Today begins the tip off of the Sweet 16. Before I get to my picks, please allow the following from reader, Greg:
“You haven't shown us your whole bracket. [You're] picking round by round. That's too easy, Nate. Way too easy.”
Greg has a point. I did not put up my entire bracket for all to see. I have been picking the games round by round. In case you're curious about my bracket (and I have no indication besides Greg's email that you give a crap about this), the following teams are in the Sweet 16 and were not picked by me to be there: Butler, Pitt, USC, Georgetown and Vanderbilt. I'm leading my office pool, but that means nothing because my boss and I are the only men in the office for this year's Madness so we only have two brackets on the office fridge.
That's it, just two measly brackets, hanging from one magnet like some kind of testament to women in the workplace. God, I miss working with men.
On to the picks.
Florida over Butler 
I believe this is one of them there no-brainers, so I'm gonna take it upon myself to tell you about a blog that was recently brought to my attention. This one is out of Canada, and the writer, who (like many writers on the internet, I have found) does his own version of the snippets, listed his favorite six writers as follows:
1. Charles Dickens
2. Fyodor Dostoevsky
3. Nathan DeGraaf
4. Justin Rebello
5. C.S. Lewis
6. Paulo Coelho
Justin and I both come out ahead of CS Lewis on this dude's list. This is like looking at the menu of a five star restaurant and seeing fried gizzards and peanut butter sandwiches next to Filet Mignon and Chilean Sea Bass. And I for one, couldn't be prouder. If only Rebello was still alive to enjoy the moment?
UNLV over Oregon 
On my bracket, I have Oregon winning this one. But UNLV has really impressed me this tourney, so I'm giving them the proverbial nod, the proverbial pound, and the not so proverbial “‘sup” acknowledgement. This is one of the reasons I went round by round: so my watching the games could actually influence future picks.
That, and it's just easier this way.
I mean, come on. I have a day job, y'all.
Kansas over SIU
This pains me because I really want the Salukis to win this round, but Kansas is the team to beat (in my opinion) this year and I just don't see them losing to anyone.
I think it's interesting to note that this is one of those games where I pick one way and then root another. It's like, my brain says, “Jayhawks” but my heart says, “Salukis.” Hopefully, I'll be able to get through this game without the aid of whiskey.
But I doubt it.
UCLA over Pitt 
You're probably not gonna believe this (because we're in the third round and all that), but I still haven't seen either one of these teams play. I'm picking UCLA because of tradition. No more. No less.
Hey, I never said I knew what I was doing.
UNC over USC
North Carolina versus Southern California. The Tar Heels versus the Trojans. Tobacco versus prophylactics. Which would you rather have during sex? A cigarette or a condom?
Yeah, that's what I though, too.
Slut.
Georgetown over Vanderbilt
I had Vanderbilt losing in the first round. This is ridiculous. I wish they'd go away. I had a sunspot like this once. I'm completely and utterly baffled, by the way. If they make the Elite Eight, I will write a poem about them.
(Seriously, get out a sharpie and mark my words. If Vandy wins, they will be the first team in any sport that inspired me to write a poem about them for any reason. This is history in the making, right here. Well, that is, if you care.)
Tennessee over Ohio State 
After watching Oden freaking explode in OSU's last game, I have come to a shocking realization about Ohio State basketball: they are beatable.
Also, this game is probably gonna be pretty damn good. If Billy Packer ends up announcing it, I'm muting my television and pumping the sounds of internet porn through my speakers (note: I highly recommend this tactic for all games when you just can't stand the announcers?trust me).
Texas A&M over Memphis
Actual email from my buddy Scott, who lives in Memphis:
“Dude, I notice you're picking college basketball on your blog this year. First off, I think it's only fair that all of your readers know that a) you suck at basketball and barely understand the sport, b) you've never won an office tournament pool in your life and c) Memphis will not make it past the Sweet 16. Trust me, I've been watching them for going on seven years now. They suck, they play in a weak conference and they only get worse every year.
“Anyway, Bev says hi and wants to know when you'll be back in town. If she wasn't pregnant with our third, I'd be sure she was pining after you, old boy.
“By the way, when are you gonna finally settle down? I tell you buddy, there's nothing more rewarding than six digits of debt and a child's smile. You can quote me on that.
“Later Days,
Scott.”
What can I say? My friends are the best.
Round 1 Record: 23-9
Round 2 Record: 10-6
Overall Record: 33-15
Labels: snippets