Oh the Madness!

It is here. Again. March Madness. My favorite sports entertainment experience. The whole thing is great really ... the Cinderalla stories, the David vs. Goliath match-ups, the buzzer-beaters, the rising superstars, the history, the legendary schools and classic match-ups, the mini dramas and torn emotions. And to think it all culminates in "One Shining Moment." I love it.

But, truly, the greatest part of March Madness is today and tomorrow. 64 teams, 32 games, two straight days of constant CBS coverage and the reality that any team can find themselves with tears mixed with sweat, picking up towels and packing up the bus to go home. Well, probably not the 1 seeds ... but ... but, you just never know!

This year seems like an especially exciting tournament since there is a ton of talented freshman and younger teams. There's the drama that Florida has a legitimate chance to repeat as champs. All the top schools are in the mix: UNC, Kansas, UCLA, Georgetown. Well, strike that, there are a few schools in uncharacteristically low positions ... once again. Kentucky and IU are the most obvious. But, there's also Arizona at an 8 seed, Illinois a #12, Duke a 6.

And as a Hoosier fan, the odds are not looking good for "my team." They not only have to travel out west for the opening round, they have to play a tough Gonzaga team (which knocked them out of the tournament last year), and if by chance they get past Gonzaga, then UCLA will be waiting. Let's just say I'm not expecting much.

Anyhow, here are my ten top thoughts about the rest of the tournament:

1. Georgetown and Texas A & M seem to be the fair-weather favorites to make the Final Four
2. Oregon could waddle their way all the way to the Elite 8 or crumble on day 1. I have them going tot the Elite 8, which means they will lose earlier.
3. Memphis is the hands down weakest #2 seed and will be the first #2 to go out in most people's brackets. Unless you're a Memphis fan, which also means you might be crazy enough to pick them for the Final Four.
4. Best potential games: UNC vs. Texas, Kansas vs. UCLA, Ohio State vs. Georgetown (or Ohio State vs. UNC ... again), and Ohio State vs. Florida - especially since the Gators trounced the Buckeyes in football for the national championship AND the Gators devoured the Buckeyes down in Gator country earlier this year in basketball. But, the game people really want to see: Ohio State vs. Texas! Durant vs. Oden. Connelly vs. that other freshman that's really good. Oh, yeah.
5. The games I really have no idea about: Xavier vs. BYU, Washington St. vs. Oral Roberts.
6. My biggest upsets: Arkansas over USC and VCU over Duke. (Also, I have Wisconsin going out in the second round to UNLV and Memphis going down to Nevada in the second round).
7. Durant will post a 30-15 game, but will also crumble against the frontcourt of UNC. He can't dominate this whole tournament.
8. Durant is a much better baller than Oden at this point.
9. Freshman guards will win and lose a lot of these games.
10. Acie Law IV will hit a game winner against Ohio St. and Florida will repeat!

And, the best part, I'm probably entirely wrong about 75% of my entire bracket, I will be so lost in Arkansas pulling off a win and the madness of Oral Roberts that I really won't care that Oregon just got bounced! Texas A & M, on the other hand, is another matter.

Wes