Victory, sweet victory

Wow, I was sure I was going to pull a Bill Buckner and choke in the final rounds. And thanks to the meister's Hitchcockian suspenseful silence I didn't know where everyone stood.

All of the past winners have been sending SWAG (stuff winners all get) that I didn't know existed -- I'll have to keep it all a secret, of course, because it's only revealed once one comes out on top. I can though, I think, thank Dana for sharing the grapes.

OK, I have work to do. Specifically, weeding 4 rows of lavender with Amy Winehouse blaring from the barn, while the monastery next door does their Gregorian chants.

Take care,
Dykes

Dykes! Dykes! Dykes!

No, it's not a promo for the latest Fox Network reality tv show, it's our pool champ. Congrats (and real ones, not the typically phony congratulations I grudgingly slop out when I'm bummed that someone beat me) to our own Chris Dykes, Oklahoma's Finest. He walked away from the field in the late rounds by picking every dang game right, which is a good strategy. (For the record, the only other Poolie to get a Kansas over Memphis final was H Dayle Kendall Zelenka - kudos to you as well, sir.)

A beautiful trophy will be on its way to Senor Dykes soon. Maybe. (This year, I might even have one made. I'm feeling ambitious. But don't hold your breath, Chris.)

As for the rest of us, well, we stink. I should offer another congrats to the J-Hawk faithful out there, whether born (John Coleman - anyone else a Kansan by birth?) or by transplantation (all of the Dewitts, now luxuriating in a balmy Lawrence April. I was so sick (better now, thanks) that I fell asleep by halftime, so I didn't get to watch Memphis brick their way out of championship. As you have no doubt heard me rant before (skip ahead if you're in a hurry or anything) bad team free throw shooting is the damn coach's fault, and that's all there is to it. So bwa ha ha ha for losing because your coach is too lazy to make you practice free throws.

Enough of Knott's Basketball Strategy Camp. The Final Standings are:

	Name	Final Four	Semis	Final	Total
1	Chris Dykes	77	10	6	93
2	David Prown	71	5	6	82
2	Ruth Dewitt	77	5	0	82
2	Sarah Bowman	72	10	0	82
5	Willow Coleman	67	5	6	78
6	Cal Dewitt	66	5	6	77
6	Dayle Zelenka	61	10	6	77
6	Jonathan Knott	72	5	0	77
9	Kate Lewis	76	0	0	76
9	Mike Winkler	71	5	0	76
11	Tim Bowman	69	5	0	74
12	Henry Dewitt	62	5	6	73
13	Bill O'Hearn	66	5	0	71
13	Calvin Dewitt	66	5	0	71
13	Favorites	71	0	0	71
16	John Coleman	58	5	6	69
16	Steve Backs	69	0	0	69
18	Matt Peterson	66	0	0	66
19	Chris Knott	65	0	0	65
19	Liz Rambeau	60	5	0	65
21	Sarah Prown	64	0	0	64
22	Scott Silet	63	0	0	63
23	Hank Zelenka	62	0	0	62
23	Maggi Jackson	62	0	0	62
25	Harrison Lewis	55	0	0	55
25	Sophie Peterson	55	0	0	55
27	Dana Duffy	49	0	0	49
28	Acy Jackson	48	0	0	48
29	Gena Zelenka	45	0	0	45
30	Ned/Kate O'Hearn	37	0	0	37
31	Rosalie Coleman	33	0	0	33
32	Ellie/Ben Peterson	32	0	0	32
33	Alexander Knott	26	0	0	26

I'm sorry I've been so out of touch over the past few days. I've been in DC, then hosting 3 law professors and 6 students from France, then sick as a dog. All in all, it's kept me hopping. Now basketball's over, the Yankees kind of look like they're going to stink a little, and suddenly I don't know what to do with my copious free time. When's lacrosse season start? Anybody fancy a flutter?

C

So, who won the pool?

The Poolmeister is ailing. Results out soon, but first there's a nap or two to be taken. Patience, grasshopper.

Hacking and coughing,

C

There are dates.

I'm sitting down now to watch UNC/Kansas and I ask Dana, who is just coming in from the grocery,
"Any snacks?".
Answer, "No, I didn't think we needed anything. There are dates."


Yes, dates- the official Final Four snack food of people who don't know what snack food is.

Now I know where Chris learned German?

Which side are you on.....soul sister?

For Dana

Question for Miss Phila: Ms. Fishtown, two men are running for state rep. from Philadelphia. One is facing 149 charges of federal crime; the second man proudly claims he has been under indictment for 15 years. Your question is: Who would you vote for and why?

Ja Wohl, Baby

A little sing along for us, to get ready for the final 4.

Hoosierdom looking for that next Big Red coach.

IU just got turned down by a guy who's only been coaching at a "major" program for a couple years, a guy who is probably just about everything the Hoosier faithful want in a coach- squeaky clean, young, midwestern and well, Caucasian. But they couldn't land him, making the list of guys who have turned them down about twice as large as the list of guys who want to end up at IU; this once proud program has fallen that far. And the only coach who has publicly said he'd be interested is John Calipari, who of course Hoosier fans would never accept because he's shady...and from a big city. But the real news is that Sean Miller seems to be saying he's not interested either. I know talk is cheap, but god I hope this is true:

“I will be at Xavier,” Miller said after his team lost to UCLA Saturday. “I’m looking forward to coaching at Xavier and continuing on with what we’ve done for years behind me and what we’ve done this year.”

Really, I used to like IU basketball. Okay, maybe that's too strong a term. They didn't bother me, or at least their fans didn't. But after the last six years of seeing these morons parading around town in their Texas Tech sweaters, all I can say is I am a Xavier fan.

Results after Round Four - Dykes and Ruth perched atop the list

Friends,

Well, well, Round 4 is over, the Final Four is set, and for the first time ever all four 1 seeds made it in. How boring. What is a tournament without someone like a Davidson making it in the FF? Ah well, we can't ask for everything.

Chris Dykes and Ruth Dewitt, two green eyeshade wearing, fantasy ncaa hoop league playing, Vegas odds line following professional gambler types are now leading the field. Isn't clawing your way to the top of the pool by picking all four 1 seeds just a little, well, sissypants? Maybe I'm just jealous. I'm the Salieri to your Mozart, I guess.

Here are the standings after four rounds. Only three more games left:

	Name	R4D1	Sun	Total
1	Chris Dykes	69	8	77
1	Ruth Dewitt	69	8	77
3	Kate Lewis	72	4	76
4	Jonathan Knott	68	4	72
4	Sarah Bowman	64	8	72
6	David Prown	63	8	71
6	Favorites	63	8	71
6	Mike Winkler	67	4	71
9	Steve Backs	69	0	69
9	Tim Bowman	65	4	69
11	Willow Coleman	63	4	67
12	Bill O'Hearn	62	4	66
12	Cal Dewitt	62	4	66
12	Calvin Dewitt	58	8	66
12	Matt Peterson	66	0	66
16	Chris Knott	65	0	65
17	Sarah Prown	60	4	64
18	Scott Silet	59	4	63
19	Hank Zelenka	62	0	62
19	Henry Dewitt	54	8	62
19	Maggi Jackson	58	4	62
22	Dayle Zelenka	53	8	61
23	Liz Rambeau	56	4	60
24	John Coleman	54	4	58
25	Harrison Lewis	55	0	55
25	Sophie Peterson	55	0	55
27	Dana Duffy	49	0	49
28	Acy Jackson	48	0	48
29	Gena Zelenka	45	0	45
30	Ned/Kate O'Hearn	37	0	37
31	Rosalie Coleman	33	0	33
32	Ellie/Ben Peterson	32	0	32
33	Alexander Knott	26	0	26

I'll try to get out a list of who's picked what for the Final Four. That may or may not happen, but I'll do what I can.

Later,

CAK

Yeah they won, but those are some seriously ugly uniforms!

Sunday picks

OK, folks, here we go. Sunday picks. Both of my teams have already lost (Pitt and Georgetown, thank you very much) so my only interest in today's games is to ensure that I don't lost too many places to the rest of you. It's all about me, as if you didn't just know that.

Here are today's picks:


10. Davidson - Ellie/Ben (I'm totally rooting for Dav. & Ellie/Ben)
1. KS - Maggi, Favs, Mike, Dykes, all Dewitts, SarahP, Jonathan, Liz, SarahB, Willow, John, Dayle, Hank, DavidP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. GTown - Knott, Acy, Rosalie, Matt, Sophie, Tim, Harrison, Scott, Kate
14. Cal St. Fullerton - Alexander
3. Wisconsin - Dana, Bill, Gena
4. Vandy - Steve
16. Portland St. - Ned/Kate



1. Mem - Favs, Dykes, Ruth, Henry, Calvin, Bill, SarahB, Tim, Scott, Dayle, Kate, DavidP
2. TX - Maggi, Mike, Steve, Cal, Ned/Kate, Rosalie, SarahP, Jonathan, Matt, Liz, Willow, John, Hank
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Pitt - Knott, Acy
9. Oregon - Alexander
8. MS St - Dana
11. KY - Gena
14. Cornell - Ellie/Ben, Sophie
3. Snodfart - Harrison

Good luck. Go Davidson!!!

Standings after Saturday - Kate! Kate! Kate!

My Peeps,

Well, now, there's a new headline emerging. Kate Lewis, in her sophomore Pool appearance, has opened up a lead on the rest of the field. Kate, oh Kate, what's your secret? Do you feel a little bad about trouncing Scott and Harrison, your fella and your brand new son? No? Good for you.

I won't get to watch today's games, which is a bummer. Hope you've arranged your lives better than I have mine. Have some chili cheese Fritos for me.

After Saturday's games, then, here are the standings:

	Name	Sat	Sun	Rnd 4
1	Kate Lewis	64	8	72
2	Chris Dykes	61	8	69
2	Ruth Dewitt	61	8	69
2	Steve Backs	61	8	69
5	Jonathan Knott	60	8	68
6	Mike Winkler	59	8	67
7	Matt Peterson	58	8	66
8	Chris Knott	57	8	65
8	Tim Bowman	61	4	65
10	Sarah Bowman	60	4	64
11	David Prown	59	4	63
11	Favorites	55	8	63
11	Willow Coleman	59	4	63
14	Bill O'Hearn	54	8	62
14	Cal Dewitt	58	4	62
14	Hank Zelenka	58	4	62
17	Sarah Prown	56	4	60
18	Scott Silet	55	4	59
19	Calvin Dewitt	54	4	58
19	Maggi Jackson	50	8	58
21	Liz Rambeau	52	4	56
22	Harrison Lewis	51	4	55
22	Sophie Peterson	51	4	55
24	Henry Dewitt	50	4	54
24	John Coleman	50	4	54
26	Dayle Zelenka	53	0	53
27	Dana Duffy	45	4	49
28	Acy Jackson	44	4	48
29	Gena Zelenka	41	4	45
30	Ned/Kate O'Hearn	33	4	37
31	Rosalie Coleman	33	0	33
32	Ellie/Ben Peterson	32	0	32
33	Alexander Knott	26	0	26

Enjoy the last regional final games, meine gute freundes. (I know no German, but that's my best guess. Anyone help out there?)

Behave yourselves and don't forget the chili cheese Fritos. I mean it.

C

not so nimba marimba

Wisconsin let me down but I always got South Carolina! I'm so hoping one of you out there saw this with Steve and me. It's way worse than either of us remember.

Saturday's picks

People,

It's all winding down. It's Round 4 already. Time goes by quickly, doesn't it? Sad to think that after tomorrow, there'll only be 3 games left, and I'll be mired in 87th place. Another year, another crappy performance by me.

Here are the picks for today:


1. UCLA - Everybody else
3. XU - Dayle
-------------------------------
2. Duke - Acy, Henry, Calvin, Cal, Ned/Kate, SarahB, John, Hank
10. Arizona - Alexander (my own son picks Notre Dame and Arizona. Sheesh.)
4. UConn - Rosalie, Liz, Sophie, Willow
13. San Diego - Ellie/Ben



1. UNC - Everybody else
3. Louisville - Harrison, Scott
----------------------------------------
5. Notre Dame - Alexander, DavidP
6. Oklahoma - Dana
8. Indiana - Gena
14. Boise State - Rosalie
2. Tenn - SarahB, Tim, Dayle
11. St. Joe's - Ellie/Ben


Let's hope tonight's games will be closer than last night's.


Cheers,

C

The Late Edition - Standings after Friday

Gang,

I'm sorry, I'm sure you think I'm a terrible shirker for not getting the Friday results and the standings out sooner, but it's a travel day for me. I'm now in my hotel room in DC, waiting to go out to dinner with some French law professors I don't know. Yawn. So, this is my moment.

All blowouts yesterday. (Can you remember back that far?) Boring, boring, boring. Nobody got all four games right, but a number of you eggheads got 3 of 4, which is pretty good.

Here are the standings:

	Name	R3	R4D1	Total
1	Kate Lewis	55	9	64
2	Chris Dykes	55	6	61
2	Ruth Dewitt	52	9	61
2	Steve Backs	55	6	61
2	Tim Bowman	55	6	61
6	Jonathan Knott	51	9	60
6	Sarah Bowman	54	6	60
8	David Prown	50	9	59
8	Mike Winkler	53	6	59
8	Willow Coleman	50	9	59
11	Cal Dewitt	52	6	58
11	Hank Zelenka	49	9	58
11	Matt Peterson	52	6	58
14	Chris Knott	51	6	57
15	Sarah Prown	50	6	56
16	Favorites	46	9	55
16	Scott Silet	49	6	55
18	Bill O'Hearn	48	6	54
18	Calvin Dewitt	45	9	54
20	Dayle Zelenka	47	6	53
21	Liz Rambeau	43	9	52
22	Harrison Lewis	48	3	51
22	Sophie Peterson	45	6	51
24	Henry Dewitt	41	9	50
24	John Coleman	41	9	50
24	Maggi Jackson	41	9	50
27	Dana Duffy	45	0	45
28	Acy Jackson	44	0	44
29	Gena Zelenka	41	0	41
30	Ned/Kate O'Hearn	30	3	33
30	Rosalie Coleman	30	3	33
32	Ellie/Ben Peterson	29	3	32
33	Alexander Knott	26	0	26

Today's picks in a moment.

Capitolly yours,

C

Going to the Dance

Remember when you could do this? I will never do this again.

Go Davidson!!! Go Ellie/Ben, the geniuses!!!

Man, how beautiful is that? Davidson beats Wisconsin, by far the most boring team in America. What a bunch of Frankensteins those dudes are.

And how about Ellie and Ben putting their heads together to make the only correct prediction. Ellie/Ben 1, rest of the field 0. Good job, chilluns. Now go to bed.

Yeehah!!!

Meister

Today's games - who picked whom?

People,

Now look, I have a job here. And I need to get back to it before the people who tell me what to do start to notice. You do need, I know, to have an idea of who is picking winners and who isn't. So here goes. And then I, your humble meister, have to get back at it. Sigh.


1. Kansas - Everybody else
12. Villanova - Nobody
---------------------------------------------
13. Siena - Acy, Ellie/Ben
8. UNLV - Alexander, Dana, Gena, Rosalie
9. Vandy - Steve
16. Portland State - Ned/Kate
5. Clemson - Tim



3. Wisc - Dykes, Dana, Ruth, Bill, Gena, both Sarahs, Steve, Willow, John, Hank
10. Davidson - Ellie/Ben (could be the genius pick of the tournament)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Georgetown - Everybody else
14. Cal. St. Fullerton - Alexander
6. USC - Steve, DavidP


1. Memphis - Everybody else
5. Michigan State - Nobody (no love for the Big 10)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Oregon - Alexander, Gena, Rosalie
8. MS State - Dana, Ellie/Ben
16. UT-Arlington - Ned/Kate
4. Pitt - Knott, Acy, Mike, Cal, SarahP, Matt, Harrison


2. TX - Everybody else
3. Snodfart - Dykes, Dana, SarahB, Tim, Harrison, Scott, Dayle
---------------------------------------------------------------------
14. Cornell - Acy, Ellie/Ben, Sophie
11. Kentucky - Alexander, Gena
10. St. Mary's - Bill

Good luck, everyone.

C

Thursday results and standings thus far - and a new genius among us!!!

Friends, Romans, Countrymen,

Ah, now this is more like it. Things are tightening up, pool-wise. The first 16 places are separated by a mere 6 points. What is so rare as a close pool? Lovely, lovely. One note, my swell cousin Sarah and her equally swell husband Tim are right at the top. I think I neglected to mention to them that Pool Rookies are officially ineligible to win. It's in the rule book, you can look it up.

And who, you may be asking, is our new Genius? Why, our own Steven Mark Backs, that's who. Mr. Backs, normally a baseball guy, picked all four games correctly last night. He was the only one of us to do so. Take a bow, Steven Mark Backs.

Standings follow, attached hereto.

big fluffy cotton candy hugs and rainbow bunny kisses from me, everybody (it's snowing up here right now and I'm ready to murder. I think I've snapped.),

C

	Name	Rnd 2	R3D1	Total
1	Chris Dykes	49	6	55
1	Kate Lewis	46	9	55
1	Steve Backs	43	12	55
1	Tim Bowman	46	9	55
5	Sarah Bowman	45	9	54
6	Mike Winkler	44	9	53
7	Cal Dewitt	46	6	52
7	Matt Peterson	43	9	52
7	Ruth Dewitt	46	6	52
10	Chris Knott	42	9	51
10	Jonathan Knott	42	9	51
12	David Prown	41	9	50
12	Sarah Prown	44	6	50
12	Willow Coleman	47	3	50
15	Hank Zelenka	43	6	49
15	Scott Silet	40	9	49
17	Bill O'Hearn	39	9	48
17	Harrison Lewis	39	9	48
19	Dayle Zelenka	41	6	47
20	Favorites	40	6	46
21	Calvin Dewitt	39	6	45
21	Dana Duffy	39	6	45
21	Sophie Peterson	42	3	45
24	Acy Jackson	35	9	44
25	Liz Rambeau	37	6	43
26	Gena Zelenka	35	6	41
26	Henry Dewitt	38	3	41
26	John Coleman	35	6	41
26	Maggi Jackson	32	9	41
30	Ned/Kate O'Hearn	27	3	30
31	Rosalie Coleman	30	0	30
32	Ellie/Ben Peterson	29	0	29
33	Alexander Knott	26	0	26

Tomorry's picks

Gang,

Four games tomorrow, people. Get out the Cheetos, fire up the television machine, and settle in for some hoop. Below are everyone's picks for tomorrow's games. There are a lot of us, so the formatting will look a little weird, but that's just something you're all just going to have to deal with, capiche?

I'm hoping my genius picks in tomorrow's games will catapult me from the middle of the pack all the way up to total mediocrity. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Here goes:


1. UNC - Everybody else
4. Washington St. - Rosalie
----------------------------------------
5. Notre Dame - Alexander, DavidP
8. Indiana - Gena
13. Winthrop - Ellie/Ben


3. Louisville - Knott, Winkler, Steve, Bill, Matt, Liz, Sarah B., Harrison, Scott, Hank, DavidP
2. TN - Maggi, Dykes, all 4 Dewitts, Sarah P, Sophie, Tim, John, Dayle, Kate
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. American - Acy
11. St. Joe's - Alexander, Ellie/Ben
6. Oklahoma - Dana, Gena, Jonathan, Willow
14. Boise State - Ned/Kate, Rosalie


1. UCLA - Everybody else
12. W. Kentucky - Nobody
----------------------------------------
5. Drake - Acy, Dayle
13. San Diego - Alexander, Ellie/Ben
4. UConn - Hank, Ned/Kate, Rosalie, Liz, Sophie, Willow, Hank


3. XU - Maggi, Steve, Gena, Jonathan, Tim, Dayle, Kate, DavidP
7. West Virginia - Knott, Ellie/Ben
--------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Duke - Everybody else
10. AZ - Alexander, Mike, Rosalie
6. Purdue - Dana, Matt, Sophie
14. Georgia - Scott

And that's that. Good luck out there, Round 3 Poolies. Hoist a beer for the Mainers, and we'll return the favor.

xoxox,

Meister