Tournament Challenge
 

Here is the link:
ESPN - Tournament Challenge - ESPN's NCAA Men's Bracket Game - Group

group name: Officials Forum
password: squirrel
Have fun everyone.

Just joined-anyone want to join me in a women's tourney version of the challenge?

Thanks Gapper. I always look for an excuse to embarrass myself publicly! Take reffing for example...... ;)

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Go Huskies ..
 

Thanks 26 Year Gap. I've already made my selections and filled out my brackets. I've got the Connecticut Huskies going all the way. This is an NIT pool? Right?

I enjoy this every year.

Starting off well!
 

I'm tied for First...

Wait, there's a women's tournament?

Really? All the way? Even in the NIT? Are you sure you aren't watching old games on ESPN Classic?

My goal this year is to make it out of the first round without being dead last.

Reading, And Riting, And Rithmetic ...
 

I meant the 2013-14 NIT. They stink this year, and will be ineligible for the NCAA's next year because the players didn't bother going to their academic classes. Imagine college basketball players actually being expected to go to classes? The NCAA is so twentieth century.

If you join the challenge you're guaranteed at least 3rd place.

Thanks for setting this up!

Hope we get more takers this yr...... this can be fun too!

OK, I'm in. No idea why after doing as badly as I did last year...ESPN sent me an email telling me they were embarrassed for me and were considering cancelling my account.

Someone has to make everyone else feel good.

bttt

Color me there.......again.

I actually did pretty well last year, but lost out in the end......oh well.

One of my favorite "bracket" stories is when my wife brought her pool home form the office (accounting, mostly guys) several yrs ago and asked me to fill it in as she doesn't follow college hoops. She brought her bracket back to the office and paid her $ and didn't think much of it. Well, folks started giving her "the eye" as the tourney went on and talked to her about it and she was like "what?" They knew she wasn't following the tourney much and knew even less about college hoops. Long story short, Ky and my wife won that yr, and there was a bit of "stress" as they handed her the $$$.

I personally have never won one. :p

I wouldn't say anything if you decided to count that one as a win. ;);)

Ok-just created a Women's tourney challenge group for anyone who wants to match prognosticating skills over there-group name and log in are same as for the men's group:
Group Name-Officials Forum
Password-squirrel

Selection show is on Monday-Here's the game calendar and sites:
• First, Second Rounds
March 17 and 19, 2012
Hilton Coliseum (Ames, Iowa-Iowa State University )
Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard (Bridgeport, Conn.-Fairfield University)
AllState Arena (Chicago-DePaul University )
Comcast Center (College Park, Md.-University of Maryland)
Reed Arena (College Station, Texas-Texas A&M University)
Ted Constant Convocation Center (Norfolk, Va.-Old Dominion University)
McCarthey Athletic Center (Spokane, Wash.-Gonzaga University)
Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, Ind.-Purdue University)

March 18 and 20, 2012
Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, La.-Louisiana State University)
Stroh Center (Bowling Green, Ohio-Bowling Green State University)
Carmichael Arena (Chapel Hill, N.C.-University of North Carolina @ Chapel Hill)
Jack Stephens Center (Little Rock, Ark.-University of Arkansas @ Little Rock)
Memorial Gymnasium (Nashville, Tenn.-Vanderbilt University)
Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, Okla.-University of Oklahoma)
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center (Notre Dame, Ind.-University of Notre Dame)
Donald L. Tucker Center (Tallahassee, Fla.-Flordia State University)

• Regionals
March 24 and 26, 2012
Wells Fargo Arena (Des Moines, Iowa-University of Northern Iowa)
Save Mart Center (Fresno, Calif.-California State University Fresno)

March 25 and 27, 2012
Ryan Center (Kingston, R.I.-University of Rhode Island)
RBC Center (Raleigh, N.C.-North Carolina State University)

• National Semifinals & Finals
April 1 & 3, 2012
Pepsi Center (Denver-Mountain West Conference)

Have fun and let the madness begin :) :) :) :)

Bump. It's almost time...

Brackets are now available
 

Go to ESPN...see first post.
btw the wimmin's challenge will be a small group since the password doesn't work.

Gap-thank you for alerting me that the password for the women's group does not work.
The corrected password is:Zebra Stripes

Please PM me immediately if you have any issues in attempting to join the group and I will fix them as soon as I can-Let the madness begin!

Announcer assignments for NCAA Men's Tourney
 

Here are the announcer pairings for the First Four in Dayton and 2'nd round games
Courtesy:Turner Newsroom

Tuesday-Dayton-TruTv
Mississippi Valley St. v. Western Kentucky and BYU v. Iona
Play by Play:Jim Nantz
Analysts:Clark Kellogg,Steve Kerr
Sideline Reporter:Tracy Wolfson

Studio-Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Greg Anthony, Kenny Smith and Seth Davis

Wednesday-Dayton-TruTv
Lamar v. Vermont and Cal v. South Florida
Play by Play:Ian Eagle
Analyst:Jim Spanarkel
Sideline Reporter:Lewis Johnson

Studio-Matt Winer, Steve Smith,Seth Davis

Thursday-Louisville-CBS
Murray State v. Colorado State,Marquette v. BYU/Iona,Kentucky vs. Mississippi Valley,Iowa State vs. Connecticut State/Western Kentucky
Play by Play:Verne Lundquist
Analyst:Bill Raftery
Sideline Reporter:Lesley Visser

Thursday-Pittsburgh-TruTv
Kansas State v. Southern Miss,Syracuse v. UNC Ashville,Gonzaga vs. West Virginia,Ohio State vs. Loyola Maryland
Play by Play:Kevin Harlan
Analysts:Len Elmore and Reggie Miller
Sideline Reporter:Marty Snider

Thursday-Portland-TBS
Louisville v. Davidson,New Mexico v. Long Beach St.,Wichita State vs. VCU,Indiana vs. New Mexico State
Play by Play:Brian Anderson
Analyst: Dan Bonner
Sideline Reporter:Jenn Hildreth

Thursday-Albuquerque-TNT
Wisconsin v. Montana,Vanderbilt v. Harvard,Baylor vs. South Dakota State,UNLV vs. Colorado
Play by Play:Spero Dedes
Analyst:Bob Wenzel
Sideline Reporter:Jamie Maggio

Friday-Nashville-CBS
Cincinnati v. Texas,Florida State v. St. Bonaventure,Michigan v. Ohio,Temple v. California/South Florida
Play by Play:Ian Eagle
Analyst:Jim Spanarkel
Sideline Reporter:Lewis Johnson

Friday-Columbus-TruTv
San Diego St. v. NC State,Georgetown v. Belmont,Memphis v. Saint Louis,Michigan State v. LIU Brooklyn
Play by Play:Tim Brando
Analyst:Mike Gminski
Sideline Reporter:Otis Livingston

Friday-Greensboro-CBS
Creighton v. Alabama,North Carolina v. Lamar/Vermont,Duke v. Lehigh,Notre Dame v. Xavier
Play by Play:Jim Nantz
Analyst:Clark Kellogg
Sideline Reporter:Tracy Wolfson

Friday-Omaha-TNT
Florida v. Virginia,Missouri v. Norfolk St.,St. Mary’s (CA) v. Purdue,Kansas v. Detroit
Play by Play:Marv Albert
Analyst:Steve Kerr
Sideline Reporter:Craig Sager

Women's NCAA Tournament Selection Monday Coverage
 

According to ESPN here are the announcer teams for selection Monday:

NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Special Presented by Capital One – Monday, March 12, 7 p.m. on ESPN HD & ESPN3
Host:Trey Wingo
Analysts:Kara Lawson,Carolyn Peck,Rebecca Lobo,Doris Burke

NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Special Extended Coverage Presented by Capital One – Monday, March 12, 8 p.m. on ESPNU HD & ESPN3
Host:Trey Wingo
Analysts:Kara Lawson,Carolyn Peck,Rebecca Lobo,Doris Burke,Jemele Hill

College Basketball Live: NCAA Women’s Special – Tuesday, March 13, 1 p.m. on ESPNU HD
Host:Beth Mowins
Analysts:Cara Capuano and Abby Waner

Game announcer assignments will be released with the bracket tomorrow night! I'll put them up when I get home from work tomorrow!

I can't do any worse then last year so what the heck!!!

I think you can wait till the play-in games are done to join. But, don't pull a "grunewar.":cool:

Man, I can never, ever figure that thing out! I'm such a goober! Forget pwds, login multiple times, blech. I just need to fill it out from the newspaper and scan it in and email it!

Thanks gapper! :(

Does that make me Old School?

My losing bracket is completed.

I'm in 6 different "contests" thus far and I've had to enter my bracket in 4 times. Why can't everyone use the same software?

BTW, there are apps now (iPhone is all I know about) for ESPN (BracketBound) and Yahoo (Tourney), too.

Heck Rich, they could use the same sw and I'd still screw it up!

Is that your 2 pennies?:p

Can't join from work, firewall blocking the brackets again this year. Are the "First Four" part of this bracket challenge? I might be able to get home before the first game.

I have a legitimate reason for doing horribly. My alma mater is one of eight schools with at least 50 years at D-I never to make the big dance.

Anyone want to attempt that list?

Northwestern
Maine (???)

uh, uh

Well, there's my contribution.

I'm guessing that the list will have more of the "I had no idea they were D-1" than the "I had no idea they've never been to the dance" type of suprises.

Not if they've be D1 for the last 50 years.

I'll have to find the list now.

I'll save you the time, Snaqs...

Link

Now that South Dakota State is in, that leaves Maine and Alaska as the only states that have never sent a team to the big dance.

Oh, and Alaska has no D-I schools.

I knew there would be at least one Southern Conference school (Citadel) on the list. I should have known about William & Mary since I live 15 minutes from their campus.

:D Too late, I was reading the list while you posted the link.

I'll say of the 8, it was 50/50 for me. With four, I was more surprised that they had been D1 for 50 years.

Interesting note, Denver would have been on the list had they not left D1 from '80-'99.

It must be brutal trying to recruit top players to a military academy. I have two friends that went to The Cid (including our class clown), no chance in hell would I consider that.

W&M and Maine are more about football, anyway. It's not easy being a CAA school up here, with most of the conference bunched up down your way, but Maine makes it work somehow.

Although both UAA and UAF do compete at the D-I level in a number of sports.

Right, Maine has played both in hockey plenty of times. I recall a Great Alaska shootout in-season tournament. Maine opts for the one in south Florida now.

Go Bears ???
 

What about baseball?

Hockey primarily, of course (two national championships). Baseball has come back a bit (defending conference champions), but it will never be like it was in the '80s when they had five College World Series trips. The college baseball landscape has changed way too much, and a lot of northeastern schools have dropped baseball in favor of lacrosse. Maine baseball's nearest conference opponent is six hours away, but Maine has way too much history to consider axing the program.

So Goes Maine, So Goes The Nation ...
 

Now that's the Maine program that I remember. Successful, even though the "warm season" is only two months long, and the black flies slow down a pitched, or a batted ball.

And Maine has won the hockey title twice. I was there for the very first game at Alfond, the first win over a D-I school (RPI), they went to the CWS while I was attending and 3 times in the 80s before the big school managers took control.

The play-in games are NOT part of the bracket.

UMaine has a pretty rich sports history. Alas, men's basketball has not yet been a part of it.

Still a bunch of people who signed up that haven't bracketed yet. Don't wait!

I'm just getting home. About to put mine in. The Air Force base I work at blocks entries to any bracket challenges.

Bet that isn't true on Air Force One.

Thanks Gap. Had to quickly add an entry that has Syracuse out early.

I told Fab Melo to get that paper in on time! :mad: Geessshhh!

You can edit entries until game time on Thursday.

I had the Orange going to the Final Four. Time to re-evaluate.

NCAA Women's Tournament Announcer Pairings
 

Here are the Women's Tournament Announcer Parings for the entire tournament:All Games on ESPN2 HD and ESPN3

Saturday-Bridgeport,CT
Princeton v. Kansas State and Prarie View v. UCONN
Play by Play:Pam Ward
Analyst:Rebecca Lobo

Saturday-College Park,MD
Navy v. Maryland and Michigan State v. Louisville
Play by Play:Bob Wischusen
Analyst:LaChina Robinson

Saturday-Norfolk,VA
Texas v. West Virginia and Hampton v.Stanford
Play by Play:Mark Jones
Analyst:Mary Murphy

Saturday-West Lafayette,IN
Eastern Michigan v. South Carolina and South Dakota State v. Purdue
Play by Play:Brenda VanLengen
Analyst:Stephen Bardo

Saturday-Ames,Iowa
McNesse State v. Kentucky and Iowa State v. Wisconsin-Green Bay
Play by Play:Clay Matvick
Analyst:Krista Blunk

Saturday-Chicago,Illinois
Tennesee-Martin v. Tennessee and BYU v. DePaul
Play by Play:Jon Schiambi
Analyst:Brooke Weisbrod

Saturday-College Station,Texas
Dayton v.Arkansas and Albany v. Texas A&M
Play by Play:Carter Blackburn
Analyst:Tamika Raymond

Saturday-Spokane,Washington
Gonzaga v. Rutgers and Idaho State v. Miami
Play by Play: Dave Flemming
Analyst:Sean Farnaham

Sunday-Bowling Green,Ohio
Florida v. Ohio State and UC Santa Barbara v. Baylor
Play by Play:Cara Capuano
Analyst:Abby Waner

Sunday-Chapel Hill,NC
Fresno State v. Georgetown and Sacred Heart v. Georgia Tech
Play by Play:Beth Mowins
Analyst:Stephanie White

Sunday-Notre Dame,IN
Iowa v. Cal and Liberty v. Notre Dame
Play by Play: Dave O'Brien
Analyst: Doris Burke

Sunday-Tallahassee,FL
Marist v. Georgia and Florida Gulf Coast v. St.Bonaventure
Play by Play:Justin Kutcher
Analyst:Nell Fortner (Former Auburn Coach)

Sunday-Baton Rouge,LA
UTEP v. Penn State and San Diego State v. LSU
Play by Play:Bob Picozzi
Analyst:Rosalyn Gold-Onwude

Sunday-Little Rock,AK
Delaware v. Arkansas-Little Rock and Kansas v. Nebraska
Play by Play:Holly Rowe
Analyst:Fran Frischilla

Sunday-Nashville,TN
Middle Tennessee State v. Vanderbuilt and Samford v. Duke
Play by Play: Dave Pasch
Analyst: Deb Antonelli

Sunday-Norman,OK
Creighton v. St.Johns and Michigan v. Oklahoma
Play by Play:Marc Kestecher
Analyst:Kayte Christensen

Regional Weekend:March 24-27

Saturday March 24 and Monday March 26
Des Moines,IA
Play by Play:Beth Mowins
Analyst:Stephanie White
Sideline Reporter:Samantha Steele

Fresno,CA
Play by Play: Dave Pasch
Analyst: Deb Antonelli
Sideline Reporter:Heather Cox

Sunday March 25 and Tuesday March 27
Raleigh,NC
Play by Play:Pam Ward
Analyst:Rebecca Lobo
Sideline Reporter:Allison Williams

Kingston,RI
Play by Play: Dave O'Brien
Analyst: Doris Burke
Sideline Reporter:Holly Rowe

Final Four and National Championship
Sunday April 1 and Tuesday April 3
Play by Play:Dave O'Brien
Analyst: Doris Burke
Sideline Reporter: Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe

Assuming Rebecca Lobo will work sideline because that is what she did for final four last year!

While they were in D-I in 2008 when the USA Today story was written, Centenary began its transition to D-III on July 1, 2011. I question whether they should count any longer. :p:D

BTTT

Can someone sticky this thread?

Looks like 79th is the worst possible spot in the group.

A reminder to everyone that there is still time to join the Women's Tourney Challenge!
Group Name:Officials Forum
Password:Zebra Stripes

I figured few people had joined, but 4? Really?

I'm expecting a flood of entries tomorrow since the tourney does not start until Saturday!

bump to find easier.

A veritable flood. You're up to 6. Did the tourney start today?

I have about 4.2 million people ahead of me on the men's side.

I just looked at the women's scores for today. The higher seed won (or is winning) 15 of 16 games.

I only have 35,520 ahead of me at this particular moment :D

As is the case most every yr.......

Yep-women's tourney started today!

Missed it. Damn.

WAIT! What?

Whew, just averted my first big scare. I have KU losing in the finals. If FSU wins my Elite 8 will still be intact.

Only 4 folks in our group still have their Elite 8 still alive.

Announcer Pairings for Round of 16
 

Here are the CBS/Turner Pairings for the round of 16:

Atlanta:
Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg

Boston:
Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery

St.Louis:
Marv Albert and Steve Kerr

Phoenix:
Kevin Harlan,Reggie Miller,Len Elmore

Women's Announcer Pairings for the round of 32:


Fairfield,CT- Monday
UCONN v. Kansas State
Pam Ward and Rebecca Lobo

Norfolk,VA-Monday
Stanford v. West Virginia
Mark Jones and Mary Murphy

College Station,TX-Monday
Texas A&M v. Arkansas
Carter Blackburn and Tamika Raymond

Spokane,WA-Monday
Gonzaga v. Miami
Dave Fleming and Sean Farnaham

College Park,MD-Monday
Maryland v. Louisville
Bob Wischusen and LaChina Robinson

West Lafayette,IN-Monday
Purude v. South Carolina
Brenda VanLengen and Stephen Bardo

Rosemont,Il-Monday
DePaul v. Tennessee
Jon Schiambi and Brooke Weisbrod

Ames,IA-Monday
Green Bay Wisconsin v. Kentucky
Clay Matvick and Krista Blunk

Bowling Green,OH-Tuesday
Florida v. Baylor
Cara Capuano and Abby Waner

Chapel Hill,NC-Tuesday
Georgetown v. Georgia Tech
Beth Mowins and Stephanie White

Nashville,TN-Tuesday
Vanderbuilt v. Duke
Dave Pasch and Deb Antoinelli

Little Rock,AK-Tuesday
Delaware v. Kansas
Holly Rowe and Fran Fraschilla

Tallahassee,FL-Tuesday
Marist v. St.Bonaventure
Justin Kutcher and Nell Fortner

Indianapolis,IN-Tuesday
Notre Dame v. Cal
Dave O'Brien and Doris Burke

Baton Rouge,LA-Tuesday
LSU v. Penn State
Bob Picozzi and Rosalyn Gold-Onwude

Norman,OK-Tuesday
Oklahoma v. St.John's
Marc Kestecher and Kayte Christensen

Damn FSU #3 with the swim star fiancee' (Louck??? ....ughhhhh)

I go through the entire weekend sitting pretty only to have a portion of my bracket blown up at midnight on Sunday.

Missouri was my downfall. The only Elite 8 team I've lost; my FF is still in place, however.

Look. What we really want to know is the list of shot clock operators.

bump for weekend

Bump

double bump.

Crap, I lost to Nevada, BillyMac, Bad Zebra, TJ and APG, just to name a few.

Congrats to Berserk and MrCrash - guess it comes down to you...... good luck!


PS - bragging rights are still mine at my house though as I have Ky vs Ks in the home bracket. :rolleyes:

Not bad for me. Either 5th by myself if UK wins or tied for 6th if KU wins.

So close and yet so far. Congrats to berserk & MrCrash. I'd be in the money if this were a horse race.

Thanks to 26 Yr. Gap for setting up.