Northern Colorado hosts CIT game vs. Portland on Wednesday: http://bit.ly/bb32Ra. Colorado State in CBI: http://bit.ly/apRMrN.
RT @kenpomeroy: Why is the CIT field only 14 teams? Could they not find two other teams willing to participate? http://bit.ly/bb32Ra
RT @SethDavisBWW Did Bilas really pick Cornell to beat Kentucky? Now that’s cojones. Would be arguably biggest upset in tourney history.
15th annual FREE Living Room Times Men’s NCAA Pool entry form online: http://bit.ly/c32LAK. NIT Pool coming shortly.
Here’s my annual Bubble Scoresheet (Word, PDF). If you print it out and check the teams off as they’re announced during the Selection Show, you’ll realize more quickly than other folks when the bubble is officially “tapped out” and no more bids are available.
As usual, my “PROBABLY IN” category includes some teams that are generally thought of as “locks,” but where there’s perhaps an ever-so-slight possibility they might be unexpectedly snubbed, a la Syracuse in 2007. The “PROBABLY OUT” category is the same thing in reverse: teams that are generally assumed to be dead in the water, but that could conceivably sneak in out of nowhere, a la Air Force in 2006.
Assuming the “PROBABLY IN” teams are all in, and the “PROBABLY OUT” teams are all out, we’ve got 10 bubble teams fighting for 6 spots: Cal, Florida, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Seton Hall, Utah State, UTEP and Virginia Tech. Obviously, if Minnesota beats Ohio State in the Big Ten title game (now underway), the Gophers disappear from that list, and the remaining 9 “TRUE BUBBLE” teams would be fighting for 5 spots.
After the jump, the full scoresheet. Also, again, you can download it as a Word document or as a PDF file.
Oregon Ducks QB Jeremiah Masoli has been suspended by head coach Chip Kelly for the 2010 season following his guilty plea of second degree burglary. Masoli and former Ducks WR Garrett Embry stole two laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity. Embry had been kicked off the team prior to the theft. Each faces 12 months of probation, 140 hours of community service, and together must pay $5,000 in restitution. The QB will have one season of eligibility remaining for the 2011 season.
Masoli’s crime is the latest in a series of offseason problems for the Ducks, who have kicked four people from the team including Embry, suspended two for the 2010 season including Masoli, and running back LaMichael James will be serving a 1-game suspension during the Ducks first game.
On Sunday evening, the 15th annual Living Room Times NCAA Pools will get underway. Thanks to the launch of this blog — namesake of the newspaper that originally sponsored the pools from 1996-1999 — the pools’ name will make sense again to casual readers! And, for the first time, the NIT Pool (now in its 6th year) will gain the designation of a “Living Room Times” pool, joining the Men’s NCAA Pool (which is the only one that’s actually been around for all 15 years) and the Women’s NCAA Pool (held 13 out of the 15 years).
Anyway, I need a logo for the pools (collectively — i.e., one logo for all three pools). If possible, I’d like it to emphasize the milestone “15th” annual aspect. And, to signify the rebirth of the Living Room Times as an actual entity, I’d love for the pools’ logo to use the font, called “Marriage,” that appears in the masthead of the LRT blog (and of the old newspaper, circa 1993-1995). But those are just suggestions. Only one absolute rule: the logo shouldn’t include the term “NCAA,” nor incorporate use the NCAA’s logo, both for legal reasons and because one of the LRT pools is for the NIT. Better to use “basketball” instead.
Anyway, if anyone with artistic skill (which I utterly lack) can whip up a brilliant logo in the next 48 hours or so, please e-mail it to irishtrojan@gmail.com. I’ll make the deadline noon Sunday, though that can be extended a bit if someone is working on something totally awesome and needs a few more hours. 🙂 As per usual, the “winner” of this design “contest” doesn’t get a tangible prize, but you’ll get credit, bragging rights, eternal glory and so forth. 🙂
After the jump, full size-versions of the last four pool logos, with artist credit.
