SectionsColumn: Blair, Pitt will beat strong field for title
Jeff Faust
Issue date: 3/19/09 Section: Sports
Alright everyone, the time is here. Today is the real start of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and 16 of the 32 games that accompany the first round.
(I mean, as good as Morehead State and Alabama State were, they aren't exactly going to match up well with Louisville, the No. 1 overall seed).
The brackets are all locked, the bets placed (not for cash or anything like that, of course), and the games will run all day on CBS.
Heck, even Billy Packer may come back to lend a hand from some of these games. For those of you that don't remember, the 68-year-old was let go last year by CBS after 34 years in the broadcast booth as lead analyst. (I'm sure Jim Nantz will miss him).
It is a truly beautiful day in sports, especially for all the women who can't get their guys to do anything today or tomorrow. Too many games, not enough channels - I'm just saying.
So without any further delay, here are my picks for this year's Sweet 16, Final Four, and the National Champion:
Midwest Region
I have all three of the favorites advancing to the Sweet 16 with my upset special of the tournament, Cleveland State, beating Wake Forest and Arizona (yeah, a stupid pick to see 'Zona in the second round, but they had to get in the tournament for some reason, right?).
After that, I've got Louisville and Michigan State advancing to the Elite Eight because Rick Patino, coach of the Cardinals, and Tom Izzo, coach of the Spartans, are just too good.
Louisville is then in the Final Four because those players earned the top seed for a reason.
West Region
I have the favorites Connecticut and Memphis advancing, because they are just too good. I also have Marquette in the group after they upset Mizzou because, quite frankly, I don't really like the Tigers.
The fourth team is the Washington Huskies, led by tiny point guard Isaiah Thomas, who is not related to the ex-good ballplayer and horrible coach/executive. (However, this one's father did lose a bet, so he had to name his son after the other.)
(I mean, as good as Morehead State and Alabama State were, they aren't exactly going to match up well with Louisville, the No. 1 overall seed).
The brackets are all locked, the bets placed (not for cash or anything like that, of course), and the games will run all day on CBS.
Heck, even Billy Packer may come back to lend a hand from some of these games. For those of you that don't remember, the 68-year-old was let go last year by CBS after 34 years in the broadcast booth as lead analyst. (I'm sure Jim Nantz will miss him).
It is a truly beautiful day in sports, especially for all the women who can't get their guys to do anything today or tomorrow. Too many games, not enough channels - I'm just saying.
So without any further delay, here are my picks for this year's Sweet 16, Final Four, and the National Champion:
Midwest Region
I have all three of the favorites advancing to the Sweet 16 with my upset special of the tournament, Cleveland State, beating Wake Forest and Arizona (yeah, a stupid pick to see 'Zona in the second round, but they had to get in the tournament for some reason, right?).
After that, I've got Louisville and Michigan State advancing to the Elite Eight because Rick Patino, coach of the Cardinals, and Tom Izzo, coach of the Spartans, are just too good.
Louisville is then in the Final Four because those players earned the top seed for a reason.
West Region
I have the favorites Connecticut and Memphis advancing, because they are just too good. I also have Marquette in the group after they upset Mizzou because, quite frankly, I don't really like the Tigers.
The fourth team is the Washington Huskies, led by tiny point guard Isaiah Thomas, who is not related to the ex-good ballplayer and horrible coach/executive. (However, this one's father did lose a bet, so he had to name his son after the other.)
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