Sorry, Mr. President, but you got it wrong this time.
Much is made over the president’s annual bracket for the NCAA Tourney. Part of me feels that this is a pseudo-racial demarcation of acceptable stereotyping. After all, the black guy who plays a lot of pick up basketball with top NBA guys (yeah, he has a court in the White House and a jump shot that Lebron James respects) has to know a lot about the brackets. Well, not this time. I’m in a competition with nearly everyone who watches college basketball. Warren Buffet put up a billion dollars to whoever calls a perfect bracket. My bracket says that Iowa State is going deep into the dance while President Obama’s does not. Only one of us can be right and I need the money way more than #44 does.
The NCAA Tournament is comprised of 68 teams battling in a single elimination format. They are divided into four regional tournaments that resolve into a Final Four that, this year, will be held in North Texas. My bracket is based on a familiarity with the Cyclones and the teams they faced–particularly Baylor U who I think will benefit from the momentum of the Big 12 tourney and a large dose of confidence.
Just as we read based on our understanding of the world around us, we pick under identical conditions. Here’s hoping my conditions lead me to a Billion dollars.