Wednesday, March 17, 2004
WELL, THE DAY HAS COME
I guess it's time for me to post my Final Four picks for 2004.
A few things to keep in mind here:
---Never use my picks if you want make some easy money. I'm likely to get at least one of these teams wrong.
---I'm not picking Wake Forest to go to the Final Four this year. I did last year and I did in 1997. Not doing it again.
---I'm not an expert. However, there are some people who think I am. Cool it.
---I'm going to have at least two 5-12 upsets in my bracket.
---The Pac-10 will prove its worth in the tournament, while Conference USA lays a big egg.
Alright, here we go, my 2004 Final Four, to be played in the former home of the San Antonio Spurs, San Antonio's Alamodome.
MIDWEST REGION (St. Louis)
If there is ever going to be a year for Gonzaga to step up and advance to the Final Four, it's this year. Ronny Turiaf is going to be a household name at the end of this tournament. He should be already, but he doesn't play in the hypefests known as the ACC and the SEC. And let's be honest here, we need a Northwest team in the Final Four.
EAST REGION (East Rutherford)
Eddie Sutton is a great coach. And while it doesn't mean much, at least this isn't Oklahoma. It's Oklahoma State, clearly the classier of the two OK big time schools. For all the Seattle-area folks who read this blog, who can ever forget Big Country breaking the backboard at the 1995 Final Four practice in the Kingdome?
SOUTH REGION (Atlanta)
I like the style of ball they play down in Starkville. I've seen them a couple of times on Jefferson Pilot down here, and they're for real. IMO they're the best team in the SEC, not Kentucky (even though UK did beat them on a last second shot back in January). The SEC will have one team in the Final Four, and it's the Bulldogs from that hellhole Starkville, MS.
WEST REGION (Phoenix)
Stanford will get revenge on UConn for last year's 85-74 loss in the second round of last year's tournament. There's a reason why Stanford won 26 straight games. It has nothing to do with a less than stellar Pac-10 Conference this season. They are a very good ballclub. Remember the last time the Final Four was in San Antonio? It was 1998. And guess who was there? Yes, it was Mark Madsen and the crew representing Stanford in the 1998 Final Four. (Sidenote: Please don't ask me to find a link on Madsen's dancing, ok?)
This will set up a National Championship game between Gonzaga and Stanford.
Stanford defeated Gonzaga 87-80 back on Dec. 20 in the Pete Newell Challenge in Oakland. Josh Childress, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, did not play in that game. Matt Lottich scored 34 points and had 7 assists.
We need a West Coast National Championship Game just to piss off the East Coast. No bias here, I'm just being honest.
And my national champion is...
Gonzaga! Yep, I'm picking the Bulldogs to bring the National Championship to Spokane for the first time. Can't ask for a better way to open up their new building next season...
If you want to find out what my bracket looks like, why not join our ESPN Tournament Challenge group? Group name is "Sports and Bremertonians" and the password is "bremsports"
COME DANCING!!!
A few things to keep in mind here:
---Never use my picks if you want make some easy money. I'm likely to get at least one of these teams wrong.
---I'm not picking Wake Forest to go to the Final Four this year. I did last year and I did in 1997. Not doing it again.
---I'm not an expert. However, there are some people who think I am. Cool it.
---I'm going to have at least two 5-12 upsets in my bracket.
---The Pac-10 will prove its worth in the tournament, while Conference USA lays a big egg.
Alright, here we go, my 2004 Final Four, to be played in the former home of the San Antonio Spurs, San Antonio's Alamodome.
MIDWEST REGION (St. Louis)
If there is ever going to be a year for Gonzaga to step up and advance to the Final Four, it's this year. Ronny Turiaf is going to be a household name at the end of this tournament. He should be already, but he doesn't play in the hypefests known as the ACC and the SEC. And let's be honest here, we need a Northwest team in the Final Four.
EAST REGION (East Rutherford)
Eddie Sutton is a great coach. And while it doesn't mean much, at least this isn't Oklahoma. It's Oklahoma State, clearly the classier of the two OK big time schools. For all the Seattle-area folks who read this blog, who can ever forget Big Country breaking the backboard at the 1995 Final Four practice in the Kingdome?
SOUTH REGION (Atlanta)
I like the style of ball they play down in Starkville. I've seen them a couple of times on Jefferson Pilot down here, and they're for real. IMO they're the best team in the SEC, not Kentucky (even though UK did beat them on a last second shot back in January). The SEC will have one team in the Final Four, and it's the Bulldogs from that hellhole Starkville, MS.
WEST REGION (Phoenix)
Stanford will get revenge on UConn for last year's 85-74 loss in the second round of last year's tournament. There's a reason why Stanford won 26 straight games. It has nothing to do with a less than stellar Pac-10 Conference this season. They are a very good ballclub. Remember the last time the Final Four was in San Antonio? It was 1998. And guess who was there? Yes, it was Mark Madsen and the crew representing Stanford in the 1998 Final Four. (Sidenote: Please don't ask me to find a link on Madsen's dancing, ok?)
This will set up a National Championship game between Gonzaga and Stanford.
Stanford defeated Gonzaga 87-80 back on Dec. 20 in the Pete Newell Challenge in Oakland. Josh Childress, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, did not play in that game. Matt Lottich scored 34 points and had 7 assists.
We need a West Coast National Championship Game just to piss off the East Coast. No bias here, I'm just being honest.
And my national champion is...
Gonzaga! Yep, I'm picking the Bulldogs to bring the National Championship to Spokane for the first time. Can't ask for a better way to open up their new building next season...
If you want to find out what my bracket looks like, why not join our ESPN Tournament Challenge group? Group name is "Sports and Bremertonians" and the password is "bremsports"
COME DANCING!!!
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