17. tipoff.

We’ve got a bunch of great entries for the Sixth Annual Uncle Crappy NCAA Final Four Challenge (Brought to you by Bocktown), although too damn many of you picked Ohio State.

But we’ll sort all that out after Thad Matta cuts down the nets on April  4. In the meantime, the games are getting started, and we should take a look at who’s picks will earn them the Bocktown gift card.

As we always do, we start with yours truly:

Ohio State beats San Diego State, which shows its season was not a fluke.

Pitt beats Notre Dame in a game that might not reach 60 total points.

And my Buckeyes beat the Panthers 82-78, giving me unlimited sports bragging rights in Pittsburgh, at least until football season begins.

As we always do, we go next to Mrs. Crappy, who is still a bit disgruntled about the state of OSU football:

OK, Final Four to Champs:

OSU v. Dook
Kansas v. Florida

OSU v. Florida

OSU wins avenging the 2007 season.
Go Buckeyes – in this bracket anyway!

And the rest of yinz guys, starting with Goon Squad Sarah, one of the two evil geniuses running Draft Day Suit:

Well, I’m in. And if I win it is just another excuse to come drink beer in Pittsburgh.

North Carolina v UConn,
Louisville v Pittsburgh

North Carolina v Pittsburgh

Pitt

Next up is Andy, who provided me with enough meat via Burgh Baby’s baseball contest to account for several large farm animals:

If I get any of these right, I will be more surprised than anyone. And because if I win a gift card to Bocktown, my wife will insist we go there…

Ohio State v. San Diego State
Kansas v. Florida

Kansas v. Ohio State

Oooooooohhiii, nah I can’t do it. Kansas. 87-78.

But really, I don’t care if I win or not. I don’t really even care if my hometown Pitt Panthers don’t reach the final four again. I don’t care if the team that tore my heart out as a youth (Danny Manning, you still suck) wins another championship. I swear that all I want is for Rick Pitino to wear that ridiculous white suit again and for a courtside chili and tequila lover to vomit all over it.

As I said before, Andy: I’m totally pulling for that last part.

First-time player and full-time Buckeye Jaci:

I don’t know much about college basketball and make my picks off of my gut feelings (and have done pretty well in the past years from that), so here it is:

Ohio State vs Duke
Kansas vs Pitt

Ohio State vs Kansas

Ohio State = winner
Total score: 145

I’m dubious about her pick for the East region champion, but KimLy made Mrs. Crappy happy:

Note: I never *ever* win these, as one of my final four picks usually gets crushed in the first round.

So: N.Carolina v. UConn
Kansas v. Pitt

N.Carolina v. Kansas

N. Carolina.

That’s right. GO TARHEELS! Wooooo!

(Did I mention I suck at this?)

Casey: I can’t recall if we’ve met, but I’m digging your pick:

Semi-Finals:
Ohio State vs Texas
Georgetown vs Pittsburgh

Finals:
Ohio State over Pittsburgh

Total Score: 153

Doogle’s still bummed that Bobby Mo didn’t make the field:

Semi
Ohio State v Duke
Kansas v Florida

Finals
Kansas v Duke

Champion – Kansas
Final Score – 69-63

Fellow college football freak Kelly gives college basketball a shot:

Alright, giving this a try. Go BIG TEN.

Ohio State beats Arizona.
Notre Dame beats Wisconsin.
Ohio State beats Notre Dame, 127 total points.

Oh, and in case you wondered, Penn State beats Temple, but loses gloriously to San Diego State.

Adrienne, my favorite leprechaun anywhere, has to be happy that the tournament starts on st. Patrick’s Day:

Ohio State v. Duke
Pitt V. Notre Dame

Duke V. Notre Dame

Duke
99-88
Because that’s the score i always pick.

Also, I spelled leprechaun correctly on the first try.

Curl Girl Michelle de-lurked to join us a couple AUCNFFCs ago; she’s been a regular since:

Semi:

Kansas vs. BYU
North Carolina vs. Duke

Final:

Duke vs. Kansas

Champion: Duke
Score: 80-77

If you know my father, you’re not surprised by this pick:

Ohio State vs San Diego State
Notre Dame vs Florida

Ohio State vs Notre Dame

Ohio State

(68-60)

Carla, who’s driving around Nashville with her windows down today:

My entry: Ohio St., Texas, Kansas, Florida. OSU vs. Kansas in final. Kansas wins 72-67.

Actual college basketball player Large is exactly wrong (but makes up for it at the end):

There’s something inherently wrong with having to choose between OSU and UNC and by proxy choosing between Uncle Crappy and Mrs. Crappy. With that in mind, I offer you the winning entry…

Syracuse vs. UCONN
Kansas vs. Pitt

UCONN vs. Kansas

Kansas (68-59)

P.S. I’ll deny it if you tell Mrs. C, Go Bucks!

Some hispanic dude named Senor Jaime who knows way more about traffic in Pittsburgh than you do:

North Carolina vs. Duke
Kansas vs. Pitt

North Carolina vs. Kansas

Champion: North Carolina, 71-66

Fred has his priorities straight. I think:

syracuse v. duke
ku v. fla

ku v. duke

ku wins

i will be happy if i win the gift card since i assume “gift card” = beer.

i will be even more happier if the actual teams i’m rooting for win and, i’m an old man with a job, so i can buy my own beer. my wife has a job too. she also buys me beer sometimes. i’m ready for soccer season. i drink beer at those games too.

what was the question?

Noted sports and cheeseburger expert The Jim:

OH MAN

Ohio St vs UConn
Kansas vs Pitt

Ohio St vs Kansas

Ohio State wins, 75-68

I’m a little surprised that Susan didn’t take Penn State:

UNC vs. San Diego
Purdue vs. Pitt

San Diego vs. Pitt

Pitt 76-71

Despite the fact that AAA is a solid Ohio State fan, she sucks up to Mrs. Crappy:

Never mind. Here you go.

NC vs Duke
Louisville v Pitt

NC vs Louisville

Winner? UNC. (You’re welcome, Mrs. Crappy)

I’m not guessing a score. I can’t count that high.

Derrick emerges from the shadows (HAH!):

ohio state/duke
purdue/butler

duke/purdue

duke

78-76

Ethel is less concerned about beer than Fred. And her picks are better:

Ohio State vs. UConn
Kansas vs. Kansas State

Ohio State vs. Kansas

OSU wins it all. 76-75.

Yay Toast!

NC vs. UCONN
Kansas vs. Florida

UCONN vs. Kansas

Kansas FTW

89 – 83, final

Tim joins us for the first time:

UNC vs. UCONN
Kansas vs. Florida

UCONN 57 vs Kansas 53

UCONN National Champs

Grandpa, our favorite Michigan-based Buckeye:

OSU v. UCONN
Louisville v. Pitt

Final: OSU 78, Pitt 72

One of my favorite things about this time of year is reading Kewyson’s AUCNFFC entry:

Okay – here are mine (didn’t have time to research much – so it’s a swag)

OSU beating out ‘The Wife’s’ Team (name used for old time sakes) to match up with ‘The Wife’s’ nemesis (2 in 1 paragraph even) Duck, who easily handled the kittens from the Queen City.

Flipping over to the other bracket, the boys from Lawrence score more points than the coal based engine gents from West Lafayette. And the much anticipated Union busters from Madison narrowly beating out the ‘But Your Utah?” clan.

So its the Bucks v. Devils and Jayhawks v. Badgers. Nuts and Birds is what I predict.

And finally, if my Ouija Board is right, it’s Big 10(12??) prevailing over the Big 12, even though they seem to have a bit better understanding of basic math.

Final score – OSU – 87; KU 79.

Final Answer.

Bonus: I didn’t even have to ask him to translate this year.

HP wants to buy me a beer at Bocktown next time she visits:

OSU plays San Diego
Purdue plays Pitt

OSU vs Pitt
84 to 79
OSU wins

Woody’s World has the right idea on a couple of levels:

Semi Finals:

• Ohio State v. UCONN
• Kansas v. Florida

Finals:

• Ohio State v. Kansas

Champion:

• Ohio State

Total Score:

Semi final: Ohio State vs Duke, and Kansas vs Pitt
Final: Ohio State vs Kansas
National Champion: Ohio State

Semi-finals: 

Ohio St v. Duke

Notre Dame v. Pitt

Championship game:

Duke v. Pitt

Champion:

Duke 98-93

Ohio State, Pitt, San Diego State and Kansas

OSU vs Kan

OSU 84-79

Uconn beats Fla, 85-79

Xavier vs. Northern Colorado

Virginia Commonwealth vs. St. John’s

St. John’s vs. Northern Colorado

St. John’s. And no, I’m not going to pick a final score.