandy's very high scoring, high tempo. McNeese is not as high tempo, but those guards in a tournament setting, I think they can flourish. So I think Vanderbilt has their hands full. Also, if I had to give an honorable mention of a game to watch, watch out for Buckyball, which is Texas AM in a clash of styles with St. Mary's. St. Mary's is very much let's slow the pace down, methodical, get a good shot. Buckyball, press after every made basket, sometimes after misses, high tempo, kind of chaotic basketball. And I think that's going to be a really interesting clash of styles as well. Jeremy, what do you have?
SPEAKER_02I have Nebraska Troy. I don't love storylines where it's like this team's never won a game in the tournament, but this one for some reason is interesting. I think that's cool. Troy's got uh they start like three forwards, which is a little different, but uh their front courts obviously uh pretty good. And I think that those three combine for like 42 points for their offense. So uh that'll be a that'll be a good game.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Nebraska needs to get that elephant off their back. They have never won an NCAA tournament game, as you mentioned, and if not now, when is what I would ask the Husker faithful.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, um I'm excited to watch that one for sure. I thought my guy, Kaisei Tominaga, was gonna get it done last year for the Huskers. Um maybe it was two years ago.
SPEAKER_03Anyway. He was electric, but he did not.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they didn't.
SPEAKER_03He did not, he kind of shat the bed in the tournament, to be to be honest.
SPEAKER_00Indeed. Indeed.
SPEAKER_03Alright, what team are you picking for an upset? Shane, you've already tipped your hand at yours, so why don't you give us yours first?
SPEAKER_01Yep, I will die for this VCU team. I just love them. Um so that's my pick. VCU, the Rams.
SPEAKER_02I'll follow it by uh going against Shane and uh just kidding. Uh VCU. I did write it before Shane Caleb Wilson's out. I do think it's interesting we learned after the uh bracket was out the VCU would not be in the tournament if they lost to Dayton in the A-10 championship game, which is bizarre, but nonetheless, maybe they use that as uh motivation with uh Martelli Jr. And uh yeah, that could be that could be an interesting dynamic.
SPEAKER_03I like that, Jeremy. Bulletin board material for the Rams. I also let you two go in front of me again, and you took an upset that I was going to take, so we're all I guess we're just all picking chalky upsets, but I will be different and I will pull the trigger on McNeese. I don't really want to do it because I did like Vandy coming into this. I thought they were frisky, but I think McNeese might just be the tougher team. Vanderbilt's had a problem with physicality at points throughout this season, and I think McNeese has physicality in spades. So I think McNeese, the Cowboys, might win a game in the NCAA tournament again for the second year in a row.
SPEAKER_01I don't know, Shawnee. That SEC championship between uh Vandy and Arkansas was pretty physical.
SPEAKER_03It was, and they proved to be physical better more so in the second half of the season than they were when they were getting punked by physical teams early in the year, so they might have grown in that area. And again, let me reiterate my pick was VCU until you both took it. So I'm gonna do it.
SPEAKER_01Well, I have I have dips on VCU. You both have that.
SPEAKER_03But I had to pivot for the sake of the podcast.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um okay then. Uh scene from friends.
SPEAKER_03Pivot with it counts. Pivot. Uh, what's our player to watch, Shane?
SPEAKER_01Yep. We're gonna go uh with a couple freshmen here who are interesting because they're both gonna be lottery picks, but going into the year, they weren't considered uh, I don't believe either of them were McDonald's all Americans. They were they were good recruits for sure, but they weren't blue chip recruits. Kingston Flemings from Houston and Keaton Waggler from Illinois, they have a chance to meet in the Suite 16, uh, which would be just an electric matchup. Probably they would probably guard each other too, if I had to guess. So those are my two from higher seeded teams. And to go to a lower seed, I'm gonna go with Penn's TJ Power. This guy, I watched this guy single-handedly win the Ivy League championship for Penn. He dropped 46, I believe, 44 maybe, um, including a couple threes late, one at the end of regulation to force overtime. The guy's just a bucket. Uh, so that's gonna be my lower seeded player to watch, TJ Power, the Quaker.
SPEAKER_03I'm actually going to take a backcourt mate of Kingston Flemings, and this guy is nowhere near as important to Houston as Kingston Flemings has been throughout the season, or even Emmanuel Sharp for that matter. But Milo Zuzan has been pretty horrible for Houston lately, and he came back at a chance for a title after losing in that final last year against Florida, and the expectation was that it would be his team. He would be the guy who leads them back to a national title appearance, and quite frankly, he just needs to be a lot better for them. I'm a big believer in Houston. I love Kelvin Sampson and everything about that program, so I will be rooting for them. I just need this guy to step up. I also mentioned the McMeese guys, the backcourt, especially look out for them, those three guards, three-headed monster in the backcourt there. And then lastly, in the nine seed, Iowa, Bennett Sturts, he's a Drake transfer, he's a Northwest Missouri State transfer. His only two offers out of high school, I believe, were Northwest Missouri State in a school he said was five minutes from his house. That was it. Now he's one of the better players in the country as an NBA player. He is a dog and a killer. So those are my guys to look out for. Jeremy, what do you got?
SPEAKER_02From one Drake transfer to another, I have Ethan Roberts out of Penn. He uh he's a bucket, he can shoot like crazy. Um early in the season, and not like the first few games, but like the first like month, he was like fifth in the country in scoring. Um he's I I think he I think he transferred too far down to Penn. He's getting a great education, but like his education, Jeremy. Yeah, he but uh you know other schools.
SPEAKER_01Hey Jared, it's a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision, okay.
SPEAKER_02Ever heard of Wharton? Ever heard of Wharton? But uh uh he uh he he he's a I don't think I don't think he'll last long because they play Illinois, but he can score the rock, and he'll it'll be nice to see, especially uh as an older player on accord too.
SPEAKER_01Jared, quick question. Did you watch the Ivy League tournament? Uh that would be a no because he didn't play in it. Um I don't know if he's gonna be around.
SPEAKER_02He was hurting midway towards uh towards uh the end of the year-ish. Just like six games.
SPEAKER_03Well, hopefully he's back. Shane hopes he's not gonna be able to do that.
SPEAKER_01For his sake, for his sake, I hope he's back. It beat Yale. For my sake, I hope he's not, so that we can constantly replay that. I was gonna put in our little note sheet that he was out.
SPEAKER_03Um But you chose to be a bad cousin, is what you did. Yeah, that's that's indeed.
SPEAKER_02You sandbagged. You're telling me Penn beat Yale without him? Yes. Well would appear. Then if that's the case, Jesus.
SPEAKER_03Well, it might not be a factor, Jeremy, if they won the tournament without him.
SPEAKER_02Tough stuff. Or the Ivy League just stinks.
SPEAKER_03Tough stuff. And you're Mr. Penn, too. You're Mr. Philly. That's tough. Uh fun facts, before I get to actual fun facts, I guess we should kick it to Shane for his Dreamland matchup.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Shane's dream matchup of let's see, what region is this?
SPEAKER_03Uh what region is better than revenge region.
SPEAKER_01Yep, for the South better than revenge region is. Oh, and talk about revenge here. This fits right in. There is a potential Florida versus Vandy Sweet 16 matchup. And why would it be better than revenge? Because Vandy just beat the crap out of Florida in the SEC semifinal. What a rematch that would be. Also, yeah, I'm very excited for the Fran McCaffrey versus uh Brad Underwood in Illinois beef as well.
SPEAKER_03Although those two are great friends, I learned recently. They're actually very good friends. Even though they've gotten a heated altercations before, it seems like they're actually quite close. They both just love, love abusing referees.
SPEAKER_01The clip of Fran McCaffrey back when a couple years ago in Iowa, and he was just staring, he was just staring at the ref. Oh he was five feet away, walked onto the middle court, and was just staring at the ref for 10 seconds was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever watched.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and my fun fact for this region is this is the first tournament appearance in 36 years for the Idaho Vandals. So congratulations to Idaho, but I would just say, let's not try any funny business. You guys have Houston first round. I don't want a 15 over a two this year. I could do without that, and my brackets certainly could, so congrats on being here, but it's a take your gift and go home type of deal for the Vandals. Jeremy, I'm going over to you first. Elite matchup and final four team from this region.
SPEAKER_02This is chalk for me. I have Florida Houston. I'm rooting for Florida Houston. That'll be probably one of the better elite game, elite eight games in recent years for sure. But how long can you go back for that? That would be awesome. I feel like that is the case too. It with the way the region is, it it should shape out to both Florida and Houston. And then I guess I guess I'd say uh revenge this year, and I'll take uh Houston in the final four. Out of boy, chair.
SPEAKER_01So my brain says Florida versus Houston. My heart says Florida versus VCU.
SPEAKER_03So are you gonna go with your brain or your heart?
SPEAKER_01I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.
SPEAKER_03You're gonna have to pick because we're not doing no, we're no, we're not doing this on the podcast. We're making picks here, and we already allowed the last region to Kansas or St. John's uh misap. So I'm gonna need you to put your name on something. And Shane, I'd be proud of you either way. I want you to know that. I like both.
SPEAKER_01With that being said, one interesting thing about a potential Florida Houston matchup is that the regional finals are in Houston.
SPEAKER_03So what he decides to do instead of giving us an answer is steal my show note. Well, actually it's a fun fact. It's actually a fun fact. It's actually next to SB in that show doc. So yes, it it is. It is a fun fact. And it's also something that the committee probably needed to figure out because that's very unfair for Florida to be the one seed and have to play potentially in a true road game at Houston to go to the Final Four. So I'm glad you brought it up, Shane, but I love seeing Todd Golden upset, and I hope he gets extra whiny about that if that matchup comes to fruition. Give me Houston. I teased it earlier. I'm just addicted to Kelvin Sampson, I'm addicted to the Cougars. I've bought into the revenge storyline. So I'm going with the Cougars. Shane, will you be giving us a pick or will you be telling the company line?
SPEAKER_01I'm a Ram. Let's roll with the Rams.
SPEAKER_03So we're gonna put Shane as officially firmly he told everyone on the podcast VCU is his final four pick. Let's move on to the West. The California Dreaming Region. Shout out to the Mamas and the Papas, a classic song. And why I named it such. Not one team from California in the West region, which feels weird to me. I feel like that doesn't happen on normal years. Could be wrong. Didn't fact check it. Could be the 20th time it's happened, but they will all be dreaming of making the regional final in San Jose. So we have the California Dreaming region. Bit of a tongue twister. Probably should have picked something different, but I'm sticking with it. My game to watch in the first round is the first four game between Texas and NC State. I think this should be a great one. I've dubbed it the J. Edgar Hoover Classic. Sean Miller and Will Wade were both heavily involved in the FBI saga. Seriously strong offers between both of these guys. Booked in prison time. Really, really interested in that one. And then I would parlay that into I really want to see the winner of this game play BYU, which I think will be in all eyes on that type of game situation with AJ DeBanza. Jeremy, what do you got?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I don't know if I can follow that. Live Nova, Utah State 8-9 uh matchup. Nova has a pretty veteran team that meshed really well together uh in Kevin Willard's first year. Utah State, I think, had the argument where they could have gotten out of the 8-9 game, been the seven. And I know that um Gerard Calhoun has voiced his opinion after the seating, which is kind of Jared. It is Jared? Oh, he spells it Gerard. I don't know what it's he does spell it weird. It is Jared. So I thought it was Jared at first, but I don't know what to tell you. But he's he uh talked about uh how brutal a seating was, which I kind of love. Kind of interesting too, interesting dynamic, that'll be a good game. Uh that's the one I'll be watching.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm gonna go with Wisconsin High Point here. Um, I think think of your typical classic Wisconsin. They're a slow-paced team prodding down the court, taking their time. Nope, that's not Wisconsin this year. They are fast-paced, and high point is fast-paced, and there are gonna be some points in this game. Again, for I test guys, this is just gonna be a fun watch. I'm excited for this one.
SPEAKER_03Not your father's Wisconsin. Or mother's. What team are you picking for in upset? Jeremy, I'll toss it to you first.
SPEAKER_02Uh, I guess I have Utah State. There's nothing really that appealing to me here. I don't even know. I get it's an upset it with seeds, but uh, I think that they get over a Villanova team that just is pretty beat up at the end of the season. I don't even think it's that too, too talented when fully healthy, so I'll go Utah State.
SPEAKER_01Is that even an upset?
SPEAKER_02Is that why I asked Sean said yes.
SPEAKER_03So yeah, it's it I'll allow it. It's a nine over an eight. If he doesn't see any upsets, I'm not gonna force him to pick one. Shane?
SPEAKER_01I mean, Utah State is a two and a half point favorite, so good pick, Jared. Good upset pick.
SPEAKER_02Um why why have seeds then? Why have seeds? Um Gerard, Gerard, spell your name right, dude. My god.
SPEAKER_01I but I I do agree that I don't love this region as far as upset picks. I guess I would go if I had to pick one. And again, I'll just I'll just pick one as I usually do. Uh I'll go Wisconsin being upset by high point. Wisconsin is like I don't know, they they have two really good guards.
SPEAKER_00Boyd and Blackwell.
SPEAKER_01Yep, Boyd and Blackwell, who seem to be really streaky. So when they're on and they were in the Big Ten tournament, um, they can single handedly keep you in a game against almost anyone. But if they're off, then they could be right to to be beaten by you know a quality team. And I do think High Point is a quality team. Uh so I'm gonna go with Wisconsin. Also, in the back of my mind, I have a couple years ago when they lost to James Madison, I think that was a 5 12. Matchup as well. So that's kind of in the back of my mind. I'll go with Wisconsin.
SPEAKER_03I don't hate either of those. I do agree this region was a bit more difficult to find an upset in. I have gone with Missouri over Miami. I think it was a really strong season from Jay Lucas to get the Hurricanes back into the tournament. It was a quick rebuild and he has them heading in the right direction. I just am not a fool believer in their team. I did notice in the ACC tournament that Trey Donaldson is in their backcourt, and I have long not been a fan of his. So I don't trust him as far as I could throw him, and I cannot throw him. So give me Missouri over Miami. I think Mark Mitchell is going to give them real trouble. He's probably the best player on the court in that game. He gave Kentucky fits in the SEC tournament. He gave them fits when they played earlier in the year at Rep. I think he had 30 in both. He's just a matchup nightmare. A former really highly tatted recruit and Duke transfer. He's now carved out a nice career for himself at Missouri. And I think the Tigers beat the Hurricanes. Player to watch. I'm going to kick this one off because I've already mentioned this team before. I mentioned BYU, and obviously the headlining act is AJ Debanza. I think the most important player for them is Robert Wright. I trust what AJ is going to give BYU. I think he's going to be a big time player in this tournament. Almost must see TV. Robert Wright needs to find a little bit of that magic he had last year at Baylor, and I think it could lead to a really deep run for BYU because of the draw in this bracket. So I'm going to highlight Robert Wright. I was not a BYU believer once they lost Richie Saunders, but I saw how they played in the Big 12 tournament. I thought it was pretty inspired basketball. I also think that the draw has broken pretty well for them. In my opinion, they have the weakest three seed in the second round if they were to get past that play-in game winner. And I think that could easily catapult them into the Sweet 16, and they're almost always going to have the best player on the court. So Robert Wright, the Cougars, AJ Debanza, that's what I'm looking for in this region. Jeremy, what do you have?
SPEAKER_02I'll go Malik Thomas out of Arkansas. Who is going to help? I think Akov is going to go off for Arkansas. Who's going to help him, though, additionally, to get over the hump and be more to help the scoring? Akov can't do it. Darius Aikhoff can't do it by himself. I think Thomas will be big in supplementing points, and we'll see with his uh backcourt mate how he helps uh Arkansas going forward. So I'll go Malik Thomas.
SPEAKER_01If there was anyone who could do it by himself, it is probably Darius Acuff. He's just that good. Uh, that is my player to watch. Um again, this guy's gonna be a top 10 pick, probably should be top five. He's just unbelievable. Um and then we're looking at some of the lower seeds, sticking with Utah State. I'm gonna go with False Lev. Uh Mason False Lev, he was the Mountain West player of the year. He's their he does everything for them. Um see if Gerard Calhoun uh and Mason Falslev can uh pull off the upset uh as a two and a half point favorite. Um Mason Falsev. Player to watch.
SPEAKER_03I like that one, Shane. And I do want to say I think Utah State over Philanova, obviously not an upset according to the sports books, but it is a good game to watch, and I think you did a good job highlighting that one, Jair, for this region, with not exactly the most inspiring region when you compare it to the East. Shane, what is your dream matchup before I give you my fun fact?
SPEAKER_01Yes, my Shane's dream matchup in the California Dreaming West region, sponsored by the Mamas and the Papas, is the potential Arkansas versus Arizona Sweet 16 matchup. Um, little spoiler, I'm going to take Arizona really far in this tournament. Uh yeah. As such, I I did make a pick as I always do.
SPEAKER_03Okay, we'll see. Arizona or Arkansas winner goes far.
SPEAKER_01No, I am going with Zona, but if they were to be tripped up, I think this could be a potential game where it happens. There's not many games where they will not have the best player on the court, uh, but I do think Darius Acuff in that potential matchup would be the best player on the court. Um, so I think that is a dream matchup.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Darius Acuff is as good as it gets. He's as fun as it gets to watch, too. He's diminutive in size, but he's electric every time you put him on. One of the best freshman guards, I would say, that we've had in a long time in terms of true college point guards. We've had some good scorers, but he could do it all. He could get 28 and 8 assists efficiently, and he doesn't turn the ball over that often. So I think that's a good note on him. My fun fact about this region, this is the region of champions as well. In this region, we have the Big Ten champ, Purdue, and I'm referring to conference tournaments. We have the SEC champ, Arkansas. We have the Big 12 champ in Arizona. We also have obviously all the smaller schools. LIU, the 16th seed, won their league. Utah State won the Mountain West. High Point won the Big South, Hawaii won the Big West. Kennesaw State, another owl in the tournament before Temple. The list goes on and on in this region of champions, and it's by far the most of any other packet in terms of conference title winners. So that would point to a lot of these teams playing good basketball at the right time. So that'll be interesting to monitor if they can take it into the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament. Jeremy, let's start with you. Elite eight and final four pick from this region.
SPEAKER_02I'll go Arizona Gonzaga. Um, I think the only threat really to Gonzaga is Purdue, but I think they get over the hump there, and I agree with Shade. I think Arizona goes to far. I think Arizona goes on to the Final Four as the one seed.
SPEAKER_01I am gonna go with Arizona versus Purdue. Uh, I made my case for Arizona just a little bit ago. Uh, but Purdue is playing really good basketball, their best basketball this season. Uh we'll see if that transfers over to the NCAA tournament. And if so, um I think that would be a really good Elite Eight matchup.
SPEAKER_03I am also going with Arizona and Purdue, and I'm having a tough time picking between these two as to who I think makes the Final Four. I had Arizona as my only one seed in the Final Four originally when I was looking at this, but the more and more I think about it, I just want to believe in Purdue, in that senior laden team, carrying this momentum they gained in the Big Ten all the way through the West regional and making the Final Four. It's just ultimately the size and athleticism of Arizona is hard to pick against because it translates so well, it travels well. So I'm gonna go zone in a close one, but that is one that I might change before my bracket is finalized. Let's move on to the Midwest, which I have named the Not Strong Enough Region, which is a great song for those of you that don't know by Boyd Genius, led by Phoebe Bridgers. Uh, it's a personal favorite song. It is not a personal favorite region in this tournament. I think this region kind of stinks. And I'm having a hard time finding a team to take out of it. As you guys know, I'm not a Michigan guy, so that kind of knocks them out. I think you can argue that this region has the weakest three, four, and five seeds. And I'm a big Iowa State guy, but they're not exactly the strongest two seed either. So I am just not a huge fan of the strength of this region. What games can you guys find to watch in this one? I'm gonna start with you, Shane.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think to me, looking at these first round matchups, the most interesting game is the first four. Yeah. I was I was looking at the wrong sorry, looking at the wrong region. Took me a second there. Uh, but yeah. All roads lead to Dayton here. In the first four, we have uh the highly talked about Miami of Ohio Redhawks who made the field. Uh they are playing SMU in the first four. Dayton is about an hour from Miami's campus, so it's gonna be an electric atmosphere. I was kind of hoping. I the only thing that would be more electric is if it was Miami versus Auburn in the first four. And I would I would sacrifice SMU for Auburn if I had to, but I do think the just Miami in the first four is just can't miss. It's gonna be really fun.
SPEAKER_03I agree with that. I think that's must see TV, just to see how they stack up against a quad one team.
SPEAKER_02I'll go uh can I pick none? No, I'll I'll pick up. Make a pick, make a pick. I'll I'll I'll go Texas Tech Akron, but I'll give a Shane kind of answer and say the winner of Tech Akron and then the winner of Alabama Hofstra. A little different idea there. Um Akron was obviously in the Mac. They lost, uh they didn't lose many games either. Um they lost to Miami of Ohio by I think a point or a possession. A really good team, guard heavy team, uh, kind of brutal matchup for tech, and I think, and I don't want to foreshadow uh upsets, but I think that'll be a really good 5-12 uh first-round game between Akron and Texas Tech.
SPEAKER_03I actually think this region has some of the most exciting first-round matchups, but I'm just not a huge believer in the team's long-term prospects. So I said it's not strong enough region, and I stand by that, but the game I've circled the most, the game that I will not miss, is the Georgia St. Louis game. First of all, I'm a Billikan. I love the Billikans. Shane knows that. Uh, I'm an A10 guy. I've all I have the St. Louis Billikans shirt that I used to wear when we lived together. I have loved them, and now it's the returns are finally paying off. The Billikans shoot 40% from three as a team. They have some real issues on the interior of their defense in terms of rib protection and preventing straight line drives. And also, Georgia has a freak by the name of Samto Cyril that absolutely could dominate the paint. And Georgia has some guards that can really go and score points. So I think that game is going to be points, points, points. My guess it would be the highest scoring game in the first round. So who doesn't love that? But also, I think Jeremy, you mentioned the Texas Tech Akron game. I think that's a great one. I think Alabama Hofstra is certainly interesting, and we'll get into that a bit more later. And then I think Kentucky and Santa Clara. I can't believe it's taken me this long to mention Kentucky, but not a great draw for them. I think if they were to get a six seed, I would have liked them to make a run in this tournament. Instead, they get a seven seed and they get a really good hungry Santa Clara team. So I think all of those games in this region in the first round are really interesting. Jeremy, you talked about it. What team are you picking for in upset?
SPEAKER_02I will go I have a few.
SPEAKER_03I'd also add two because others have picks too.
SPEAKER_02I'll also add two to your point. I think if my own Miami of Ohio beats SMU, that Tennessee game, intriguing, just because you have one fold up with Miami of Ohio, and then they're like really in it. I think they use that uh game, the play game for their to their advantage too. I will go for the upset. Uh yeah, I'll go Akron. I'll say Akron to sweet 16. Ooh, um gross. Yeah, I think they get the win. Um yeah, I'll settle in and uh I I could see Hofstra too. I'll just I'll just say it. I'll I could see Hofstra. They have the guard play offensively to run with Alabama. I think it's gonna be tough because I think ultimately it's still gonna be hard to keep up with Alabama, but I could see it there. But I'll I'll take Akron.
SPEAKER_03Let me go next, Shane, because I can't deal with the stealing of show notes. And Jared didn't have anything in the dock. I had to remind him to put something in. He puts in Akron and then he copies my exact notes on Hofstra Alabama. No, I have it. No, you didn't. Uh you are an Alabama fan.
SPEAKER_02Yes.
SPEAKER_03And you picked Hofstra. Is that a formal upset pick? Can we get that in writing?
SPEAKER_02No, no, no, no.
SPEAKER_03I said So you just gave a game to watch.
SPEAKER_02I picked Akron.
SPEAKER_03But then you spoiled my upset pick, is what you did. Go ahead. Good time. No shade, please.
SPEAKER_01Wait, uh, Jeremy, uh, is everyone available for Alabama?
SPEAKER_03Oh, that's a great, great say.
SPEAKER_02The NTAA is uh is meddling in this tournament. I will not have it. I am writing to them right now. We will figure it out. Aiden Holloway, you are playing Friday. Get ready, kid.
SPEAKER_03People might not know that Alabama's arguably best player is not playing in the opening weekend of the tournament until an investigation. I said arguably. Uh he's one of their two best players for sure. Yes. Uh he is not playing because of an arrest. Yes, another Alabama player has been arrested. I know which sport, football, basketball, it's hard to keep up. This time it was basketball. This time it was Nate Oates. Back at it, his usual March antics. Uh he had over a pound of weed with the intent to distribute, which we just hate to see as what we thought was a proud institution, have another guy arrested throughout the college basketball season. And unfortunately for Nate Oates, this decision was taken out of his hands. The university has kicked him out, so he cannot play, because if it was up to dirty Nate, this guy would be on the team bus for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and can I just say like progress for the Alabama basketball program? Um, you know, this this is just drugs. We're not we're not talking we're not talking guns, we're not talking attempted murder. Um this was a couple years ago. We're just talking drugs here, so progress.
SPEAKER_03Funny enough though, there was another part of the arrest that was in something to do with a tag that was unlicensed, and people have said it often refers to a gun. So it hasn't come out yet, but something to monitor, potentially a little gun, a little weed. He wasn't getting enough an NIL from Alabama, so he had to flip weed on the side. Or he was smoking a pound a night, Jeremy. Which one is it?
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, he had NIL with uh dispensary in the Tuscaloosa area, and he's just using his NIL. Yeah. Uh obviously uh the laws in Alabama I I assume are a lot more stricter than other states, so that doesn't help. But yeah, uh good on the university to take action, be a model for the country, and yeah, just lead for the front. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03We knew Nate Oates wouldn't, so we had to take it out of his hands. All of this to say my upset pick is Hofstra. Jeremy spoiled it by by uh mentioning it, but I think Hofstra under Speedy Claxton, he lives and breathes Hofstra. This guy, nobody cares more about the Hofstra pride than Speedy Claxton does. Former player, former NBA player, and now their coach. I think he has some legit juice on this team. And I think the only thing that scares me with this pick is that Nate Oates' style does seem to prevent upsets, in my opinion. He plays games that have a ton of possessions because of their tempo, and oftentimes over the course of more possessions, the better team usually wins. So it is hard to upset a team when you get up and down as much as Alabama does. But with this hallway news, I'm hoping it's a distraction. So give me Hofstra over Alabama. Shane, what do you have in this region?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh in a similar boat to you. I wrote down my answer well before Jeremy came in and copied it. Uh yes, yes.
SPEAKER_03Oh, you didn't know. Jeremy Xerox, Xerox good. Unbelievable.
SPEAKER_01Oh boy. Uh, and it pains me to say this because I'm a Grant McCasslin guy. Uh, but I do think that Akron Texas Tech game is going to be really, really good competitive game. Uh, Texas Tech lost, you know, arguably their best player in JT Top in. They still have Christian Anderson, who's a great player uh as well. Uh, but Akron has some dogs too. Um, Akron, like Jar said earlier, uh John Gross has led Akron to four of the past five NCAA tournaments, so credit to him, credit to the zips program. Um I'm gonna pick the Zips to upset Texas Tech in round one.
SPEAKER_03Shane, you mentioned Christian Anderson there. Who else are you watching from a player's perspective in this region?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I'm going to uh I'm gonna take a guy from Hofstra, uh, and that is Cruz Davis. He won the uh the CAA Player of the Year, um led them to the CAA Championship. They also have a freshman point guard whose name is Escaping Me. Um, so good job podcasting by me. Uh, but he won like the tournament most valuable player. So Hofstra's got a couple good guards there.
SPEAKER_03And I think, like I mentioned too, they are not gonna be scared one bit of that flimsy Alabama defense. If there's anything Alabama can't do, it's protect the rim and it is stop straight line drives. So I think Hofstra is gonna have some success in that. It's just a matter of can they get stops on the defensive end. For me, I am going to give you one. I mentioned the Billikins, my pick, he was a sweetheart of March before, and this is Mr. Cream Abdul Jabbar himself, Rabbi Avila, the center from the Billikans. I absolutely love this guy, the the goggles, his body build, everything about him. As you heard on the last podcast, Shiz compared my game to Nicole Jokic. I would say this guy's right up that same tree. Comes from the Sean Boyle line, not laterally quick, but boy, you can't leave him open for a second, and he could pick a pass.
SPEAKER_02With with the news today with Alabama, I'll go with uh LeBair and Fylon. Uh he's picked up uh a lot of draft news.
SPEAKER_03Um and maybe a secondhand high. He's also picked up.
SPEAKER_02Listen, listen, I hope I hope those boys are getting NAL money because they didn't come close to what other schools were, and hopefully that changes. But uh I'll go phyla. We'll see if he can uh he's always been a volume guy. It looks like he's gonna be a volume plus guy. Uh so we'll see where that goes. He has a talent offensively for sure, but uh how does the team adjust? And I think you know, the ball is certainly fully in his possession now.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and can can I just highlight how unprepared Jeremy good is for this podcast? And our Google Doc of Notes, players to watch, me and Sean write our notes, and Jeremy writes, and I quote, Santa Clara, Kentucky. That's Santa Clara's can win this game. I meant to put that in. Not only does he copy all of our picks, he just has he this guy has no clue. This guy just has no clue.
SPEAKER_02I literally filled this out at two in the afternoon before you clocked him. That's right. I meant I meant Sarah Clara, Kentucky, Sarah.
SPEAKER_01Sarah Clara. I love it. Jeremy, take compose yourself. Compose yourself.
SPEAKER_03So, Jeremy, Jeremy, this is the good stuff. There, yes, we love it. Shane, what is your dream matchup before I give a fun fact?
SPEAKER_01Yes. Uh I don't really have one for this region. Now I will say this the Bama 4 seed rightfully should be St. John's, and the potential St. John's Michigan Suite 16 clash that we would see that the committee took from us would have been my dream matchup. Um, so that's my fun fact.
SPEAKER_03That's that's a good fun fact. Uh, my fun fact is this is the first tournament appearance in 30 years for Santa Clara. The last time they made the big dance was with none other than Mr. Steve Nash playing point guard in 1996. Unfortunately, it comes against my Kentucky Wildcats, so I am hoping that they get embarrassed in their first trip back to the Big Dance. Unfortunately, I think that's going to be a close game, though. Let's dive into the Elite Eight and Final Four from this region. Uh Jeremy, I'm going to start with you.
SPEAKER_02I have Iowa State, Michigan, although I think Michigan is leaking gasoline, but I don't uh I don't there's a lot of scenarios I can play on in uh the Midwest, which is cool, but I uh I'll yeah, I'll just stick with Michigan, Iowa State, Iowa State going to the final floor. I don't love it though, with either, but whatever.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, for as tough of a draw as Duke got, um feels like Michigan got a much better draw as the number three overall seed. Um maybe they were number two. I think they were number three. Uh, and Arizona was number two overall. But uh with that being said, I am going to take Michigan to win this region in the Elite Eight. I'm gonna put them up against uh Ryan Odom and the Virginia Cavaliers, who um again have had a very impressive season in year one under Odom. Uh he's done a great job there, but I think this is Michigan's region.
SPEAKER_03I hate this region. Uh I you could tell from the name of it that I that I gave it, and also just how I've spoken about some of these teams' prospects in the long term. I'm just not a fan. I think, like you said, Shane, Michigan got a great draw. And like you said, Jair, I don't feel like they're peaking at the right time. I think they might have peaked early, this Michigan team. The case and injury didn't help, but it it's just tough to find other way other places to go in this region. So I had written down Iowa State versus Michigan with the cyclones going to the final four. And I guess that's what I'm gonna give the listeners on this podcast. I will say though, there's always a region. That breaks bad and gets crazy, and you see double-digit seeds in the second round and the third round. I think this, if I had to pick a region where this could happen, I would say it's this one. I like Iowa State. I trust Iowa State a decent amount, but it wouldn't shock me at all if Santa Clara or Kentucky beat them. I like Michigan, but it wouldn't shock me at all if Georgia or St. Louis beat them. Also, like we talked about with Akron and Texas Tech, I think that could get wonky. I think Hofstra could make a little run. I think Jarrell, like you mentioned, the Miami SMU winner could beat Tennessee. I just think that this region has potential to break bad, so to speak. So give me the not strong enough region coming down to Michigan in Iowa State, begrudgingly, and I'll take the cyclones to the final four.
SPEAKER_01Let's root for chaos in this region. I'm with it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's uh there's always one region that seems to go very chaotically, and nobody had it picked that way on their bracket. I'm hoping it's this one. Although it's usually the one you'd least expect.
SPEAKER_02And chaotically for this region, it's more closer to chalk, wouldn't you say? No. Really? I don't know. I think there are more it's more likely that there are upsets in this region.
SPEAKER_03Uh yeah, but I don't know if that's chalk.
SPEAKER_02No, no, no. No, I'm saying that chaos would be closer to chalk. Like, because we're we're we're we're expecting all these upsets.
SPEAKER_03So if Oh, okay, I get what you're saying. We're expecting the upsets so much that they've become chalk. I think we might be lost a little bit in the sauce right there, but chaos is a ladder.
SPEAKER_02Shane has a peanut brain.
SPEAKER_01Your world, Jarr. We just your world, we just live in it.
SPEAKER_03Alright, boys. Let's do our final four. Let's recap who we have in the final four first. We'll start on the left side of the bracket and then move to the right. Let's just do the left side first. Jeremy, who do you have coming out of the east and who do you have coming out of the south?
SPEAKER_02Out of the east, I have Duke for the moment. Out of the South, I have Houston.
SPEAKER_03Okay, Shane.
SPEAKER_01UConn Houston. Heart wants VCU.
SPEAKER_03Hey, he made a pick, Jar. Subconsciously tricked him and he tricked him into it. Uh I have Michigan State Houston. And I have the Cougars advancing to the national championship. How about you boys?
SPEAKER_01I also have H-Town advancing to the title game.
SPEAKER_02Come on, gooks. Call it a strikeout. Strike three, Houston in the north.
SPEAKER_03Oh, beating your dookies, Jeremy.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. Fake fan, this guy. I'd keep it real, let me tell you.
SPEAKER_03And then on the on the right side, we'll start with the West winner facing the Midwest winner. I have Arizona versus Iowa State, with Arizona going to the national championship. What about the two of you?
SPEAKER_01I have Arizona, Michigan with the Arizona Wildcats advancing to national championship game.
SPEAKER_02I have Arizona, Iowa State, and I have Iowa. No, I'm just kidding. I have Arizona going to the national championship game against Houston. And listen.
SPEAKER_03We all have Arizona versus Houston. Oh, Jesus. That's terrible for the brand.
SPEAKER_02Championship game could be different, though. We'll see.
SPEAKER_03Well, I'll just a quick editor's note here. I had taken Iowa State, like I told you guys. I'm I'm off them. I'm off the Cyclones. I'm off Michigan. I'm taking the Kentucky Wildcats to the Final Four. Heard it here first. Pope is hope. I'm back in. We're on the pursuit of nine. We're not going to get nine this year, but we're going to make the final four. That region's going to be it's going to break bad. I'm not, I wouldn't even be surprised if Tennessee State beat Iowa State. 15 over two happens nowadays. That would be great for Kentucky if that were to happen. So give me if the region goes tits up, I want the cats, and I don't want to be popular and pick and chalk Final Fours. So Arizona does beat Kentucky handedly in the Final Four. In the championship for me, I'm going heart over brain. And it's finally the year it happens for Calvin Sampson and my Houston Cougars. Who's with me?
SPEAKER_01Knock on wood if you're with me. Uh, not me. No, I'm going to go with Arizona winning the national championship. Another heartbreak for Kelvin Sampson and the Houston program. I just think that Arizona has shown themselves to be the most well-rounded uh and best team in college basketball this season.
SPEAKER_02I think Tommy gets it too, but it's close. I will say you flip the coin a hundred times, it lands on Arizona 51, 52, 51 times. It would be something if Calvin gets it this year. Um, but yeah, I'm gonna go with Arizona.
SPEAKER_03So we have two Arizona Wildcat picks and one Houston Cougars pick. I had fun doing this. This is probably gonna be my favorite episode of the whole year. I mean, I just can't get enough of bracket talk. Uh this is the best time of the year, the best two days of the sports calendar on Thursday and Friday this week. So I think I speak for all of us when I say we're very excited about that.
SPEAKER_01Sounds like you can't get enough of us.
SPEAKER_03Uh there are there are times when I've certainly had my fill. I will say of those times is when Jeremy steals my talking points directly from underneath me. That is when that is where I get they did the same thing throughout the entire thing. You robbed Peter to pay Paul. I will say uh we have to wrap up the show, and we could mention a few things that aren't basketball related as we wrap up. Does anybody have anything?
SPEAKER_01I my brain is 100% basketball this month. Um, so that's all I've got.
SPEAKER_03Have you or Jeremy watched any of the World Baseball Classic? Because apparently people care about that, and I have not seen any of it.
SPEAKER_01I've watched a little. Caught a few innings here and there.
SPEAKER_03Is it worth watching or no?
SPEAKER_01Maybe the championship game. Uh the US is playing the winner of Italy and someone Venezuela. Maybe.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think they beat Japan. I think that I think that sounds right. Uh the only thing I wanted to talk about quickly, I could have done a whole podcast on just the Oscars and uh the year in the year in film that we had last year. I I do have a little bit of an Oscars rant. I thought it was my guy Timmy Chalamet's best actor to lose, and unfortunately he lost Michael B. Jordan, swooped in with some late momentum and stole it from my guy Timmy. I think a lifetime achievement award, I think that one should have gone to Tim. Not that Michael B. Jordan was much worse in Sinners than Timmy was in uh Marty Supreme, but I just think Timmy's been so great throughout his career that he deserved one of these. And Michael B. Jordan, in my opinion, has been a very good actor, but I don't know that he's ever reached into that upper tier echelon of the Leos and the Timmy's. I think he did with the Sinners performance, but in terms of lifetime achievement, I think Tim was a little more deserving.
SPEAKER_01Uh Timmy's still a young buck. He's got he'll he'll win his sure.
SPEAKER_02Well, I was gonna say to Shane's point, DiCaprio, like he's going down the same point Leo did where Leo finally won it for the Reverend, I think. And which is he was he was very good, and don't get me wrong, but there were definitely plenty before that that were probably better than that that he didn't win. So Timothy might be following that. He'll he'll he'll get he'll get one event.
SPEAKER_03I do agree, I do agree. I think it is a game that the Academy plays, though, and that's kind of what I'm ranting about. Is I don't love that they make you earn it for the truly great ones that they make you wait it out, where I think they kind of just hand them out in between to guys who are really good, but maybe not at the same level.
SPEAKER_01And as the Friday Night Lights guy on this podcast, um, let me be the first to congratulate Michael B. Jordan on his award.
SPEAKER_03Shane, I'm so happy you brought that up because two things. You did forget Coach Taylor's name last episode, so wouldn't call you the Friday Night Lights guy. And also, that reminds me, I won the TV series draft going away, over 50% of the fan vote on our Instagram. Thank you to those who voted. I couldn't have done it without you. I don't want to give an acceptance speech without the rest of the cast on the podcast, so I'll save I'll save it for that time. But a truly outstanding performance from a guy who's only seen seven shows. So really, really great stuff by me. And lastly, on the Oscars, the best picture. Do we agree one battle after another? I was uh firmly in the camp that that was the best movie.
SPEAKER_01Uh that one. So one battle after another one. Yes. Good movie, good movie.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Jeremy, have you seen it?
SPEAKER_02Didn't see it yet, but I read up a little bit on these movies beforehand. This is the best time because then they come on the streaming services and you can just like watch whatever was nominated. Uh what I read up a little bit, I heard the most on that movie, so it sounds fitting.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and then also I just really, really loved the movie Hamnet, which I didn't think I was gonna like. It didn't really seem like it was up my alley. But the performance for Jesse Buckley, she won Best Actress in a leading role and completely deserved. One of the best acting performances I've ever seen out of her. And Paul Mescal was really good, and he could have won Best Supporting Actor. So that was my take on the Oscars. I didn't even see all the movies, but I thought that was how it should have unfolded. All right, everybody. Jeremy, Shane, thank you both for joining me. As I mentioned at the top of the show, please go ahead and join the bracket pool. Winner gets a hundred dollar gift card to our online shop. The link is in the show description. I hope everybody enjoys the first week of the NCAA tournament. Yes, and a cameo from Jeremy. Everybody, please enjoy. Please fill out your brackets. Enjoy the best week of the year. And until next time, take care.