ARE YOUR PICKS IN?

Sixty-four:
With the whole nation watching, the NCAA tournament tips off today. Here are a few - OK, a lot - of reasons to tune in to all the action. (MIKE PHILLIPS, 3/17/05, Miami Herald)

Are you ready for the Madness?

Did you really look up the road record for the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights and go online to find the Winthrop Eagles?

It's not just bracket-mania (this is the year you win the office pool, right?) that makes the NCAA tournament so much fun. It's painted faces and wild dances and wilder endings. It's dreams and dream-breakers. It's hold-your-breath shots that have no chance -- before they hit the bottom of the net. It's Cinderella dancing to hip-hop. It's the time of year when Winthrop really can beat Gonzaga, and the time of year when Gonzaga can win it all.

Here are the 64 reasons there's nothing like March Madness. [...]

5 Watch out for the 5s; They are everybody's quick-pick to exit. Everyone knows that since the tournament expanded in 1985 that 26 No. 5s have gone down in flames in the opening round. [...]

11 Don't forget the 11s. They have won 21 times since the 1985 expansion. Best No. 11 seed? Probably Northern Iowa against No. 6 Wisconsin. [...]

13 The 13th seeds have pulled off 16 upsets since '85, and wouldn't this one shock the world: Penn beating No. 4 Boston College? It could happen. [...]

36 Taylor Coppenrath, the reason Vermont is here.

The Wife askks that I remind you all to get your picks in ASAP, before the first game tips off.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 17, 2005 11:01 AM