Bob Haynie: Filling Out A Bracket Brings March Sadness
It happens every March. It's fun, it's exciting, it's memorable and, often times, it's frustrating. It is the NCAA Tournament office pool.
Sure, the actual tournament itself is awesome in many ways. Especially if your team is in it. Of course, as a Maryland fan, mine is not.
But it's the bracket pools that get people really dreaming about their one shining moment.
Everyone from the boss to the part-time employees jump at the chance to pick some winners and maybe bring home a couple of dollars of fun money. It seems simple enough. Picking them games, that is.
Alas, if it were only that easy.
There are few certainties in life and upsets in the NCAA Tournament is one of those certainties. The trick is trying to pick those upsets.
That, my friends, is the hard part.
On Thursday, for instance, Ohio State, Cincinnati and Oklahoma all fell to lower seeds. If you had any of those schools getting deep in your bracket, you're kind of hosed. There will be upsets this weekend, as well. Office brackets will be busted throughout the country.
Upsets mount and something that started out as fun gets a little ugly for some people.
I have not had very good luck in the bracket challenge over the years. I watch a ton of college hoops, yet I still can't seem to find success with my picks.
The novice in the pool always makes a run at the money. Much to the dismay of us who think we know it all.
We'll still be watching and pulling for What's-A-Matta-U to make it to the Final Four.
In the end, however, it will be upsets and the Cinderella schools that break your bracket.
