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It's the most wonderful time of the year. I love our Pacers and the NBA season, but in my opinion you can't beat the NCAA Tournament (also love the conference tournies). I thought it was threadworthy, partly because I am procrastinating on studying, but mainly because NCAA basketball it pretty awesome.

The teams from Indiana that appear to be locks are Butler and Purdue, with Notre Dame being a bubble team. IU has a lot of work left to do, and by that I mean they have to win their conference tournament. Ball State I am sure will win the MAC tourny and make it to the Elite 8. Anyways, I thought this could be a place for discussion about your favorite teams and your predictions for the Final 4, and the biggest Cinderella. I will make a group on ESPN in a couple of weeks for RealGMers to make a bracket, if there is any interest.

My interest wanes considerably with my Hoosiers in the depths of the Big Ten. I love the NCAA tournament though. The drama is great and it is nice to see small schools with an equal shot to win, unlike college football. I don't have any predictions until the conference tournaments begin...not that they matter anyway.

Nice post, chatard!

Thanks!

Anyways, I am rooting for the Butler Bulldogs. I have been going to their games sense I was like 6, and they're just awesome. I went to Purdue for a semester, and I left cause it sucked. I will still cheer for them in the tournament, as I always cheer for Indiana teams. I like Notre Dame so I hope they make it. Maryland, as some of you may know, is my random team that I really like. They are on the bubble, but I think they will make it. I was born in Missouri, so I will also be chearing on Mizzou. I also root for Arizona, I don't know why, so I hope they make it. And UCLA, if you don't know why then you shouldn't be on the Pacers board.

My Cinderella is to be determined (besides Ball State. I just looked at the standing and they are 1st in the MAC West, which I find really funny, especially since they are only 7-7 in conference. Chirp Chirp!) Before the season, experts thought that UNC was clearly the best team. It doesn't appear to be that way, and there are 10+ teams that could win it all without it being a fluke, in my opinion. I think the Big East is incredible, so I think they will get 2 teams to the final 4, but I don't think the champ will be from the Big East. Right now I could choose Louisville and Pitt. The other 2 are Michigan State (simple: Izzo), and.... uhhhhhhh....... Butler of course.

Last years bracket sucked. All of my favorite teams, but 1, were in the same bracket. Maryland and Butler had to play in the second round, I wasn't happy. I understand that they want the teams to play close to home to save money, and well, just not have to travel much, but it sucks just because most likely you like teams around your area.

No Hoosiers, and no Notre Dame.

I won't be too interested in it this year.

I might follow Butler, but it's not likely.

I think Pitt will win it all. Of all the teams that have been around the top, they are tough.

DGrangeRx33 wrote:I think Pitt will win it all. Of all the teams that have been around the top, they are tough.

Oh, come on. Your beloved Tar Heels are easily the most talented team in the country.

cdash wrote:

DGrangeRx33 wrote:I think Pitt will win it all. Of all the teams that have been around the top, they are tough.

Oh, come on. Your beloved Tar Heels are easily the most talented team in the country.

I agree, but I haven't seen the passion from them this year. I suppose we could see it in the tourny...but as of now I'm not sure they have the intensity or consistancy to pull it off.

Edit: too long. Go ND, win 4 games in the Big East tourny and make the tourny of 65.

Oh my Goooooood that is long. I think I just typed all of that in 20 minutes while looking up useless stats, wins, losses and whatever else without even blinking. I was in some other zoned out world and need to stop typing long crap. But read it! I am sure it is a good read that makes no sense.

Summary of my previous endless post:
-Notre Dame won't make the NCAA tournament
-The Big East is the best conference
-If Notre Dame can make the tournament (not at-large), every single reason is posted above
-I am a huge nerd, or else absolute genious (I had to add green there so people can only make fun of me for being a nerd who has way too much time on his hands and not a complete moron who thinks he is way smarter than he really is)

Request for chatard: I like reading your posts, but to make them easier to read, put some more spacing in there. Thank ya much.

I read the first line of that long thing and can agree that the BIg East is easily the toughest conference this year. F what the Sagarin ratings say. Notre Dame has one of its most talented teams in recent memory and they are struggling mightily.

I agree they will have to win out and probably win 4 games in the Big East tourney to even be considered, which is a shame but that's the way it goes sometimes.

On a side note, things have gotten so bad with the Hoosiers that they in fact let their manager suit up in a game last week, and he even got some minutes. Anyone else see this?

Haha that is some post Chatard5, alot of information.

Have you guys filled out your brackets? Someone should organize a bracket challenge.

chatard5 wrote:-I am a huge nerd, or else absolute genious

Did you misspell "genius" on purpose?

I'm never going to stop busting your chops.

kdawg531 wrote:I read the first line of that long thing and can agree that the BIg East is easily the toughest conference this year. F what the Sagarin ratings say. Notre Dame has one of its most talented teams in recent memory and they are struggling mightily.

I agree they will have to win out and probably win 4 games in the Big East tourney to even be considered, which is a shame but that's the way it goes sometimes.

On a side note, things have gotten so bad with the Hoosiers that they in fact let their manager suit up in a game last week, and he even got some minutes. Anyone else see this?

Wait, what? Did we really? Which game? Who was it?

It was the Northwestern game.

The segment on Sportscenter showed the guy making sure the nets were on right before the game and they explained how he was the manager. Then they showed him warming up with the team. After the game was out of reach with a minute or so to go, they showed him playing.

I can't recall his name and I don't have time to search for the link, but it really did happen.

Edit: Found this link real quick, enjoy.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/blog/the_dagger/post/Indiana-promotes-manager-to-yes-play-basketbal?urn=ncaab,144306

Wow. His last name is Santa? Interesting. I now have little doubt that I could have played for this installment of IU basketball.

Miller4ever wrote:

chatard5 wrote:-I am a huge nerd, or else absolute genious

Did you misspell "genius" on purpose?

I'm never going to stop busting your chops.

No, N5A (M4E), I am nott dum enuff too mispell genious. Sumbudy nedes ta reed a bowk ore sumthing. But the green was supposed to imply a joke, but I don't use it very well.

Wow, I thought you were joking about the manager playing. Maybe all my jokes are true and I could get in a game for IU.

I am not a Northwestern fan (don't dislike them, and am a fan of the Big 10), but I would like to see them possibly make the tournament. They have a lot to do, though. I could see IU beating Penn State in Indianapolis, possibly... Then they would play the Boilers.

Really the purpose of this post is to bring it to the main page. This is a very fun week, in my opinion, especially for all the small basketball schools that their conference tournament matters sooooo much and making the NCAA tournament makes their college career + some. One week away from Super Selection Sunday!

Butler winning Tuesday, meaning winning their conference tourny, would help their seeding. I like when they are the 12th seed and upset a couple teams, but i think they deserve a 7-seed, a 6-seed would be nice. They would hopefully beat the 13 seed, and I think they would have a lot better chance at beating the 3 than the 2, but they are a team that could beat anybody if their 3s are falling.