Although you want to hit a brick wall

All right! Ready! Okay!

We've got less than a year to prepare for the next NCAA championship. First tip, although it's tempting, avoid hitting a brick wall. Remember that, when you are out gardening, innocently thinking of herbs, roses and other delicate blooms.

Sign up starts soon. I am not in charge--merely suggesting preparation. Swirlies will be important as in past seasons. I will keep track of this in case there are any changes.

Still unemployed, but honing my blogging skills.

EMD

it ain't over till it's all over

Congratulations, Mike. You've made me so proud. I got your shirts from the cleaners; all the buttons are still on the shirts. I'll start looking tomorrow for the perfect cabinet for your trophy.

Congratulations, Dana! That was impressive! How did you make your decisions this year? I know in the past, mascots were the predictors. What, this year?

Anyway, the NCAA season is over, but the commercial is not. You know the one I am talking about. I am never going to eat in that restaurant as long as I am still aware of my surroundings.

The blog's been fun. I hope it continues for awhile. At least until Mike gets home from his trip tonight.

Happy NCAA 2006!

All Hail Mike and Dana!!! Final Standings for Pool 2006

Dear ones,

Another tourney has come and gone. It's sadder than I can say aloud. We've left so much undone, unexamined. Why is Bill at Eton? Why won't Diana play anymore? What about Jules Prown? Why only one Prown-Coleman kid in the pool? How many more children will Matt "Mr. Virile" Peterson and his lovely wife, Liz "Fecund to Nobody" Rambeau, produce just so that they can have more pool entries? How're things at Rancho Lavendara? Will Scott Silet's new bride join us in the pool next time? Could Dave beat up David, or would David mop the floor with Dave? Will Jonathan still insist on backing Big 10 teams? A million questions, and there are a million more I'd like to ask.

No time for that crapola now. Pool's over. I'll continue to check this blog, and even to post here, if anyone else will. It'd be nice to stay in touch in months other than March.

But now, for the business at hand. This year's winner, in a walkover, is Michael Mike Miguel Wrinkler Quibbler Winkler, who can add his pool victory to his only other life accomplishment worth noting, succeeding in winning the hand of the lovely Eileen. Now he has two things for his resume. Congrats to Mike, who led more or less wire to wire. It was a trouncing, and the rest of us should take a moment to hang our heads in shame...that's enough. Mike will be receiving the inaugural Pool Traveling Trophy, as soon as I figure out what it should be. Don't hold your breath, Miguel.

Another genius deserves a mention here. Of the 27 of us in the pool, only Dana (whose hoop picking skills have been much maligned over the years) picked the Gators to win the whole shebang. Good on ya, Dana. Tell us, did you know something? Did you scout the teams? Were you impressed by the ball handling abilities of their frontcourt? Or did the school colors remind you of happy family dinners at Howard Johnson's? Now that was petty, I apologize, Dana. You're a genius, and that's that.

Here are the final standings:

1. MIKE - 71
2. Ruth - 67
3. Maggi - 62
4. David - 61
4. Eileen - 61
4. Matt - 61
7. Dana - 60
8. Scott - 59
9. Dave - 58
9. Sophie - 58
9. Steve - 58
12. Dayle - 57
12. Sarah - 57
14. John - 54
14. Knott - 54
16. Bill - 53
16. Calvin - 53
18. Dykes - 47
18. Gena - 47
20. Hank - 46
20. Liz - 46
22. Ben - 44
23. Acy - 41
23. Jonathan - 41
25. Willow - 40
26. Ellie - 29
27. Alexander - 28

Back to Pool Biznus

Folks,

We have only one game left. Dang, but it's been a pleasure. Would've been better if I'd made smarter choices, but that's the story of my life, really.

First, a few geniuses to praise. Dana is the only one among us who got Florida playing in the final game. Good on ya, DD. More people picked UCLA, but still a minority: Gena, Matt, Ruth, Scott. All five of you geniuses got 5 points for your prognositcatory skills.

None of it matters, though. Winkler, our own Mike Winkler, is the winner. The Quibbler takes the trophy (the trophy I'm now responsible to making happen. My brother Jonathan got gypped out of the trophy last year because of sloth and indifference on our part but Mike, I promise you you'll have a trophy to display proudly. Sooner or later. You know, eventually.)

For tonight's game, worth 6 big points, only Dana has Florida winning, and only Gena has UCLA winning. The rest of us backed losers. The rest of us are losers. Neither Gena nor Dana is close enough to Mike (in points, I mean) for tonight's game to make a difference.

Here are the standings:

1. Mike - 71
2. Ruth - 67 (so close)
3. Maggi - 62
4. David - 61
4. Eileen - 61
4. Matt - 61
7. Scott - 59
8. Dave - 58
8. Sophie - 58
8. Steve - 58
11. Dayle - 57
11. Sarah - 57
13. Dana - 54
13. John - 54
13. Knott - 54
16. Bill - 53
16. Calvin - 53
18. Dykes - 47
18. Gena - 47
20. Hank - 46
20. Liz - 46
22. Ben - 44
23. Acy - 41
23. Jonathan - 41
25. Willow - 40
26. Ellie - 29
27. Alexander - 28

If Florida wins, Dana jumps up to 7th place with 60 points. If UCLA wins, Gena jumps into a tie for 16th place with 53 points.

Congrats to Miguel, Our Big Weiner.

Meister