Anyone can pick games in the NCAA Tournament, no? In a decision that carries considerable risk, I have decided to pick the tourney games against a box of cereal. Oh yes, you read that correctly...a box of cereal. Rice Squares, straight from aisle 3 at Aldi; it doesn't get any cheaper than that.

It's easy to enter big internet contests and get humiliated, but if I lose to the Rice Squares that is every single morning for the rest of the year that I will have to wake up to that box of cereal every morning knowing that it embarrassed me in the tourney pick 'em. So, here we go. It's the man v the bran, horn v corn, dude v breakfast food. Showdown!

Here's the field:


After the first round:

• All four #1's & 2's survive
• CS Fullerton & Cornell advance as 14's
• Arizona was the only 10 to lose
• And the classic 12/5 upset: Temple over Michigan St.
  

Print the t-shirts, they're onto the Sweet Sixteen:

• Except for Memphis, all the #1's bite the dust.
  
• South Alabama stuns Tennessee!
• 13th-seeded Siena is fit for the Cinderella slipper.
  

Elite Eight:

• Siena charges on.
• Memphis survives.
• South Alabama is still alive.
  

The Final Four:

• East: South Alabama
• Midwest: K-State ends Siena's bid
• South: Memphis charges on
• West: Drake knocks off Duke
  

Monday Night Nat'l Championship



The winner of the Rice Squares' Bracket 2008!
Paper Tigers!


This is the Rice Squares Bracket



Here is my Bracket



If I don't win, I will never fill out another NCAA Bracket again. Pinky swear.

Well, well, well. Six Iowa softball players have been suspended indefinitely with another getting kicked off the team. I wonder what they were doing. [IC Press-Citizen ]

Try Some Drake Basketball. C'mon, Everyone is Doing it!

The Drake Bulldogs will be the lone representative for the state of Iowa in the NCAA Tourney, doesn't that sound like a thrill? Well, now YOU can join the bandwagon if you haven't already. We learned today that you will be able to try to get on TV at a Drake rally.

CBS has selected Drake as one of six programs it will feature during its NCAA Tournament ‘Selection Sunday’ show, officials confirmed this afternoon.

And whether or not you're going to make the trip to Des Moines for the rally, you'd better get brushed up on your Drake Bulldogs Cheer !

No, that is not enough! Let's be sure we all download our Keno Davis Masks as we rant for DU. Goodness, this is going a little overboard. I remember being pumped up when Coach Mac led UNI to the Big Dance but I don't recall downloading a Coach Mac fat head.


CBS Picks Drake to Highlight on Selection Sunday [DMR]

Learn the Official Drake University Cheers [DMR]

Download Drake Posters for Your Cubicle [DMR]

You're on D, up by one and there's 16 seconds left in the game. Digger Phelps, what do you do?



Why didn't Hubert Davis tell Digger that he was an numb-skull? Isn't that what he's paid to do? At least Digger's highlighter matched his tie, riiiiiiiiiight.


Digger Phelps Has No Idea What's Going On [Awful Announcing]

It's the Top 5!

To promote radio and create image awareness, everyday I will probably maybe present to you a Top 5 highlight reel of standout calls/plays from your radio dial last night. This is the latest installment. Enjoy.

#5

LeBron missed LeShot and LeCavs lost to LeWiz, 101-99. Oops. We hear one side of the story from WTEM Wizards Radio Network and we get the other side from WTAM Cavaliers Radio Network.

#4
Kevin Love can drop it in close and he can knock it down from far. We'll take a trio of the latter in UCLA's 88-66 victory over Cal courtesy of AM 570 KLAC Bruins Radio Network.

#3
Joe Alexander went bonkers and WVU topped #15 UConn 78-72 in the Big East Tourney. Alexander had this slam to chip in for 2 of his 34 points, courtesy of WAJR Mountaineers Radio Network.

#2
The trade for Shaq may not have paid off, but Amare has been brilliant since the deal. This highlight stuffer is just a glimpse of the Suns 123-115 win over the Warriors, courtesy of the Suns Radio Network.

#1
Ain't nothin' like a buzzer beater bank shot for the victory. Here's the agonizing call as Ole Miss ended up on the short end of the stick, and Georgia won 97-95 in OT, courtesy of the Ole Miss Radio Network.

Tour of the State - March 14, 2008

Here is what writers around the great state of Iowa have been sounding on.

John Naughton of the Des Moines Register tells us about a sister-brother act coaching softball.

Alex Johnson of the Daily Iowan thanks the Wolverines for putting and end to Iowa's season.

Meet Iowa's Mr. Basketball for 2008 with Susan Harman of the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

It's time for the NCAA Indoor Track Meet and Jim Sullivan of the W-CF Courier sits down with Tyler Mulder.

The W-CF Courier is also on top of the DII National Wrestling Championships. Jim Nelson previews Upper Iowa.

Tommy Birch of the Iowa State Daily covers the Cyclones' season ending loss.

The east side of the state is trying to dig out of record snowfalls. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald's Erin Murphy takes a look at how it affects spring sports.

In the Sioux City Journal, Terry Hersom says that it's been too long for this great to be inducted to the Iowa Basketball Hall of Fame.

Still trying to cope with great NBA careers coming to a horrible end? Owen Siebring of the Northern Iowan has compiled a Top Ten.

Don Doxsie of the Quad City Times says that you don't have to bet on sports to have fun.

Are you freaking kidding me Coach Lick? After wrapping up his first season in Iowa City it is clear that there is a lot of work to be done. Iowa is a far cry from Butler, and that's kinda sad. But, after yesterday's loss to Michigan Coach admitted that it was tough at times to get his system in place. Listen for yourself

First of all, if Tony Freeman doesn't want to play within the system then SIT HIM ON THE BENCH! Go out and lose with Dan Bohall out there, what's the difference? You're going to lose anyway, might as well take the cancer out. Freeman had better get the message before they roll the basketballs out in the Fall otherwise he'll spend his senior season on the pine. And speaking of the seniors, has there ever been a class with less impact on the program than Justin Johnson, Kurt Looby and Seth Gorney? I don't know if I'll even remember any of those guys when I wake up tomorrow. Good riddance.

Yes, I Purchased Some Dirt

We get to see stadiums come toppling down pretty much on an annual basis these days and 2008 is no different. The RCA Dome is about to bite the dust and I wasn't about to let it happen without getting in on some of the action. So, I am proud to announce that I went ahead and bought some Genuine RCA Dome Rubber Turf Filler. Being a Colts fan I had to. It was so important, I didn't even clear it with the Mrs., she was just going to have to be happy with the fact that I was buying dirt. That may backfire sometime down the road.

Hey, at least I wasn't bidding for the Midfield Helmet Logo or a Locker Room Urinal.


Buy the Dome [ColtsProShop ]

UNI has its first MVC Freshman of the Year winner. [UNI Official Athletic Site]

The painful season for Hawkeye basketball fans is officially o-v-e-r and done with. Michigan "knocked off" the Hawks 55-47 in the First Round of the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. And is there a more suitable way for this team to go out than suffering through a 16 minute and 57 second field-goal drought in the second half?

Yes, you read that right. SIXTEEN MINUTES AND FIFTY-SEVEN SECONDS WITHOUT ONE SINGLE FIELD GOAL. Not one!

Seth Gorney hit a jumper with 18:10 remaining in the game to pull the Hawks within ten, 29-39. Ten free throws and nearly seventeen minutes later, Jake Kelly hit a jumper to end the famine.

Coach Lickliter, welcome to Iowa. One year ago you were making a run in the tournament and now you've piled up 19 losses in Iowa City. 19 losses, the most in Iowa history and the team can't even score 50 stinkin' points in March.