Day 1 of the NCAA tournament is always a treat, unless your team loses as a higher seed. Losing stinks. Losing and busting your bracket stinks even more.
Duke almost made Siena an all-time March Madness hero. #16 UMBC knocking off #1 Virginia has been done, but Virginia isn’t Duke. Everyone I know, UNC fan or not, was rooting hard for the Saints and activating every superstition and talisman they had to put some extra wind in the Saints’ sails. Alas.
High Point came through for me this year. Full disclosure: I made the pick largely because I promised my late uncle, who went there a long time ago, to pick his school any time they made the tournament. I won’t pretend any sophisticated hoops analysis led me to that one.
My best Day 1 bracket ever was a smooth 15-1. Even better, I nailed the three big upsets and missed only an 8-9 matchup. I was strutting. Then, reality came calling. Day 2 went 4-12. I ended up with only eight picks through to the Sweet Sixteen. Bracket leader by a mile Day 1, out of the running by close of business on Sunday.
So, how did your bracket go? What pick makes you proudest?