Mike Quinn, a.k.a. “isuquinndog,” a 2001 Illinois State alum and one-time Missouri Valley Conference guestblogger on the Irish Trojan’s Blog, won the 7th annual Living Room Times NIT Pool thanks to MVC runner-up Wichita State’s 66-57 win over Alabama in the NIT championship game. Quinn, seen at right with me at the 2006 MVC tourney, actually did not predict Wichita’s… Read more »
Thomas Friedman nails it, or so it seems to me, in his analysis of what Andrew Sullivan calls the Middle East’s 1848 — starting with the line “This is really hard stuff, and it’s just the beginning.” When an entire region that has been living outside the biggest global trends of free politics and free markets for half a century… Read more »
OMG: [A]s if any Irish-Trojans confrontation required a more electrified backdrop, there was this bombshell out of South Bend on Wednesday: Notre Dame will host its first home night game in 21 years this fall, and the opponent will be USC. The Oct. 22 matchup between the teams will kick off at 6:30 p.m. CDT. It’s the first Notre Dame… Read more »
All right, here is where things now stand. In the Women’s NCAA Pool, after wins by UConn and Texas A&M, it’s down to a “Final Four” of Jenna (Auriemma) Stigliano, Andrew Long, Lisa Velte and Michael Watkins. Stigliano (daughter of Geno, UConn alum, and wife of my high-school classmate Todd) can wrap things up early if Texas A&M beats Stanford… Read more »
I’m officially “going sharpie” on UConn over Duke in the women’s Elite Eight. So, what are the scenarios in the 14th annual LRT Women’s NCAA Pool heading into the last regional final, between Big 12 foes #1 Baylor and #2 Texas A&M later tonight? • If Baylor wins the title or loses to Notre Dame in the title game, Cam… Read more »
The NIT semifinals are underway. A reminder of the stakes in the 7th annual Living Room Times NIT Pool: • If Colorado wins the NIT title, my high-school classmate Matt Thomsen and my 3-year-old daughter “Loyette” will tie for the pool championship. • If Wichita State or Washington State wins the title, or if Washington State loses to Alabama in… Read more »
Ladies and gentlemen, the craziest Final Four ever, seen on my AYG #GiantBracket: I thought for sure the bracket would be all boring black text by now. I’m thrilled it’s still colorful and exclamation point-filled. 🙂 Anyway, three years after all four #1 seeds made the Final Four for the first time ever, we have the first ever Final Four… Read more »
@Brendanloy, you do the paperwork I’ll enter the pool? Butler Duke rematch, Butler wins. Higher seed wins others, USC, Asheville, coin flip.7:46 AM Mar 14th via TwitterrificD Lindbergdlindber Dane Lindberg, the son of two Butler alumni, who entered the 16th annual Living Room Times Men’s NCAA Pool via the above tweet (and a follow-up Facebook thread), retook the lead Saturday… Read more »
Dane, you may just win this thing. The Dawgs won’t stop barking! #fate? GO BUTLER!!! BEAT FLORIDA!!! Avenge ’00 and ’07!!! Your move, Richmond and VCU. P.S. R.I.P., Jimmermania. 🙁 P.P.S. Duke sucks.