It's Madness, I tell you March 12, 2018 10:26 AM   Subscribe

It's that time again! Does anyone have the bandwidth & interest to set up Metafilter bracket contests for the men's and women's tournament? I wish I had the bandwidth to admin this year, but I don't. (Thank you!)

Other than that, anyone want to talk brackets? My midsize mid-major is on its first dance since 2001 (woo!), but then we went and pulled THAT major mid-major for our first game and now I'm a little frightened.
posted by joycehealy to MetaFilter-Related at 10:26 AM (74 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

Men's Tournament Challenge: Group name is MetaFilter 2018, password is beans
Women's Tournament Challenge: Group name is MetaFilter 2018, password is beans

Friends don't let friends cheer for Duke.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 3:39 PM on March 12, 2018 [8 favorites]


Other than that, anyone want to talk brackets?

Yeah, I do. Lets all toast to the rubble that my brackets will be by Friday afternoon. Every year I look at my bracket on Monday and think "That's pretty good". And every year by Friday afternoon or before, I'm like Ed Kowalczyk from Live singing "Where did I go wronnnnnng?!!" "Where did I goooo wronnnng?"
posted by cashman at 4:36 PM on March 12, 2018 [1 favorite]


My school has been almost universally acknowledged as the best team in the land, but we'll probably have to play some upstart Wildcat school that just started figuring shit out. Too bad Villanova couldn't join the Wildcat party over in the South bracket.
posted by LionIndex at 5:06 PM on March 12, 2018 [1 favorite]


We're watching the women's selection show now. This tournament is going to be some fine, fine basketball. I can't wait until my school's women go dancing (this was a rough year, and a really young team, but in a couple years... )

(How does the announcer not know the difference between NC State and NC A&T? Also, GO A&T WOOOOOO).

I am seriously pleased for Notre Dame. I was at the ACC (women's) Championship game, and it was an AWESOME game. I can't believe the show didn't show ND's HALF COURT buzzer beater at the end of that game (it just happened that they were down by 4, not 2).

I am also seriously pleased for Louisville. That was just such a good game. Our ACC women could take on the guys any day.

(I didn't realize Elon was having a good year. GO ELON).

It's a good year to be from North Carolina. :)
posted by joycehealy at 5:38 PM on March 12, 2018


Men's version:

Conversation with a coworker this morning:

me to coworker: did you watch the selection show?
C: nah, I was on the road.
me: Gonzaga.
C: Mmmm. Mmm. that's not good.
C: And that means they're going all the way to...
me: Boise.
C: Mm. Mmm.
Me: ... yea.

But! I'm being optimistic. If we can hit our 3s, if we can control the tempo of the game, if our defensive wonder sophomore continues to block like a maniac... wonders happen in March.
posted by joycehealy at 5:43 PM on March 12, 2018


I'm just afraid my team'll be the first 1 seed to fall to a 16 seed.
posted by fleacircus at 7:14 PM on March 12, 2018 [1 favorite]


I won this shiny mefi basketball last year for winning the men's bracket with my totally random guesses, and I will gladly ship it to the winner of this year's event.
posted by PearlRose at 7:56 PM on March 12, 2018 [5 favorites]


In, though I'm almost certain to be out of the running by the end of the first round. I have no idea who is good, so I just defaulted to my usual poor choice of having two big ten teams meet in the final four. That never goes poorly for me.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:16 PM on March 12, 2018 [1 favorite]


If you're not from the US, and wondering what this is about: here you go.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:11 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]


Woooo, I'm in! As per usual, I picked schools with higher ranking numbers, schools in states I have lived in (except for Puke), and schools I or my loved ones have attended. I expect my bracket will go down in flames quickly.
posted by chainsofreedom at 5:54 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]


As a Tar Heel, it pains me to pick Villanova, but at least it's not Duke. I picked a smattering of underdogs plus some stuff that five thirty eight thinks is likely.
posted by torridly at 8:44 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]


Hey, my university is also back at the dance after a long absence. We've had a rough year as a city but our sports teams have--somewhat unexpectedly--provided something to cheer for this year. So I'm rooting for our team and whoever is playing Duke. It will be fun to see how things go!
posted by librarylis at 9:39 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]


TERPS TERPS TERPS
posted by josher71 at 9:50 AM on March 13, 2018


"Terps" backwards is "spret".

I thought it would be helpful to point that out.
posted by ardgedee at 10:16 AM on March 13, 2018


And that is a good word to use about the men's basketball season. They spretted it all over the place.
posted by josher71 at 10:33 AM on March 13, 2018


I'm a little disappointed we don't compete with Tournament of Books brackets here. Though I'm a stupefying 0-for-4 so far (plus a miss in the play-in round) so maybe I'm glad we're not doing that this year.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:43 AM on March 13, 2018


I'm in for both. Thanks for setting it up!
posted by donnagirl at 11:31 AM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]


Madness I say! Last year I did a measly 49% on the mens side of things, so here's hoping I do better this time around.
posted by Carillon at 1:52 PM on March 13, 2018 [1 favorite]


Some of us might want to adjust our brackets: Virginia's De'Andre Hunter broke his wrist and will miss the tournament.
posted by fleacircus at 1:36 AM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]


I look forward to whatever path this bracket takes me.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 4:17 AM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]


Thanks for setting this up! Per usual, I'll create several brackets (and, per usual, using increasingly terrible selection methods).
posted by box at 9:01 AM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]


Just joined!
posted by lucy.jakobs at 2:12 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]


I'm in!!!! I LOVE March Madness despite knowing NOTHING about basketball. I just moved to Cincinnati so OBVIOUSLY I have Cincy and Xavier in the final four, but I'm going with Nova to win it all. *shrug* I'm expecting my bracket to fall apart immediately.
posted by missmary6 at 3:29 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]


I'm in. Thanks!
posted by kevinbelt at 6:17 PM on March 14, 2018 [1 favorite]


Don't worry, everyone, I am here yet again to take last place so no one else has to feel bad!
posted by Literaryhero at 6:25 PM on March 14, 2018 [3 favorites]


President Obama picked Michigan State to win over Virginia.
posted by riruro at 7:29 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]


I have watched zero basketball this year and read zero coverage of the teams/tournament, so my picks are pretty random. As per usual, I did one women's bracket where UConn wins and one where ND wins, because ONE DAY MY IRISH WILL WIN IT.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:06 PM on March 14, 2018 [2 favorites]


For the men's bracket, I picked the lower seeds (because I think this is the year of the Cinderella story), except for picking TCU over lower seeds in a few places, and I picked our men to win it all, because why the hell not.

My bracket is going to be in taters tomorrow, and I'm okay with that.

My women's picks are a lot more real - I have UConn until they hit Duke, and Louisville and Notre Dame all through the bracket to the final game. Wheee. :)
posted by joycehealy at 6:27 AM on March 15, 2018


Very Christmas morning feeling... The first two days of the tournament are ze best.
posted by fleacircus at 6:43 AM on March 15, 2018 [2 favorites]


I definitely thought I had a couple more hours before the first game started! So unfortunately the only bracket I finished in time was my "Literal Coin Flips" bracket, which is exactly what it sounds like. If Providence wins it all I'm gonna frame this quarter and keep it forever.
posted by egregious theorem at 9:47 AM on March 15, 2018 [2 favorites]


I'm glad I had the good sense not to even bother with an online bracket this year. I got 3 out of the first 4 right. Then Oklahoma lost, and I don't even want to look at the rest of it really.
posted by cashman at 6:09 PM on March 15, 2018 [1 favorite]


Arizona what r u doin
posted by fleacircus at 8:35 PM on March 15, 2018 [3 favorites]


Virginia Tech, why u gotta be like that?
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 8:50 PM on March 15, 2018 [1 favorite]


And there's a Fanfare thread for the tournament.
posted by joycehealy at 5:09 AM on March 16, 2018 [2 favorites]


MEN'S BRACKET FIRST ROUND UPDATE:
We have 45 live entries (sorry, egregious theorem's non-coinflip bracket). Currently tied for first place are josher71 and fluffy battle kitten. I'm in a solid 38th. Current active last place is joycehealy's bold UNCG-heavy bracket, which is already mathematically locked in at last place.

No condolences to the 1 of you who picked Arizona or the 5 of you who picked Virginia to win it all. You'll just have to make it up on volume.

Just so you know, if you set up a bracket but didn't get it into the group, you can still click on that bracket and tell it to join the group. (This happened to me in the Women's challenge.)
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:59 AM on March 17, 2018 [1 favorite]


I'm tied for 22nd! *throws confetti*
posted by chainsofreedom at 8:28 AM on March 17, 2018 [1 favorite]


Yea, the March Madness app helpfully let me know this morning that I am 1,832,813th in the overall leaderboard. It happens. :)
posted by joycehealy at 8:35 AM on March 17, 2018


You just picked the wrong 4-letter acronym to build your bracket around, is all.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 3:25 PM on March 17, 2018 [1 favorite]


Whelp, my bracket is falling apart. I blame the magnificent joy of UMBC winning, the surprise of Arizona losing, and my utterly bizarre choice of St. Bonaventure beating Florida(?!). Well, that and not knowing anything about basketball and/or spending approx 7 minutes on making it. But this is so much fun to follow with y'all!
posted by missmary6 at 7:46 PM on March 17, 2018 [1 favorite]


I know pretty much fuck all about basketball other than I recognize school names that I've heard and registered as doing okay in the past.

Also, I originally had UVA winning the entire thing but switched it to Michigan because of Obama. So, thanks Obama!
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 8:28 PM on March 17, 2018 [2 favorites]


WOMEN'S BRACKET FIRST ROUND UPDATE:

Since I'm up (oh, Mr. Puppy Puppy. He's so considerate, making sure I don't miss my early morning cup of coffee), I hope Huffy will forgive me for jumping in with an update on the women's tournament (so much for "I don't have the bandwidth this year", though my next paper could really be using these brain cycles instead).

With round 1 done on the women's side and round 2 set to pick up today, we have 22 live entries. In first place is Andy Mok. I'm tied for #10 with Box of Chalk with my "all high seeds" entry. Unsurprisingly, my "all low seeds" bracket is last, and likely locked there (I'm not doing that math this morning).

The first bracket that doesn't have UConn to win it all is dfekart1's, only 30 points behind the leader. If UConn goes down, the women's side brackets are going to get interesting in a hurry.
posted by joycehealy at 6:21 AM on March 18, 2018


So much for Obama's bracket.
posted by riruro at 2:28 PM on March 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Friends don't let friends cheer for Duke.

Can I be temporarily forgiven, since they're up next against Syracuse? Bah. Bah. Bah.
posted by joycehealy at 3:12 PM on March 18, 2018


My condolences to those Michigan State fans whose brackets just busted.
posted by joycehealy at 3:15 PM on March 18, 2018


Well, I enjoyed the fluke of being number one while it lasted. lol.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 3:30 PM on March 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Sweet, I'm tied for second at the moment. I picked Kansas State to beat UVa in the second round, so the UMBC surprise didn't hurt my layout. I have Kentucky in the Final Four, and that's the only pick I'm confident in.
posted by riruro at 9:21 PM on March 18, 2018


SECOND! ROUND! UPDATE!!
Well, my well-meaning snark about brackets at the bottom prompted the Woof Gods to smite me down into the fourth percentile, with only 3 correct picks out of the Sweet Sixteen. I can still rise up the standings as long as (checks) Kansas goes on a run through the tournament and wins it all. Well, that could happen....

Current leader is PearlRose, but UNC is out. Team with most combined points and potential points is box.

In the Women's bracket, we're halfway through round 2 and if you stuck mostly to chalk, you're looking smart. We have seen some 6/11 and 7/10 upsets, and Tennessee's out. It's really tight; I may post an update after tomorrow's games (or joycehealy can! Your update was better!).
posted by Huffy Puffy at 4:59 AM on March 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Curses! I should have trusted my instncts and let FSU go farther -- oh well. One's extremely lucky odds can only go so far. It's been fun watching all the upsets and topsy-turvy, though. Does my random-loving heart proud.
posted by PearlRose at 5:32 AM on March 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Well this just goes to show that I really know nothing about basketball but it's been fun tracking anyway--so thanks for setting things up, y'all!

Alas, my team was beaten in their second game (at the last possible moment) so I'm just watching to make sure Duke loses.
posted by librarylis at 8:21 AM on March 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


In first place is Andy Mok.

That's me, that's me!!!
posted by Literaryhero at 6:29 PM on March 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Aww, shucks, Huffy Puffy, I enjoy your updates and think they’re better than mine. So there.

WOMEN’S SECOND ROUND UPDATE (yes, I’m still up, #gradschool)

The women’s second round saw upsets; March isn’t just weird on the men’s side, folks. #11 Buffalo knocked out #3 FSU (by a lot), which is what I get for crowing about how many ACC teams were making the Sweet Sixteen (but we’re 4 strong, so I’ll take that). #5 Duke took #4 Georgia (less of an upset there; I feel like anything can happen with a 4 seed and a 5 seed in the same round). #11 Central Michigan walloped #3 OSU. #6 Oregon State took out #3 Tennessee.

Perhaps fittingly, given how this March is going, PearlRose’s “Randomness” bracket is ... #2 in the rankings. Pearl Rose’s Less Random Bracket is #1. Andy Mok, the previous leader, is in spot #3. However, it is worth noting that the scores are very close in the top 5 and top 10, and that 10 of our 22 live brackets have UConn picked to win it all (UConn continues to handily hold the line), so if they do go, this gets messy fast.

The women’s tournament resumes on Friday.

I failed to pay the puppy tax in my earlier update.
posted by joycehealy at 8:23 PM on March 19, 2018


That's hilarious. If I win the Women's Bracket, with either of my reasonably random brackets, I'll donate a blank basketball to start the winner's tradition of signing the ball and passing it around amongst the winners to create a Hall of Fame of the most random and best lucky guessers of all time.

(I'll probably do this even if I don't win. I feel like the women's side ought to get its own winner's prize, too.)
posted by PearlRose at 6:27 AM on March 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


Andy Mok, the previous leader, is in spot #3.

It was sweet while it lasted.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:28 AM on March 22, 2018


I would like to point out that PearlRose is also dominating the men's bracket. What is your secret?!
posted by Literaryhero at 3:30 AM on March 22, 2018 [2 favorites]


What is your secret?!

Dumb luck.
posted by PearlRose at 6:17 AM on March 22, 2018 [3 favorites]


me: I have Kentucky in the Final Four, and that's the only pick I'm confident in.

Good thing it is breakfast time, because boy do I have egg on my face! 🤣🤣🤣
posted by riruro at 5:47 AM on March 23, 2018


me: I have Kentucky in the Final Four, and that's the only pick I'm confident in.

Good thing it is breakfast time, because boy do I have egg on my face! 🤣🤣🤣


And yet you're currently up, though today is yet to be played :)
posted by joycehealy at 2:30 PM on March 23, 2018


🏀⛹️‍💯😺😺😺
posted by riruro at 5:55 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]


👿 👵 / 🔫 😾 / 👋🏻 🐿 / 🐤 💩
posted by fleacircus at 10:04 PM on March 23, 2018 [1 favorite]


WOMEN’S THIRD ROUND UPDATE

Before things pick back up in a couple hours...

The sweet 16 has ended, and with it my hopes for an all ACC Final Four, though NCSU and Duke both put up good fights. Coming into the Elite Eight, we have left all 4 #1 seeds, two #2 seeds, a 3 seed, and a 6 seed.

Pearlrose's Less Random bracket is still in the the lead! Go Pearl Rose! There is also still only a 100 point gap between our leader and #10, with heavy PPR margins left, so we'll see what happens.
posted by joycehealy at 6:40 AM on March 25, 2018


WOMEN'S FOURTH ROUND UPDATE

Who made the best / worst life decision to sacrifice sleep for that AMAZING Oregon / Notre Dame game, since I still have homework to read? Yea, about that.

lockbox's "Box of Chalk" is in the lead. Eyebrow's #1 bracket is second; my "all high seeds" bracket is third, because... we have an all #1 seeds Final Four. We're set for a weekend of fantastic basketball. Play resumes on Friday (times aren't posted yet), and the final game (and oh, but would I love to see a rematch of the ACC championship) will be played on Sunday.
posted by joycehealy at 8:17 PM on March 26, 2018


On the men's side, riruro has jumped back into the lead, with Michigan still in it. erin and Eyebrows still have Villanova active. Finally, because I can't not mention it, Box's Vacation Spots picked Loyola-Chicago to win the tournament, so despite being 23rd, can still maybe win this thing.

There are up to 480 points still out there (if you picked a team to win a semifinal and win the championship). It basically comes down to "Will the team you pick to win it all, win it all?" Good luck, everyone!
posted by Huffy Puffy at 4:54 AM on March 27, 2018 [1 favorite]


Women's side: I would almost rather not win the thing than have the joke bracket where I picked all high seeds win the thing.

Men's side: Hey, Chicago's a nice place to visit.
posted by box at 5:08 AM on March 27, 2018


... and I'm busted. go Eyebrows go.
posted by joycehealy at 7:26 PM on March 30, 2018


DID MY IRISH JUST KNOCK OUT UCONN?????

DID MY IRISH JUST KNOCK OUT UCONN??????

I LOVE YOU MUFFET MCGRAW!!!!!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 9:05 PM on March 30, 2018 [3 favorites]


There is exactly one bracket still alive in the Women's Tournament Challenge.

If Notre Dame wins, Eyebrows #2 will leapfrog from 7 to 1 and win.
If Mississippi State wins, box's chalk bracket will hold on and win.

On the men's side...uh, I dunno, let's see what happens tonight. All 4 teams are represented as champions of at least someone's bracket.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 7:07 AM on March 31, 2018 [1 favorite]


It is 6:58 AM Central time on April 1, and Villanova just hit another 3-pointer.

WE ARE DOWN TO TWO. (We actually have a lot more than that that are still active, but as far as potential winners, WE ARE DOWN TO TWO.)

If Michigan wins, riruro wins.
If Villanova wins, erin wins.

WHO TO ROOT FOR? WHICH MEFITE DO YOU LIKE BETTER? YOU DECIDE!!

...and special recognition to needled and aabbbiee, who are currently in 2nd and tied for 3rd, despite picking Virginia. They'll get passed, but still. You were this close.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 5:04 AM on April 1, 2018 [1 favorite]


IRISH!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 5:27 PM on April 1, 2018 [3 favorites]


Notre Dame! Eyebrows!
posted by box at 5:27 PM on April 1, 2018 [1 favorite]


Muffet McGraw crying is making me cry!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 5:29 PM on April 1, 2018 [2 favorites]


That was BEAUTIFUL. We had dinner at my mother in laws last night, so I haven't gotten to watch the whole game yet, but we were on the way home and I pulled up the score (I had also checked it at halftime), and I'm like, okay, it's just a couple of points... okay, tied with three seconds left, this is going to overtime... HOLY SHIT what just happened?!

Congrats to the Fighting Irish. That was lovely.
posted by joycehealy at 6:42 AM on April 2, 2018


Congratulations, Eyebrows! That victory was well-earned, and wonderful to watch. I'm not even mad my dumb luck fizzled out near the end game.

That said, I'm definitely sticking to my plan to offer to start a Womens' Tournament autographed basketball ...legacy thingy... if you're up for it. If not, perhaps a different small prize.
posted by PearlRose at 8:25 AM on April 2, 2018 [2 favorites]


huh, did I win this? I think I won this?! (I’m Erin. I’m also currently in Bangkok, where I am very confused about what day it is and when basketball occurred.)

Many retroactive cheers to Eyebrows, though! I love an upset.
posted by torridly at 2:06 AM on April 3, 2018 [4 favorites]


Yes, you are the winner! Woo!
posted by Huffy Puffy at 4:44 AM on April 3, 2018 [1 favorite]


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