Bracketology 056: what other people are saying

Well, the regular regular season is over, so now it's time to really get into the regular post-regular postseason (rocket rocket), the conference tourneys. With only a handful of them completed, and with the vast majority of the "Major" or "Power" or "Meatnormous" conferences not yet tipped off, I felt like a little look at the prevalent Bracketology would be a good way to spend my pre-studying Monday.

I guess we'll start with the man, the myth, The Lunardi. He apparently has OSU the top seed on the 2-line, matched up in the same region as what is apparently the "weakest" 1-seed, Memphis. Can you say "1999"? Nothing like weak 1-seeds to help a potential march through, uh ... March. Also notable, from a midwestern perspective: he still has Michigan in, seeded 11th in the East (don't give me any of that "Washington D.C. Region" bullshit. It's the East, Atlanta is the Southeast, Minneapolis is the Midwest, and Oakland is the West. Deal with it). This is interesting from a B10 POV because it seems to be commonly accepted that Indiana has assured themselves of a spot, and now Michigan is the team on the proverbial bubble. Also notable: five Missourah Valley teams - leaving Creighton out but including Bradley, who scored a total of 8 points in the first 16:30 of the second half of their game against So.Ill. yesterday. He also has the Colonial getting two teams in (George Mason and UNC-Wilmington), leaving Hofstra on the outside looking in (and still, one has to assume, being Dutch while flying).

Bracketology 101 also appears to have OSU the top 2-seed, matched up with Memphis. As for the other topics: they have Michigan in, at a 9-seed; they have the exact same five MVC teams in; however, for the Colonial, they also have two teams getting in, but they include Hofstra and have UNCW in the "last four out."

I had never seen this site before, but Pomeroy linked to it today, so I checked and it seems pretty cool. Anyway, today's bracket has OSU a 2-seed in Villanova's region; that sucks, but the road looks pretty clear until the Elite Eight, in my opinion. This guy has all seven Big Ten teams in, as well as all six of the possible MVC teams AND all three of the possible CAA teams. So who the Christ is he leaving out? Well, this is the only projection I've looked at that leaves out Cal, and he also leaves out Florida State, Utah State, Syracuse, and Air Force, teams which are so "on the bubble" that they might as well set up shop there until Sunday.

CBS Sportsline resident college basketball "opinionated writer" (NOTE: this is how CBS commercials which pimp their website refer to their columnists. This may be the first media group to outright admit that their goal is to be assholes and piss off readers. It's "shock jock" radio on the written -- er, typed -- page.) Gregg Doyel has the Bucks at a 1-seed. Despite that, the site's official bracket projection looks like this. Weird. Otherwise: he has Michigan out of the tournament, saying their loss to Indiana, combined with Florida State's win at Miami, bumped the Wolverines off that old proverbial bubble. Also, he has four MVC teams in, saying that "Missouri State's blowout loss to Northern Iowa in the MVC quarterfinals sends the Bears to the NIT." We'll see. And he's the second prognosticator I've seen who has all three of the CAA's big dogs getting in: "Book it," he says of George Mason, Hofstra, and UNCW all getting bids.

Rounding out the Monday, some guy named Michael Lazarus at Fox Sports decided to tell everyone what he thinks about the tournament. He has OSU the 2-seed in Memphis's region, but states that "if they run (the) table, (a) No. 1 seed (is) still likely." Big fan of the shorthand, Mike is. And now I'm Yoda. Anyways, he has Michigan in at a 9-seed, and, like Doyel, he has all three CAA teams in, but is leaving out both Creighton and Missourah State.

So there you go. Up later this week: more basketball! Specifically, an update of last year's hilarious "how to fill out your bracket like a semi-not-idiot" post, as well as one of my trademark opuses that will hopefully lead to some reader interaction. Adios.

Edited to add: Okay, so the first time around, I forgot about the MWB's favorite Erin impersonator, Stewart Mandel. He has OSU the 2-seed in Memphis's region, and Michigan a nine playing 8-seed George Mason for the right to upset Duke. He also has all three Colonial teams making the dance, but has booted Creighton and Missourah State, saying that "the Bears could shatter the record for highest RPI-rated team left out (34)." Wow, I had no idea they were that high.