In any Big Dance story, all eyes go to the Cinderella in the room. But as we head into the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament this year, all eyes are on the CinderellaS. As in all four of them.

It wouldn’t be March Madness without a few underdogs pulling an upset or two. But to have Butler, Northern Iowa, Cornell and St Mary’s, all lower ranked seeds, going to the Sweet 16 dance is practically unheard of. The other day I wrote a post asking, Will the Real Cinderella team Please Stand Up. I’m a sucker for a Cinderella story so I want to know which one is the true princess…er, prince….of the dance so I can officially declare my alligance to them in the tourney.

But the more I thought it these four underdogs heading into the next round, the more I’m left wondering, can too many cinderellas ruin the big dance?

I don’t think the Big Dance is ruined quite yet. In fact, I’m okay with the four teams going into the Sweet 16. Gives us all something to talk about. And you know millions will be tuning in to see which of the four manages to pull off the next round upset and declares “We’re the Cinderella Team, bitch.”

Afterall, don’t we all love a good underdog story? That’s why movies like Rocky, Rudy, The Bad News Bears, the Mighty Ducks, etc., capture our hearts.

But can you imagine if all four teams manage an upset and land in the Elite 8? It would be like watching Dancing with the Stars with the final four contestants as Jerry Springer, Cloris Leachman, John Ratzenberger and George Hamilton.

As it is right now, a quarter of the Sweet 16 can be considered Cinderella teams (and that’s not including Michigan State who was arguably last year’s Cinderella story despite being a No. 3 seed. They are back this year and again, no one expected much from them). Can all four teams really pull off an upset, probably not. But if they do….. Half of the Elite 8 would be underdogs. Might as well call it the Extra Ordinary 8 (please note that is Extra Ordinary not, extraordinary)

If it were to happen, the East Region would have Cornell against Washington for the Elite 8 matchup. Their own students wouldn’t fill their field houses for a regular season matchup of those two teams, why on earth would the entire nation tune in to watch it?

Al Dannity of Sports Interaction said it best. In fact, he took the words right out of my mouth even in his headline “Too Many Cinderellas Ruin the Fairy Tale”.

“If one of Butler, Northern Iowa, Cornell, or St Mary’s make the Final Four it will be great for Basketball. If all four do it would be nothing short of a disaster. A great tale of fantasy and romance has room for just one Cinderella at the ball.”

And this year…. well it kinda feels like Prom with all the Prom Court nominees in a catfight vying to be the Queen. It’s a total distraction from the Big Dance and it’s pulling everyone’s attention away from the rest of the hoopla (yes, hoop-la was a semi-intention pun.)

Plus, as Tom Van Riper from Forbes.com pointed out,

“It’s just that too many Cinderella’s dilute the story. The occasional upset is always fun and is part of the tournament’s charm. Plenty of fans undoubtedly got a kick out of Ohio University’s thrashing of Georgetown and Old Dominion’s squeaker over Notre Dame. But do most fans necessarily want to see Ohio U. and Old Dominion a round later? No, they want to see Georgetown and Notre Dame.” 

Think about it. What if the glass slipper fit Cinderella, all her step-sisters and her step-mom? It would have been a totally different story, that’s for sure!

My only hope as we go into the Sweet 16,  is that the real Cinderella takes the throne and the others fall. I do hope one makes it through because like I said, we all love a good Cinderella story!

***Update: Butler decided to throw their princess crown into the Cinderella of the Dance Competition as they took down Syracuse. Yes they are a No. 5 seed, but they took down a No. 1 to the shock of , pretty much everyone.

Which means we have Butler and either Kansas State or Xavier representing the West Region in the Elite Eight…… That sounds…..swell……

*photo from Broadway World

Can Too Many Cinderellas Ruin This Big Dance? is a post from: Stiletto Sports

It’s not an NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament without a little madness! And this year, the first rounds have been filled with shockers. First off, the usual tournament suspects aren’t even in the big dance. Teams like UNC, UConn,  UCLA  and Michigan are all MIA this year. And now, this big dance has a whole lot of princesses…er, princes….going to the Sweet 16 Dance.

I’m a sucker for a good Cinderella story. I love the come from behind, little unknown teams that make a run for the championship. Don’t we all? I mean isn’t that why we all tune in every year with our brackets clutched in our sweaty palms as we hold our breaths during the last second shots?

It’s certainly not to see teams like Kentucky or Syracuse dominate the opposition by 2o points, even if we did pick them in the brackets and have them in the Final Four.

No, we watch for the underdogs. We wait to see who will be the Cinderella team of the year that will shock everyone. Typically in March Madness, a team is a Cinderella if they are seeded 10-16 and they somehow advance to the Sweet 16.  And there will always be one. There is always some team that wins when all odds were against them and takes down one of the best, most powerful teams in the country. And we all gasp in stunned disbelief, even though it’s what we were secretly hoping for all along.

But what happens when there are four teams?

When the dust settled after the first two maddening rounds of the 2010 NCAA Tourney, it became clear that there was going to be a big problem: too many Cinderellas in this Big Dance. In fact, a quarter of the Sweet 16 can be considered Cinderellas.

So I  gotta ask: Will the real Cinderella Team please stand up? Or I suppose, which Cinderella will the glass slipper fit….

Is it…Cinderella-Cornell: the No. 12 seed who beat No. 4 Wisconsin by almost 20 points in the second round when before this year, they had never won a single NCAA tournament game, ever.

Or maybe it’s Cinderella-Washington, the No. 11 seed that knocked off No. 3 New Mexico to the shock of, well, everyone.

Is it Cinderella- St. Mary’s?  They would make a great Cinderella. Afterall, they are the No. 10 seed virtual unknown who took down No. 2 NCAA tourney powerhouse team Villanova.

Or, perhaps it’s Cinderella-Northern Iowa? The little No. 9 seed that came out of nowhere and took down not just a No. 1 seed, but the No. 1 seed of the entire tournament, the Kansas Jayhawks.

I’m sure the real Cinderella won’t be crowned until after the Sweet 16 dance is over, but I’m casting my ballot for Northern Iowa. Yes, they are the highest seed of the four but like I said, they took down the No. 1 seed.

Cast Your Ballot for this year’s Cinderella of the Big Dance:

Determining who is rightfully this year’s Cinderella Team isn’t the only problem. Tune in tomorrow to find out if Too many Cinderellas Can Ruin the Big Dance!

Will the Real Cinderella Team Please Stand Up? is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Rounds 1 and 2 of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament are over! Opening Weekend proved to be one of the most intense starts in March Madness history. Startling upsets and buzzer beaters galore!

The tournament tipped off with the Florida-BYU game that went into 2OT and the weekend ended with a Texas A&M-Purdue matchup that went into OT. And somewhere in between the beginning and the end, four double digit seeds (ok 3 double digit and one No. 9 seed) advanced to the Sweet 16 and are battling out to be the Cinderella of the tourney. And the No. 1 seeded team of the entire tournament was taken out by that No. 9 seed, busting everyone’s brackets wide open.

After over 42 hours of basketball in four days, we get a three day hiatus to contemplate our picks for the Sweet 16 which tips off on Thursday, March 21. True, your brackets are already locked in for your office/internet pools. But CBSSports offers a Round by Round game that you can enter. And if your bracket is as busted as mine, most of the teams you picked aren’t in the Sweet 16 so it’s time to pick new teams!

Here’s a rundown of all the teams that made it into the Sweet 16 and their matchups. As the week goes on, I’ll do some in depth looks at some of the key points of the next round but this all the basics that you need to know to help you pick who you want to move on to the Elite 8!

South Region

No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 1 Duke

Duke

• ACC Champs
• Location: Durham, North Carolina
• Nickname: Blue Devils
• School Colors: Royal (Duke) Blue and White
• Coach: Coach K, Mike Krzyzewski
• Fanatical Fans: The Cameron Crazies. You do not mess with these people. They will f&%$ you up.
• Rivals: UNC. It’s known as the Tobacco Road rivalry and is quite possibly the most famous war in sports.
• Players to know: Kyle Singler, Jon Schever,

Purdue

• Big Ten
• Location: West Lafayatte, Indiana
• Mascot: Boilermakers
• What is a Boilermaker?: It’s actually an old slang term for engineering. Pretty interesting story
• School Colors: Old Gold and Black
• Coach: Matt Painter
• Players: Chris Kramer. Yum.

In My Brackets: Chris Kramer is so hot that he’s actually made me like Purdue. I didn’t think that was possible! I was screaming my head off for them at the end of the nail biting game, only to remember that I actually didn’t pick them in any of my brackets. But even though I’d love to see Chris for a few more weeks, I’m still going to go with Duke for my boy Mark!

No. 10 St. Mary’s vs. No. 3 Baylor

Baylor

• Big 12
  
• Location: Waco, TX
• Nickname: Bears
• Mascot: Bruiser and Judge. also have two black bears named Joy and Lady
• School Colors: Green and Gold
• Why you may have heard of them: In 2003. Player Patrick Dennehy was murdered by a  former player becuase of a shocking illegal recruiting/drug scandal.

St Mary’s (College of California)

• WCC
• Location: Moraga, CA
• Nickname: Gaels (formerly the Saints)
• Mascot: Gael Force One
• School Colors: Red and Blue
• Fame: They just took down the No. 2 seed in their bracket, the powerhouse Villanova.

In My Brackets: Eh….. Um….. Eh….Well, since I picked Notre Dame to go to the Sweet 16, I’m kinda screwed no matter what. But St. Mary’s is not my favorite Cinderella team out of the bunch of princesses (princes?) in this big dance. I really wanted Villanova to advance to take on Duke so I’m a little ticked at that upset. I think I’m going to go with Baylor here.

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East Region:

No. 12 Cornell vs. No. 1 Kentucky

Kentucky

• SEC
  
• Location: Lexington, KY
• Nickname: Wildcats, Big Blue
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Fanatical Fans: Called “Big Blue Nation” and “Big Blue Mist”
• Coach: John Calipari
• Fame: The winningest program in college basketball. Also credited with beginning Midnight Madness, the night that kicks off official start of NCAA college basketball practices.

Cornell

• Ivy League Champs
• Location: Ithaca, NY
• Mascot: Big Red (apparently, from looking at the logo, Big Red is a scary Teddy Bear)
• School Colors: Carnelian Red and White
• Coach: Steve Donahue
• Funny Facts and Legends: “According to legend, if a virgin crosses the Arts Quad at midnight, the statues of Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White will walk off their pedestals, meet in the center of the Quad, and shake hands, congratulating themselves on the chastity of the University.” -Wikipedia

In My Brackets: Kentucky. I don’t care about all the crap surrounding John Calipari. He is one of my favorite coaches and has been for years. I don’t really like Kentucky, but I like him! Cornell is the lowest seed that advanced to the Sweet 16, which gives them Cinderella rights. And they totally beat the crap out of Wisconsin to the shock of…well, everyone. But as much as I would love for the little guys to pull off another upset, I just don’t see them being able to take down the Big Bad Wildcats.

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No. 11 Washington vs. No. 2 WVU

Washington

• Pac-10
  
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Nickname: Huskies (used to be the Sun Dodgers because as Twilight fans will tell ya, that area is the rainiest, least sunny area in the country!)
• Mascot: Harry the Husky. Also, Dubs, an Alaskan Malamute similar to a husky is known to make an appearance….
• School Colors: Purple and Gold
• Fan Section: The Dawg Pack
• Coach: Lorenzo Romar
• Claim to Fame: The Huskies like to take credit for the invention of the ultimate crowd reaction “The Wave.” Rumored to have been created in October 1981 in a game against Stanford.

Western Virginia University

• Big East
• Location: Morgantown, West Virginia
• Mascot: Mountaineers
• School Colors: Old Gold and Blue
• Coach: Bob Huggins
• Roll out the red, er, blue and gold carpet: The team gets to walk down their very own VIP carpet during home games! Oh and John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is like an unofficial school song.
• Players to know: Da’Sean Butler and Joe Mazzulla

In My Brackets: Hmmm….. very interesting. WVU just barely beat Missouri. While Washington took down No. 3 New Mexico as if the Lobos were a crappy seed instead of team expected to dominate the tournament. Ya know, I’m think I’m going to pledge my loyalty to the Huskies here. But I reserve the right to change my mind over the next few days as I carefully weigh all the factors. WVU’s Joe Mazzulla and Da’Sean Butler are very sexy…..

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West Region

No. 5 Butler vs. No. 1 Syracuse

Butler

• Horizon
  
• Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Mascot: Bulldogs
• Student Fan Section: The Dawg Pound
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Coach: Brad Stevens
• Claim to Fame: The final championship in the 1986 movie Hoosiers was filmed in Butler’s basketball arena!
• *** This is a great little team to root for. Once a virtual unknown, in the last decade, they have really made a name for themselves as a regular in the NCAA tourney!

Syracuse

• Big East
  
• Location: Syracuse, NY
• Nicknames: Orange, Orangemen
• Mascot: Otto The Orange
• School Colors: Orange….. are you noticing a theme here?
• Coach: Jim Boeheim
• Home Court : The Orange play in the Carrier Dome–I’ve even heard of it! It’s the largest domed college stadium in the country. My school had a dome. It was small.
• Players:  Arinze Okanadu (Jonny Flynn, last years key player is now a player in the NBA on the Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Fame: VP Joe Biden

In My Brackets: Syracuse. Even with Arinze Okanadu injured the Orange have had no problems dominating through the tourney and Butler looks like one more little hurdle on their road to the Final Four. Butler on the other hand struggled with UTEP and almost lost in the final seconds to Murray State.

No. 6 Xavier vs. No. 2 Kansas State

Xavier

• Atlantic 10
  
• Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
• Nickname: Musketeers
• Mascot: “D’Artagnan the captain of Musketeers of the Guard” and also, The Blue Blob. Um. Okay.
• School Colors: Navy Blue, Grey, White
• Coach: Chris Mack
• Rivals: Cincinnati Bearcats. They play each other in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout

Kansas State

• Big 12
  
• Location: Manhattan, KS
• Nickname: Wildcats
• School Colors: Purple and White
• Coach: Frank Martin
• Rivals: Kansas. They even have a Sunflower Showdown between the two teams
• Famous Alumns: Michael Beasley, Miami Heat

In my Brackets: Eh. I think it’s a safe bet to now bet against all things Kansas after KU’s disasterous loss to UNI. I’m going Xavier. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth to think about rooting for Kansas State if KU is not in the tourney too.

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Midwest Region

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Tennessee

• SEC
  
• Location: Knoxsville, Tenn
• Nickname: Volunteers.  That’s just plain weird. Also shortened to just Vols
• Why?: Because Tenn is known as the volunteer state. The people are historically known to jump in and fight any war, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil and even the Alamo. Which was in Texas.
• Mascot: Smokey IX the Bluetick coonhound
• School Colors: Orange and White
• Coach: Bruce Pearl
• Song: the official fight song is “Down the Field” but the most popular request for The Pride to play is “Rocky Top.”  I personally would request “Tennessee” by Arrested Development. Or “Tennessee Line” by Chris Daughtry

Ohio State

• Big Ten
• Location: Columbus, Ohio
• Mascot: Buckeyes
• What the heck is a buckeye?: It it Ohio’s offical state tree. Hmmm….
• School Colors:  Scarlet and Grey
• Coach: Thad Matta
• Facts: Ohio State fans scare the bejeezus out of me. They are CR-Razy and die hards. They rival Florida’s Gator Nation for “peeps you don’t want to hear you talking smack about their team.”

In My Brackets: Well Tennessee took down one Ohio team already……..  Ohio State actually struggled with Georgia Tech a bit where Tennessee rolled right over Ohio. But Ohio State is not Ohio. They are going to play hard. Even though Tennessee’s creamcicle looking sneakers are one of my fave things about the tourney (if they were to win the whole tourney I really think someone needs to make a commercial that says “it’s gotta be the shoes….”) I’m still going to go with OSU.

No. 9 Northern Iowa (UNI) vs. No. 5 MSU

Northern Iowa

• Missouri Valley
  
• Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
• Mascot: Panthers. The actual mascot, TC (The Cat) Panther is award winning. But I have no idea what awards….
• School Colors: Purple and Old Gold
• Claim to Fame: Been ranked “best in the Midwest” by the Princeton Review a lot
• Coach: Ben Jacobson
• Fun Tradition: ” The UNI campus comes alive Friday night of Homecoming week each year. At the stroke of midnight, students flock around the tower to sneak a kiss from a long time lover or someone you just met.” Wikipedia
• Fame: They just took down the No. 1 team in the entire tournament Kansas. In fact, UNI lead almost the entire game.

Michigan State

• Big 12
  
• Location: East Lansing, MI
• Mascot: Spartans
• School Colors: Green and White
• Coach: Tom Izzo (for shizzo)
• Players: Kalin Lucas, Derrell Summers, Delvon Roe
• Claim to Fame: They have won 2 Championships. The most notable was the 1979 game that pitted Spartan Ervin “Magic” Johnson against Indiana’s Larry Bird. Perhaps you have heard of them? That win fueled the rivalry that extended into the NBA with Magic on the Lakers and Bird ont he Celtics.
• A Cinderella Story: Last year MSU were the Cinderellas in the Big Dance. They made it all the way to the championship against UNC!

In My Brackets: I…….. geez. This is like when someone asks me to choose between cheese and chocolate. Or McDreamy and Josh Jackson. Those kind of intense decisions make me freeze up. Here’s the problems.

• MSU beat KU last year in the tourney yet went on toe become my last year’s Cinderella Story.
• UNI beat KU this year in the tourney yet is now going on to be my this year’s favorite Cinderella Story.
• Erik’s team is MSU and I have spend 42 hours in the last 4 days watching basketball at his house.
• UNI is Nic and Luke’s team and they are both very hot boys (this is not to imply that Erik is not a hot boy. He is too!)
• UNI’s Ali Farokhmanesh is a cutie patootey with a sick 3-point shot that does funny things for me, even though his shot was the nail in KU’s coffin. But his name has a KH and an M strung together with no vowels. That’s just crazy.
• MSU’s Korie Luscious sunk the 3-pointer that won the game against Maryland at the buzzer. And he is hot too. And his last name looks like it’s lush-iss even though it’s pronouned loo-shush.

What do you think? Who should round off my Super Sweet 16? MSU or UNI? Leave a comment below or shoot me a tweet @StilettoSportsJ and let me know your thoughts!

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Girl’s Guide to The Super Sweet 16 of the 2010 NCAA Tourney is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Round 2 of the 2010 March Madness is almost over! Whose bracket wasn’t busted by the KU loss to No. Iowa? I know mine was!

By this point in the tourney, we’ve all watched well over 1,000 commercials since there seems to be a commercial break every 20 seconds at the end of a close game.—and there have been a lot of really close games! For this week’s Sunday Funday, it’s time to look at the best and the worst commercials and ad campaigns of the NCAA Tournament!

The Best:

Miller Lite

Hands down, Miller Lite wins the NCAA March Madness Best Commercial Shootout. No one else even comes close! Even though we have seen the commercials no less than 50 times in the first four days of the tourney, they have yet to get old. In fact, we find outselves cracking up laughing more each time it airs. The campaign is based on man’s inability to express their real deep emotions….except when it comes to the important things in their lives: like beer.

My absolute favorite commerical is the Miller Lite “Ditto” one where the guy and his lady are in a picnic in the park and he is gushing about how much he loves his Miller Lite but when she asks why he loves he, he can barely articulate it. The actor totally makes the commercial. And the “I love all your teeth” is priceless!

Honorable mentions for best March Madness Ad Campaigns/Commericals:
HP/Beats Audio

Featuring Dr. Dre and some British/Aussie Guy. Truly hysterical. Every time the British/Aussie guy goes “Bitty Bitty boo, yeah, yeah” we laugh till our sides hurt.

ETrade Babies:

They will always top my commercials list. I love their Super Bowl ads and they make me laugh every time.

The Worst

Southwest

Southwest, on the other hand, totally dropped the ball. Considering they are a huge sponsor of the tourney and their ads have aired during almost every commercial break during every single game for four days, you would have thought they would have poured some money into their campaign.

Instead we are stuck watching the exact same commerical over and over and over….And yes, it was funny the first three times we saw it. But it got old real fast. They should have come up with a few variations and it would have had so much more impact!

Honorable mention for Worst March Madness Campaigns/Commercials:
Coke. Maybe it’s just me, but for the last year or so, it’s starting to seem like the ad directors for Coca-Cola are actually on Coke. Or acid. The commercials get weirder and weirder. And are starting to make me think if I drink Coke I’m going to start having crazy hallucinations.

Planter’s Peanuts: Same thing as Southwest. If you are planning on showing the same commercial over and over and over to promote a great feature or a brand new product, you better make sure it’s damn funny. Not just “funny the first time you see it”

Taco Bell “New Shrimp Taco:” First let me just say that it’s not just the commercial that sucks. The whole idea of a shrimp taco from Taco Bell is totally nauseating.  I can’t think of anything I’d like to eat less than that. And I eat a lot of weird stuff. In addition to my notes for Planter’s Peanuts, if you are going to launch a new product and show the same commercial over and over to promote it, you might want to make sure the product isn’t absolutely disgusting and makes people want to vomit every time they think about it. (For the sake of all my viewer’s stomachs I will not be posting this video. Makes me queasy just thinking about it.)

Capitol One: But then again, I haven’t liked a Capitol One commercial since they started using those Viking people as they “mascot.” Totally don’t get the commercials. At all.

Do you agree? What are you fave commercials of the tourney or is there one that you truly can’t stand? Leave me a comment below or send me a tweet @StilettoSportsJ

The Best and the Worst Commercials of the 2010 NCAA Tourney is a post from: Stiletto Sports

The opening round of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is over! The opening round was amazing! Full of buzzer beats, OTs, upsets and magical moments!

How did you do in your brackets? I didn’t do as well as I did last year when I went 28-4 going into Saturday’s games but, considering I did my brackets in literally, 5 minutes, I’m not mad.

Now, it’s on to Round 2! For the Lucky 32 I’ve given a complete breakdown of all the teams and their matchups. Oh, and I threw in my bracket picks too so you can see how I’m doing!

Who do you have advancing to the Sweet 16? Leave me comment or send me a tweet @StilettosportsJ and let me know where you stand!

NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: South Region

No. 1 Duke vs. California/Louisville

#2 Duke

• ACC Champs
• Location: Durham, North Carolina
• Nickname: Blue Devils
• School Colors: Royal (Duke) Blue and White
• Coach: Coach K, Mike Krzyzewski
• Fanatical Fans: The Cameron Crazies. You do not mess with these people. They will f&%$ you up.
• Rivals: UNC. It’s known as the Tobacco Road rivalry and is quite possibly the most famous war in sports.

California

• Pac-10
• Location: Berkley, CA
• Nickname: Golden Bears
• Mascot: Oski the Bear named for Okskee-wow-wow yell:
  “Oski Wow-Wow!
  Whiskey Wee-Wee!
  Olee! Muckie-eye!
  Olee! Berkeley-eye!
  California! Wow!”
• School Colors: Yale Blue and California Gold
• Coach: Mike Montgomery’

In My Brackets: Duke. One of my fave people in the whole wide world, Mark, is a huge Duke fan. I never root against Mark. Unless Duke meets KU….

No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 4 Purdue

Texas A&M

• Big 12
  
• Location: College Station, Texas
• Mascot: Aggies
• What the heck is an Aggie?: I always get the mental image of a witch. I have no idea why. But I was sad to find out that an Aggie is just slang used to describe someone that goes to an Agriculture College, ie Texas Agriculture & Mechanical College
• School Colors: maroon and white
• Coach: Mike Turgeon
• Howdy Partner: The official greeting of Texas A&M is “Howdy.” Seriously.

Purdue

• Big Ten
• Location: West Lafayatte, Indiana
• Mascot: Boilermakers
• What is a Boilermaker?: It’s actually an old slang term for engineering. Pretty interesting story
• School Colors: Old Gold and Black
• Coach: Matt Painter
• Players: Chris Kramer. Yum.

In My Brackets: Chris Kramer is so hot that he’s actually made me like Purdue. I didn’t think that was possible!

No. 11 Old Dominion vs. No. 3 Baylor

Old Dominion

• Colonial Athletic Association
  
• Location: Norfolk, VA
• Nickname: The Monarchs (not like the butterfly as I originally thought. It’s more like the Monarchy, elite royalty)
• Mascot: Big Blue
• Why is it called Old Dominion?: It’s actually an the nickname for the state of Virginia!
• School Colors: Slate Blue, Silver, Cerulean Blue
• Coach: Blaine Taylor
• Famous Alums: Ben Bailey, aka the host of Cash Cab!

Baylor

• Big 12
  
• Location: Waco, TX
• Nickname: Bears
• Mascot: Bruiser and Judge. also have two black bears named Joy and Lady
• School Colors: Green and Gold
• Why you may have heard of them: In 2003. Player Patrick Dennehy was murdered bya  former player becuase of a shocking illegal recruiting/drug scandal.

In My Brackets: Eh….. Um….. Eh….Well, since I picked Notre Dame to go to the Sweet 16, I’m kinda screwed no matter what.

No. 10 St. Mary’s vs. No. 2 Villanova

St Mary’s College of California

• WCC
• Location: Moraga, CA
• Nickname: Gaels (formerly the Saints)
• Mascot: Gael Force One
• School Colors: Red and Blue

Villanova

• Big East
  
• Location: Villanova, PA
• Nickname: Wildcats
• Mascot: Will D. Cat
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Coach: Jay Wright
• Rivals: Part of the Philadelphia Big 5, which is the rivalry between the schools of the city. “The Holy War” is the battle between Nova and St Joseph’s.
• Claim to Fame: When the famous Liberty Bell cracked, a new one was made called “the Sister Bell.”  Nova proudly houses the bell on their campus

In My Brackets: ‘Nova. Even though they don’t deserve it after they way they played in Round 1. But my boy Shelton, also one of my fave people, is a huge Villanova fan. And him and Mark are BFF. Those of you who tuned in to Stiletto Sports this time last year may remember the controversy that developed  as the Duke-Nova game approached. Well, I’m hoping for a rematch this year. With a different outcome.

Girl’s Guide to NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: South Region is a post from: Stiletto Sports

The opening round of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is over! The opening round was amazing! Full of buzzer beats, OTs, upsets and magical moments!

How did you do in your brackets? I didn’t do as well as I did last year when I went 28-4 going into Saturday’s games but, considering I did my brackets in literally, 5 minutes, I’m not mad.

Now, it’s on to Round 2! For the Lucky 32 I’ve given a complete breakdown of all the teams and their matchups. Oh, and I threw in my bracket picks too so you can see how I’m doing!

Who do you have advancing to the Sweet 16? Leave me comment or send me a tweet @StilettosportsJ and let me know where you stand!

NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: East Region

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Wake Forest

Wake Forest

• ACC
  
• Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina (bout an hour down the tobacco road from Duke & UNC )
• Mascot: Demon Deacons
• What the heck is a Demon Deacon?: WF used to be the Fighting Baptists but back in 1923, after a game against Duke, a newspaper said WF “fought like Demons.” They felt a Deacon gone Demonic was far more intimidating than a Baptist that was fighting.
• School Colors: Old Gold and Black
• Coach: Dino Gaudio
• Famous Alumni: NBA stars Tim Duncan and Chris Paul! Also Tyrone “Mugsy” Bogues who was the shortest player ever in the NBA and is currently an announcer!

Kentucky

• SEC
  
• Location: Lexington, KY
• Nickname: Wildcats, Big Blue
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Fanatical Fans: Called “Big Blue Nation” and “Big Blue Mist”
• Coach: John Calipari
• Fame: The winningest program in college basketball. Also credited with beginning Midnight Madness, the night that kicks off official start of NCAA college basketball practices.

In My Brackets: Kentucky. I don’t care about all the crap surrounding John Calipari. He is one of my favorite coaches and has been for years. I don’t really like Kentucky, but I like him!

No. 12 Cornell vs. No. 4 Wisconsin

Cornell

• Ivy League Champs
• Location: Ithaca, NY
• Mascot: Big Red (apparently, from looking at the logo, Big Red is a scary Teddy Bear)
• School Colors: Carnelian Red and White
• Coach: Steve Donahue
• Funny Facts and Legends: “According to legend, if a virgin crosses the Arts Quad at midnight, the statues of Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White will walk off their pedestals, meet in the center of the Quad, and shake hands, congratulating themselves on the chastity of the University.” -Wikipedia

Wisconsin

• Big 10
  
• Location: Madison, WI
• Nickname: Badgers
• Mascot: Bucky the Badger
• School Colors: Cardinal and White
• Coach: Bo Ryan
• Claim to Fame: Was ranked “#1 Party School” in 2006 by Playboy!
• Fanatical Fans: Known as the Grateful Red. Quite possibly because they sucked for a long time but don’t anymore.

In My Brackets: Wisconsin…… maybe…… I hate to turn my back on Upstate NY. And Wisconsin could barely handle Wofford…..whatever the heck Wofford is….

No. 11 Washington vs. No. 3 New Mexico

Washington

• Pac-10
  
• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Nickname: Huskies (used to be the Sun Dodgers because as Twilight fans will tell ya, that area is the rainiest, least sunny area in the country!)
• Mascot: Harry the Husky. Also, Dubs, an Alaskan Malamute similar to a husky is known to make an appearance….
• School Colors: Purple and Gold
• Fan Section: The Dawg Pack
• Coach: Lorenzo Romar
• Claim to Fame: The Huskies like to take credit for the invention of the ultimate crowd reaction “The Wave.” Rumored to have been created in October 1981 in a game against Stanford.

New Mexico

• Mountain West
  
• Location: Alberquerque, NM
• Nickname: Lobos
• Why?: Lobo is Spanish for wolf. So are you team vampire? Or team Lobo?
• Mascot: Lobo Louie or Lobo Lucy
• School Colors: Silver and Cherry
• Coach: Steve Alford
• Stadium: The Pit
• Tradition: Their chant is “Everyone’s a Lobo. Woof, Woof, Woof…” yeah…….

In My Brackets: Very very very interesting. Am I team Edward or am I team Jacob? Yes. I can make this about Twilight. New Mexico is the Lobos, as in wolves. Washington is from Seattle, very close to Forks, the rainiest place around so vampires can live and roam freely. Hmm…..And I’m almost finished with Breaking Dawn……. Normally I’m team Edward but in this case, I’m team Jacob. Let’s go Lobos!

No. 10 Missouri vs. No. 2 West Virginia

Missouri

• Big 12 Champs
• Location: Columbia, Missouri
• Nicknames: Tigers, Mizzou
• School Colors: Old Gold and Black
• Mascot: Truman, after former President Harry S. Truman. He’s been voted best mascot in the country multiple times
• Coach:  Mike Anderson
• Arch Rival: Kansas
• Fame: Mizzou is credited with having the first Homecoming ever! It was way back in 1911. Alumni were invited back for a big football game against rivals KU. And since then, the concept it has spread to nearly every campus and high school in the country.

Western Virginia

• Big East
• Location: Morgantown, West Virginia
• Mascot: Mountaineers
• School Colors: Old Gold and Blue
• Coach: Bob Huggins
• Roll out the red, er, blue and gold carpet: The team gets to walk down their very own VIP carpet during home games! Oh and John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is like an unofficial school song.

In My Brackets: Mizzou. Not sure why but since last year I’ve kinda been into the Tigers!

Girl’s Guide to NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: East Region is a post from: Stiletto Sports

The opening round of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is over! The opening round was amazing! Full of buzzer beats, OTs, upsets and magical moments!

How did you do in your brackets? I didn’t do as well as I did last year when I went 28-4 going into Saturday’s games but, considering I did my brackets in literally, 5 minutes, I’m not mad.

Now, it’s on to Round 2! For the Lucky 32 I’ve given a complete breakdown of all the teams and their matchups. Oh, and I threw in my bracket picks too so you can see how I’m doing!

Who do you have advancing to the Sweet 16? Leave me comment or send me a tweet @StilettosportsJ and let me know where you stand!

NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: Midwest Region

No. 9 Northern Iowa (UNI) vs. No. 2 Kansas

KU: Kansas University

• Big 12
• Location: Lawrence, Kansas. Allen Fieldhouse
• Mascot: Jayhawks
• School Colors: Blue and Crimson
• Song: Rock Chalk, Jayhawk (totally worth clicking the link and hearing the story. Could be most peculiar Fight Song of the tourney)
• Coach: Bill Self
• Fame: After years of being seeded high and failing to go all the way, the Jayhawks broke out and won the 2008 Championship! Rock Chalk boys, rock chalk…
• This year, KU isn’t just  seeded No. 1 for their region, they are the No. 1 team in the entire tournament!!!!
• Why You Should Cheer them on: Because they are MY team!

Northern Iowa

• Missouri Valley
  
• Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa
• Mascot: Panthers. The actual mascot, TC (The Cat) Panther is award winning. But I have no idea what awards….
• School Colors: Purple and Old Gold
• Claim to Fame: Been ranked “best in the Midwest” by the Princeton Review a lot
• Coach: Ben Jacobson
• Fun Tradition: ” The UNI campus comes alive Friday night of Homecoming week each year. At the stroke of midnight, students flock around the tower to sneak a kiss from a long time lover or someone you just met.” Wikipedia

In My brackets: Do you even have to ask? I suppose if you are new to Stiletto Sports you don’t know that I”m a huge Jayhawks fan! Not much waivers my loyalty to KU. I’m always all about Rockin’ Chalk! I feel bad because three of my favorite people are from Iowa and are big UNI fans. And they are all very hot guys. But not even that can sway me from the Jayhawks!

No. 5 Michigan State (MSU) vs. No. 4 Maryland

Michigan State

• Big 12
  
• Location: East Lansing, MI
• Mascot: Spartans
• School Colors: Green and White
• Coach: Tom Izzo (for shizzo)
• Players: Kalin Lucas, Derrell Summers, Delvon Roe
• Claim to Fame: They have won 2 Championships. The most notable was the 1979 game that pitted Spartan Ervin “Magic” Johnson against Indiana’s Larry Bird. Perhaps you have heard of them? That win fueled the rivalry that extended into the NBA with Magic on the Lakers and Bird ont he Celtics.
• A Cinderella Story: Last year MSU were the Cinderellas in the Big Dance. They made it all the way to the championship against UNC!

Maryland

• ACC
  
• Location: College Park, Maryland
• Mascot: Terrapin. In other words, a freaking turtle.
• Slogan: Their rally cry is “Fear the turtle.” Well, I suppose they are fearsome. Snapping turtles do bite. If they can catch you.
• School Colors: Red, white, black and gold
• Coach: Gary Williams
• Famous Alumni: Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets!

In My Brackets: Despite my love for all things Maryland right now, I’m all about MSU! Even though they played like crap in the opening round. Considering I’m watching all march madness games at Senior Correspondent Erik’s house and he is a diehard Mich State fan, it’s in my best interest to root for his team. Plus, when MSU wins and KU wins, they will be playing each other next weekend and Erik and I look great in photos with our warring jerseys!

No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 14 Ohio

Tennessee

• SEC
  
• Location: Knoxsville, Tenn
• Nickname: Volunteers.  That’s just plain weird. Also shortened to just Vols
• Why?: Because Tenn is known as the volunteer state. The people are historically known to jump in and fight any war, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil and even the Alamo. Which was in Texas.
• Mascot: Smokey IX the Bluetick coonhound
• School Colors: Orange and White
• Coach: Bruce Pearl
• Song: the official fight song is “Down the Field” but the most popular request for The Pride to play is “Rocky Top.”  I personally would request “Tennessee” by Arrested Development. Or “Tennessee Line” by Chris Daughtry

Ohio

• MAC
  
• Location: Athens, OH
• Nickname: Bobcats
• Mascot: Rufus the Bobcat. Who has been described as a “fierce but friendy looking bobcat”
• School Colors: Green and White
• Coach: John Groce (who used to the the assistant coach for Ohio State)
• Fan Section: “The O-Zone”

In My Brackets: Tenneessee. My best friend was raised there and again, I hate all things Ohio. But……. considering Ohio really didn’t even have a place in the tourney except they happen to win their conference Championship game, yet they took down Georgetown in Round 1….. they could be the Cinderellas this year. But I don’t really want a Cinderella from Ohio. That would greatly upset me.

No. 10 Georgia Tech vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Georgia Tech

• ACC
• Location: Atlanta, GA
• Nickname: Yellow Jackets
• Mascot: Buzz & Ramblin’ Wreck
• School Colors: Old Gold and White
• Coach: Paul Hewitt
• Rivals: Georgia (The Clean, Old Fashioned Hate) Clemson, and Auburn
• Fame: Garth Brooks, yee haw! Also, Stephon Marbury, Chris Bosh
• Song: “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech” It’s, by far, the best College song lyrics I’ve ever seen:

“A helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva, hell of an engineer.
Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear.
I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer.

Oh! If I had a daughter, sir, I’d dress her in White and Gold,
And put her on the campus to cheer the brave and bold.
But if I had a son, sir, I’ll tell you what he’d do–
He would yell, ‘To hell with Georgia!’ like his daddy used to do.

Oh, I wish I had a barrel of rum and sugar three thousand pounds,
A college bell to put it in and a clapper to stir it round.
I’d drink to all the good fellows who come from far and near.
I’m a ramblin’, gamblin’, hell of an engineer!”

Ohio State

• Big Ten
• Location: Columbus, Ohio
• Mascot: Buckeyes
• What the heck is a buckeye?: It it Ohio’s offical state tree. Hmmm….
• School Colors:  Scarlet and Grey
• Coach: Thad Matta
• Facts: Ohio State fans scare the bejeezus out of me. They are CR-Razy and die hards. They rival Florida’s Gator Nation for “peeps you don’t want to hear you talking smack about their team.”

In My Brackets: I picked Ohio State. Yes, I know I hate Ohio but my roommate got me into watching OSU football last year. And it would be fun to see them meet up with KU down the road. I promised him we would go to Wild Wings for some beer and wings. But after hearing Georgia Tech’s School Song, I may have to switch sides!

Girl’s Guide to NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: Midwest Region is a post from: Stiletto Sports

The opening round of the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament is over! The opening round was amazing! Full of buzzer beats, OTs, upsets and magical moments!

How did you do in your brackets? I didn’t do as well as I did last year when I went 28-4 going into Saturday’s games but, considering I did my brackets in literally, 5 minutes, I’m not mad.

Now, it’s on to Round 2! For the Lucky 32 I’ve given a complete breakdown of all the teams and their matchups. Oh, and I threw in my bracket picks too so you can see how I’m doing!

Who do you have advancing to the Sweet 16? Leave me comment or send me a tweet @StilettosportsJ and let me know where you stand!

NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: West Region

No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 8 Gonzaga

Syracuse

• Big East
  
• Location: Syracuse, NY
• Nicknames: Orange, Orangemen
• Mascot: Otto The Orange
• School Colors: Orange….. are you noticing a theme here?
• Coach: Jim Boeheim
• Home Court : The Orange play in the Carrier Dome–I’ve even heard of it! It’s the largest domed college stadium in the country. My school had a dome. It was small.
• Players:  Arinze Okanadu (Jonny Flynn, last years key player is now a player in the NBA on the Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Fame: VP Joe Biden

Gonzaga

• Western Athletic Conference
  
• Location:  Spokane, Washington (You have no idea how long I’ve wondered where it was. I always assumed it was in the Southeast)
• Nickname: Bulldogs ( I really wish it was Gonzo from the Muppet Babies). Players are also called Zags
• What is a Gonzaga?: I feel kinda bad because it really always has reminded me of the Muppets but the school is actually named for the young Jesuit saint, St. Aloysius Gonzaga.
• Mascot: Spike the Bulldog
• School Colors: Blue, White, and Red
• Coach: Mark Few
• Player to Know: Matt Bouldin

In My Brackets: I am very much Go ‘Cuse in my brackets being an upstate NY girl. But I do have a soft spot for the ‘Zags so I won’t be mad if they come and bust my bracket

No. 5 Butler vs. No. 13 Murray State

Butler

• Horizon
  
• Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Mascot: Bulldogs
• Student Fan Section: The Dawg Pound
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Coach: Brad Stevens
• Claim to Fame: The final championship in the 1986 movie Hoosiers was filmed in Butler’s basketball arena!
• *** This is a great little team to root for. Once a virtual unknown, in the last decade, they have really made a name for themselves as a regular in the NCAA tourney!

Murray State

• Ohio Valley Conference
• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Nickname: Racers (They used to be the Thoroughbreds. Which was shortened to T-Breds. And then Race Horses. And finally… Racers)
• Mascot: Racer One & The Dunker
• School Colors: Navy Blue and Gold
• Coach: Jamie Dixon
• Rivals: Western Kentucky & Austin Peay
• Fight Song: “The Old Grey Mare”
• Fame: According to wikipedia: Murray State has had 14 appearances in the NCAA Tournament and has been recognized as one of the top 30 basketball programs in modern history by ESPN. …..cept no one seems to have a clue who they are…
• Upset Watch: in the past Murray State has almost knocked of Michigan State when they were seeded No. 1, Duke when they were a No. 2 UNC when they were a No. 3.

In My Brackets: Well, since I didn’t pick Murray State to make it past Round 1, and I had Vanderbilt moving on a bit….my brackets are little screwed! I think I’m going to go out on a limb and pick Murray State to be the Cinderellas right now. Mostly because Erik told me to. I do think Butler is a great little team to root for, but I’m a sucker for a potential Cinderella story!

No. 6 Xavier vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh

Xavier

• Atlantic 10
  
• Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
• Nickname: Musketeers
• Mascot: “D’Artagnan the captain of Musketeers of the Guard” and also, The Blue Blob. Um. Okay.
• School Colors: Navy Blue, Grey, White
• Coach: Chris Mack
• Rivals: Cincinnati Bearcats. They play each other in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout

Pittsburgh

• Big East
  
• Location: Pittsburgh, PA
• Nickname: Panthers
• Mascot: Roc the Panthers
• School Colors: Blue and Gold
• Coach: Jamie Dixon
• Rivals: West Virginia
• Fanatical Fans: The Oakland Zoo. Pitts fans have been ranked the top in country and labeled “phenomenal” and “formidable.” Oakland refers to the neighborhood in Pitts where the college is.

In My Brackets: Technically I think I have Pitts. But here I’ll admit how torn I am. See, I hate the state of Ohio where Xavier is from. But I also hate all things Pittsburgh. And over the years Xavier has wormed its way into my heart much like Gonzaga has. Even though, on paper brackets I think it’s going to be Pitts, I’m going to put this in my upset alert category and align myself with Xavier.

No. 7 BYU vs No. 2 Kansas State

BYU

• Mountain West
  
• Location: Provo, Utah
• Mascot: Cougars
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Coach: Dave Rose
• Players: CBS called him “The Biggest Secret in the NCAA Tournament” Except he really is top secret. No one really knows he is. Even Senior Correspondent Erik Sweetland had to look him up! Jimmer Fredette. He’s a junior guard from….Glens Falls, NY! Right up the road from where I’m from! He’s good people!
• In Case You Didn’t Know: Brigham Young University is a Morman College owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• Random Facts: That means that they have very strict codes of conduct including: dress code, no sex before marriage and no drugs or alcohol. Um…. well that certainly takes away from the whole college experience now doesn’t it (**I mean no disrespect in any way. I actually have friends that went to BYU and they loved it. My college, on the other hand, was a little….looser…..on their codes of conduct).

Kansas State

• Big 12
  
• Location: Manhattan, KS
• Nickname: Wildcats
• School Colors: Purple and White
• Coach: Frank Martin
• Rivals: Kansas. They even have a Sunflower Showdown between the two teams
• Famous Alumns: Michael Beasley, Miami Heat

In my Brackets: Same thing as Xavier-Pitts. In my real brackets I have Kansas State. Mostly because there is very vague chance they could meet Kansas down the road. But I’m very interested to see what BYU and Jimmer Fredette can do. It’s not like I actually like Kansas State (impossible since I’m a KU girl!) but I think they will most likely win. But I’d like this to be an upset.

Girl’s Guide to NCAA March Madness Round 2 Matchups: West Region is a post from: Stiletto Sports

It’s that time of year again when the sun starts to shine, flowers begin to bloom…and the madness starts to set in. The brackets are in. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tourney games have become. There have already been buzzer beaters, upsets and even some bracket busters! Now all that’s missing is some fabulous fashion!

Now, when I hear the term “The Big Dance” I can’t help but think about super cute new outfits and what I am going to wear! I’ve already given you 32 March Madness Looks that were fashionable and basketball watching friendly but now it’s time for some more great March Madness fashion!

Did you know that Stiletto Sports has it’s own product line as well? And for March Madness 2o10, we custom designed some very special tees for in honor of the brackets and for the love of basketball!

All designs you see below are available in just about every kind of tee, tank, or hoodie imaginable! Everything on Zazzle is customizable which I absolutely love! So if you like the design but you hate the way your arms look in a tank top, just scroll through the tee choices and select the baseball tee or long-sleeved tee instead! Or if you are going to be somewhere warm but love the “Office Bracket” hoodie, make it into a tank!

Also, all the designs are available in mugs, license plates, bumper stickers, pet fan gear…… you get the idea! The only limit is how many shoes you are allowed to have in your house!

I love A Good Cinderella Story

Always root for the underdog? Love when the No. 15 seed upsets the No. 2? Show your love for the Cinderellas of the college basketball tournament with the Stiletto Sports “I love a good Cinderella Story” tee!

A vintage-inspired ringer t-shirt, made for women. 5.8 ounce combed, ring-spun 100% cotton. Super soft 1×1 baby rib knit. Contrasting 2″ neck and sleeve binding. Coverstitched 2″ bottom baby hem. Custom contoured fit that clings to the body.

This design is also available in mugs!

I Love a Good Cinderella Story Coffee Mug and Travel Coffee Mug

Office Bracket Priceless Sweatshirt

Ever win the office pool even though you picked all your teams just because of mascot, school colors…or because there was a hot guy? Who cares! You won fair and square! Flaunt your win all year round with this Stiletto Sports March Madness “Office Bracket” Sweatshirt!

A stylish take on the hooded classic. 100% super-soft baby rib cotton, combed for comfort. Durable double-stitched bottom hem, armholes, and hood. NOTE: Sizes run small. Order 1 to 2 sizes larger for looser fit. Made in USA by American Apparel.

Office Bracket Pool Priceless Mug

I’ll show you my brackets

Just because you love college basketball and rock the March Madness brackets doesn’t mean you have to rock basketball fashion! This fun and flirty tee is perfect for fashionista sports fans!

A classic spaghetti strap tank top. 100% super soft ring-spun cotton, bound-on self-trim neckline and straps. Double-needle stitched bottom hem, side-seamed with custom contoured fit. Made by Bella. NOTE: Sizes run extremely small. Order 1 to 2 sizes larger than normal. Imported.

I watch College Basketball….players

Irony never goes out of style!  Be a March Madness goddess with this “I Watch College Basketball…Players” Tee! The tee features the Stiletto Sports signature stiletto cleat with the basketball heart and cheekily proclaims, sure you watch basketball…. but really for the players!

The classic long-sleeve t-shirt, made just for women. Pre-shrunk 5.0 ounce 100% combed, ring-spun cotton, super-soft baby jersey knit. Coverstitched 3/4″ bottom hem and sleeve opening. Custom contoured fit.

Custom Designed Sweet 16 & March Madness Tees from Stiletto Sports is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Yikes! The first quarter of the first game of the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament is almost over! Finally finished my last picks for the first round!

I don’t really know why I bothered writing this one. Instead, I should just type in really big letters:

I PICK KANSAS

Not gonna lie, I thought about putting “My Pick: Kansas” for every matchup…….

But I didn’t.

Here are my real picks for the MidWest Region

1 Kansas vs. 16 Lehigh

My Pick: Kansas

8 UNLV vs. 9  N. Iowa (UNI)

My Pick: UNI

Don’t get me wrong, I love Las Vegas! But, three of the most amazing and fascinating people I know are from Iowa. And they are all very hot. Floor it, UNI!

5 Michigan State vs. 12 New Mexico State

My Pick: MSU

They the Cinderella story from last year’s tourney, and you know I’m a sucker for Cinderella stories. I didn’t even mind that they beat my team! Plus, Senior Correspondent Erik is a diehard Spartan fan and since I’m going to his house to watch the game….I think I better Go Green! Go White! And I can’t wait for a KU/MSU rematch!

4 Maryland vs. 13 Houston

My Pick: Maryland

I am obsessed with Maryland lately, especially since I went there for my neice’s wedding and she just moved up there. Athough I would like to make a plea for them to change their names from the Terrapins. I mean come on. It’s a freaking turtle!

6 Tennessee vs. 11 San Diego State

My Pick: Tennessee

Because my best friend was raised there. And Chris Daughtry’s “Tennessee Line” is my fave song.

3 Georgetown vs. 14 Ohio

My Pick: G’town

Because  I hate the state of Ohio.

7 Oklahoma State vs. 10 Georgia Tech

My Pick: Georgia Tech

I have no idea why, I just felt compelled to pick them. I think I’ve been brainwashed by my Twitter friends.

2 Ohio State vs. 15 UC Santa Barbara

My Pick: Ohio State

Okay so when I say I hate all things Ohio, the exception is Ohio State. And that is only because my roommate lives and breathes Ohio State during football season. I don’t just think I’ve been brainwashed by him; I know I have been. And I’m looking down the bracket and thinking, hmmm…. next week his team could take on my team….. that could be very, very interesting.

My Pick: Kansas

NCAA Tournament Round 1 Bracket Picks: MidWest Region is a post from: Stiletto Sports