March Madness, or is it just March Grumpiness for Me?

I paid no attention to college basketball this year, at all.  I did note an occasional PSU victory interspersed in the usual bottom of the Big Ten, but I probably watched all of 2 minutes of total live action.  I don't know Xavier from Wichita State, or Butler from Mount Saint Mary's.  But I will be certainly adding my dog's picks to the mix at the...

20th Annual Penn State Track Alumni Bracket Pool

...run by Ken Cooper.  Ken is now the head man at his own firm of Four Hills Advisors.  That's the name he came up with after an extensive survey of many former PSU tracksters.  I wish him well in his new job. For the sprinters and field persons out there, Four Hills is a four-part hill on Big Hollow Road leading back to campus from the Deer Pens. A nearly daily drudgery for the distance folks.

Here's Ken's introduction and rules to the Pool, and everyone is invited...

Welcome to the 20th Annual Penn State T&F Slamfest March Madness Pool.

Its game time.  The best tournament on the planet.   Watch Tom Bisko choose North Carolina, Ricardo Hall choose Maryland (or maybe not), Crash choose Xavier, Kletter take Pitt, and Hammer choose Kentucky. 

To fill out the brackets, go to:  http://www.turbotourney.com/2014.html?t=1&p=0&c=14958

Since this is the 20^th edition of the Pool, I am going to try something new.  Historically, this pool has been for pride and bragging rights only.  That continues.  But, for anyone that would like to raise the stakes a little, here is the deal.  Everyone who wants to pay $10 either via mail (to address below) or paypal (psucoop@hotmail.com), we will have a Winner Take All pot.  Not sure if we will get 3 takers or 30, but we will give it a shot.  Deadline is payment by end of the first weekend.  Everyone else is playing in the Pride and Bragging Rights pool.

I will also be rolling out new divisions, including the following:

1.       Best Penn State Field Event

2.       Best Penn State Distance

3.       Best Penn State sprints/mid-distance

4.       Best Penn State T&F spouse/significant other  - get them into the pool

5.       Best Non-Penn State T&F athlete

6.       Best Non-Penn State non T&F athlete

7.       Kids Division 13 and under

8.       High School/College Division

9.       Best without Picking the Champ

10.   DFL Last Place (Try it, it is harder than it looks – just ask Ron Moore and Wim

11.   Middle of the Pack – Best of the Lousiest and Lousiest of the Best

Other rules: 

·       Picks due at tip of the first Thursday game, which is approx. 11:00am central – everyone gets the play-in games right

·       Standard scoring – First round (1 pt each), Sweet 16 (2 pts), Great 8 (4 pts), Final 4 (8 pts), Championship game (16 pts) and Champ (32 pts)

·       Tie breaker is combined points in Championship game.  Second tie breaker is number correct in first round.  Third tie breaker is # in Sweet 16.  Fourth tie breaker is number of free throws made out of 10 (not kidding).

·       As many brackets as you want, but if you do multiple picks, include reference to #2, #3, etc. to designate this.  Feel free to pass along to others – include family, friends and colleagues.  Sons and daughters love the chance to beat their parents so feel free to include them!

·       When choosing picks, click "Email me a Copy" at the bottom to get a copy of your picks emailed to you automatically.

Let the Madness commence.

Coop

Ken Cooper

Four Hills Advisors LLC