NCAA Pre-Tournament Contest Newsletter

1997 PRE-NCAA CONTEST NEWSLETTER 3

Standings

Now that spring is here, the commissioners would like to pay homage to the magnificence of nature, and the natural order of things. In our finite and mortal existence, it is a great comfort to know that the sun will rise tomorrow in the east, and that if you hold a stone in the air and drop it, it will fall to the ground. So while aberrations may occur, like a bitter cold March morning, we can all rest assured that the warmth and beauty of spring will eventually prevail. And perhaps even more of a surety is the comforting knowledge that, even if our contestants appear, early in the tournament, to be doing well with their predictions, like the falling stone they will eventually come back to earth with a resounding thud.

In a year in which five of the Final 8 were #1 or #2 seeds, only 13 out of 123 entrants could correctly guess more than half of the Final 8 teams (Mash Leach, Kane, Barnes, Jodi Hastings, Hanson, Craig M, McGarrigel, Kohart, Cowboy, Corrin, F.Walker, Tiger, and AJOB). Fifty entrants got only three out of eight, eighteen entrants got just two out of eight, and an amazing five entrants correctly chose just one Final 8 team correctly (Dresden, R.Walker, Gladstein, Grande, and Fulmer).

Even more astonishing, with three #1 seeds in the Final 4, nearly 60% of our contestants (73 out of 123) correctly selected either one or zero Final 4 teams. Nine entrants accurately chose zero (yes, 0) Final 4 teams (Bobbie Shaid, Dresden, Gladstein, D.Kedson, Leeds, Golick, Shapiro, Gold, and Post), while only five entrants managed to get as many as three out of four (Mash Leach, Kane, Pappasergi, M.Einbinder-Schatz, and J.Einbinder-Schatz).

Three quarters of us (75%) chose national champions that didn’t make it out of the round of 16.

In light of the above, the commissioners have considered whether we should perform a public service for the NCAA and its member institutions, by reporting to them our contestants’ predictions. Consider the plight of Kansas. Had the team members known that our entrants had unanimously chosen their team into the Final 8, that 117 out of 123 of us had picked them into the Final 4, and that over half of us had chosen them as champion, they might have worked harder, armed with the foreknowledge that an upset was brewing. On the other hand, this type of thing could be a double-edged sword. If the team had known that Salus chose Kansas as national champion, the players might have realized that their doom was inevitable, and simply given up in despair (although you don’t have to tell us that it is, perhaps, superfluous to sally forth on the silliness of spurious choices by the atrabilious, supercilious Salus).

Needless to say (although we’ll still say it), defending champion Brady’s year old record for most points is quite safe (although Brady, himself, is also safely ensconced in 92nd place).

But in the midst of all the darkness reported above, there is one ray of light (or of something, we’re not sure what). In perhaps the most remarkable comeback since the Allies landed at Normandy, Mash Leach has won the pool. We’ll repeat that (although if you have a weak heart, perhaps you shouldn’t read it twice): Mash Leach has won the pool. The monster Mash was the only contestant to select accurately more than five of the Final 8, correctly guessing seven of the Final 8 (including his Wild Card Providence). He also chose three of the Final 4. To comprehend fully the enormity of this accomplishment, one must consider Mash’s history in the pool: before this year, he had entered five of our pools and had finished in the bottom ten in four of the five years, including last, second to last and fifth to last. During the past three pools, Mash had finished 80th, 81st, and 98th. He held the all-time record for fewest points. And now, as we have already said twice, Mash Leach has won the pool. Kind of inspiring, isn’t it?

All prize winners, depending on national champion, are as follows:

Arizona	Pts	Kentucky	Pts	Minnesota	Pts	UNC	Pts
Mash Leach	316	Mash Leach	356	Mash Leach	316	Mash Leach	316
Troy Kane	312	Troy Kane	352	Troy Kane	312	Troy Kane	312
Marshall Linton	276	R.C. Natalini	315	Cowboy	298	Bill McGarrigel	304

In any event, we hope that Mash Leach’s feel-good tale will inspire other of our entrants with the belief that anything is possible, especially Bobbie Shaid, who has broken Mash’s all-time record for futility, garnering only 140 points. Who knows, maybe next year she’ll be saying, "show me the money" (then again, maybe not). Rounding out the bottom five are Salus (162 points), Dresden (170), Gladstein (177), and R.Walker (183).

Wild Card points were received by 31 entrants (16 St. Jos., 7 Providence, 6 Texas (Young; Coach Doc; Shaffer; Gladstein; Wamser; Byrnes), and 2 California (Golick; Kleiman)). Seven people got 25 Wild Card points for choosing Providence (Joyce, Potoczak, P.Hastings, Camposano, Ann Mc, Nee, Mash Leach).

Our overall average was 234.77 points, down almost 12 points from last year. Not surprisingly, females (avg. 237.21) have widened their lead over males (234.44), but perhaps showing that the pool is child’s play, children (245.50) lead both type of adults by a wide margin.

The battle among the species has taken a bit of a quirky turn, as humans (235.68) have scratched and clawed their way ahead of felines (233.75), and the mutants (246.25) have oozed their way ahead of both. Must be all their genetic engineering, we guess. But as we said at the outset of this newsletter, the natural order of things usually prevails: lawyers (223.50) have remained in their natural position - the bottom - lagging more than 10 points behind the next lowest of the species.

In the Tag Team tussle, the Hastings (267.33) topped out over the Natalinis (249.25), followed by the Nova Gang (241.57), who narrowly defeated the Leach Clan (241.00) in their annual grudge match, the Bridge Players Association (238.50), the Mc’s (224.67), and the Kedsons (223.00) . The Friends of Amy (210.80) and the Shaid Group (201.50) distantly trail the pack, although the extended Friends of Amy (229.00) continue to show that Amy apparently associates with a higher class of friend than the Leaches, having edged the extended Leach Clan (228.43) (perhaps now that Mash Leach is such a hotshot, he can afford a better quality friend).

In our geographical challenge, there still seems to be a general northerly trend, although Delaware (255.00) surged ahead of Connecticut (252.75) and New Hampshire (250.00) at the top, and Maryland (243.00) finished above New York (241.20), New Jersey (234.64), and Pennsylvania (233.40). The south, represented by Washington D.C. (210.80) and Tennessee (204.00) did not shine. Within Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia suburbanites (234.71) beat the Philadelphia urban dwellers (222.35) handily, but lost by an even larger margin to Western Pennsylvanians (252.83). Those living in South Jersey (245.17) nixed their North Jersey neighbors (228.80).

Among Pennsylvania area codes, 412 (248.60) beat out 215 (236.02) and 610 (227.24). In New Jersey, 609 (249.25) was better than both 908 (242.00) and 201 (220.00). In Maryland, 410 (246.50) defeated 301 (236.00) (and also DC area code 202 (210.80)). In the New York/Connecticut area, 212 (254.80) edged 203 (252.75) and thrashed 423 (204.00).

In the name game (3 or more to qualify), the hottest name around was Susan (263.67), by a wide margin, over Peter (250.00), Joe (248.83), Marc/Mark (238.20), Jeff (236.00), John/Jon (234.50), Brian (233.00), Bill (227.00), Bob (226.67), Mike (222.33), and David (222.00). And if my name were Rick (an embarrassing 198.25), I’d still be changing it, fast.

Sales people (243.50) talked their way ahead of Retired persons (242.17) and Engineers (240.61). (But what’s new about that?) Contrary to our last report, Students (236.00) apparently know a lot more than Teachers (220.17). And in an upset almost as big as the Mash Leach debacle, practicing Attorneys (228.10) finished ahead of Computer people (227.25), Teachers, and Accountants (220.14). (But don’t worry, the Attorneys were still well below the pool average.) Coaches (264.00) crushed former NCAA (Div. I) players (230.50).

Among employers (also 3 or more to qualify), Joe Hand Promotions (245.33) took the top spot, over Robinson-Humphrey (242.67), and PaDOT (241.71). Well below the leaders, Vibroplating (229.67) nevertheless had the thinnest of margins over Urban Engineering (229.55) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey (229.25), and an only slightly wider one over Conrail (226.67). The rumors are that Delaware Management Company (217.86) and the Hearst Elementary School (208.33) are considering early retirement. Government workers (220.00) improved over time (and when’s the last time you heard that?).

As always, the commissioners have (for reasons that are best left unexplained) taken (wasted?) the time to name a Tournament All-Name Team. This year, we have organized it into three "teams," along with a few special categories:

All-Alliterative Team	All-Authority Team	All-Animal Team
Jackson Julson (Cincinnati)	Brian Earl (Princeton)	Brian Cardinal (Purdue)
Dmitri Domani (St. Joseph’s)	Kyle Commodore (Fairfield)	Rob Gibbons (Illinois State)
Ndongo N’Diaye (Providence)	Jermel President (Charleston)	Shea Seals (Tulsa)
Ya-Ya Dia (Georgetown)	Julian King (Coppin State)	J.R. Camel (Montana)
Duany Duany (Wisconsin) (Captain)	God Shammgod (Providence) (Captain)	Randy Duck (California) (Captain)

Special All-Name mention:

Would be on a Team if he weren’t an Academy Award winner: Cuba Gooding, Jr. (named after parent’s favorite missile crisis)
Would be on a Team if he weren’t a minor league baseball player: Wonderful Terrific Monds III (Atlanta Braves)
Would be on a Team if he weren’t a Heel: Ademola Okulaja (UNC, via Germany)
Provided best opportunity for an announcer during the Tournament: Matt Picinic (LIU)
(When he scored against Villanova, the announcer proclaimed, "That was a Picinic basket.")

MASCOT TRIVIA

Even more inexplicable than the commissioners’ penchant for All-Name Teams is their taste for mascot trivia. This year’s questions are:

(1) Name all teams in the tournament with nicknames that neither include a color nor end in ‘s’ (3 teams, 20 points total)
(2) Name the teams that considered themselves "Golden" before the Tournament began (4 teams, 5 points each)
(3) Name the most popular nickname (most teams) in the NCAA Tournament field (5 points)
(4) Among Cats, Dogs, Birds, and Bears, name which has had the most success (winning pct) in this year’s Tournament, and which has had the least success (5 points each)
(5) Name the five nicknames that appear more than once in the field (some latitude allowed), and of these, which has the highest and which has the lowest winning percentage (2 points for each correct answer)

(6) Name the teams that fit into each of the following categories (1 point for each correct answer):

(a) Felines (10 teams)
(b) Canines (4 teams)
(c) Ursines (3 teams)
(d) Birds (10 teams)
(e) Herd Animals (4 teams)
(f) Burrowing and Tree Dwelling Mammals (3 teams)
(g) Religious and/or Authority Figures (3 teams)
(h) Anti-Religious and/or Anti-Authority Figures (4 teams)
(i) Simultaneously Both of the Above (2 teams)
(j) Skirmishers (6 teams)
(k) Pertaining to Feet and/or Faces (3 teams)
(l) Automobiles (2 teams)
(m) A Lot of Wind (2 teams)
(n) Recently Changed their Nickname, or Should do so in the Near Future (3 teams)
(o) Turtles, Golddiggers, Cocktails, People from Scotland, and Prophylactic Devices (5 teams)
(p) First Round Losers from Big Conferences with Stupid Nicknames Beginning with ‘H’ (2 teams)

Note: We counted three teams twice. In addition, because the commissioners continue to disagree on whether the Stanford Cardinal is a color or an individual bird, "Stanford" will not be considered a correct answer to any question, ever.

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TRIVIA ANSWERS

(1) Massachusetts Minutemen, Navy Midshipmen, Illinois Fighting Illini
(2) California Golden Bears, Marquette Golden Eagles, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Tulsa Golden Hurricane
(3) Tigers (Jackson St., Princeton, Clemson, Pacific)
(4) Bears lead (5-3, .625) slightly over Cats (12-8, .600), but two Cats are in the Final 4. Dogs (1-4, .200) are dead last, while Birds (10-10, .500) are fluttering in the middle.
(5) Tigers (4 - Jackson St., Princeton, Clemson, Pacific; 2-4, .333); Wildcats (3 - Arizona, Villanova, Kentucky; 9-1, .900); Eagles (3 - Coppin St., Marquette (Golden Eagles), BC; 2-3, .400); Bulldogs (2 - Georgia, Butler; 0-2, .000); Hawks (St. Joseph’s, Kansas (Jayhawks); 4-2, .667). Obviously, from the above, Wildcats are first, with .900 winning pct., and Bulldogs are last, with .000 winning pct.

(6)

(a) Jackson St. Tigers, Princeton Tigers, Clemson Tigers, Pacific Tigers, Villanova Wildcats, Arizona Wildcats, Kentucky Wildcats, Charleston Cougars, South Alabama Jaguars, SW Texas St. Bobcats
(b) Georgia Bulldogs, Butler Bulldogs, New Mexico Lobos, Boston U. Terriers
(c) California Golden Bears, UCLA Bruins, Montana Grizzlies
(d) Boston College Eagles, Coppin St. Eagles, Marquette Golden Eagles, Kansas Jayhawks, St. Joseph’s Hawks, South Carolina Gamecocks, Louisville Cardinals, Temple Owls, Illinois St. Redbirds, LIU Blackbirds
(e) Colorado Buffaloes, Texas Longhorns, Fairfield Stags, Rhode Island Rams
(f) Minnesota Golden Gophers, Wisconsin Badgers, Cincinnati Bearcats
(g) Old Dominion Monarchs, Vanderbilt Commodores, Providence Friars
(h) Duke Blue Devils, Mississippi Rebels, Charleston Southern Buccaneers, Oklahoma Sooners
(i) Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Valparaiso Crusaders
(j) Massachusetts Minutemen, Xavier Musketeers, Virginia Cavaliers, Navy Midshipmen, Illinois Fighting Illini, Kansas Jayhawks
(k) UTC Mocs, North Carolina Tar Heels, Iowa Hawkeyes
(l) Murray St. Racers, South Alabama Jaguars
(m) Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Iowa St. Cyclones
(n) Tennessee Chattanooga Mocs (changed this year from Moccasins because it was "politically incorrect"), Miami (Ohio) Redskins, Utah Utes
(o) Maryland Terrapins, UNCC 49ers, Purdue Boilermakers, St. Mary’s Gaels, USC Trojans
(p) Indiana Hoosiers, Georgetown Hoyas

SCORING: Don’t even bother. If you played, you lost.

Standings As of 3/24/97 Back to Top

Name	Score	Conf Champs	Wild Card	Champion	Final 8	Final 4
Mash Leach	316	12	Providence	Kentucky	6	3
Troy Kane	312	20	Indiana	Kentucky	5	3
Marshall Linton	276	20	Georgia	Kansas	4	2
Oliver Brooks	275	18	St. Joseph's	Kansas	5	2
Robert C. Natalini	275	20	Syracuse	Kentucky	3	2
John Donadio	274	18	St. Joseph's	Kansas	4	2
Bruno Pappasergi	274	18	Indiana	Kansas	4	3
Jodi Hastings	273	18	Indiana	Kentucky	5	2
Susan Shaid	272	20	St. Joseph's	Kansas	4	2
Susan Hanson	269	16	Indiana	Kansas	5	2
Polly Shaffer	269	17	Texas	Kansas	4	2
Gene Camposano	268	14	Providence	Kentucky	4	2
Craig M.	267	15	Rhode Island	Kansas	5	2
Peter Hastings	266	15	Providence	Kentucky	3	2
Bill McGarrigel	264	15	Temple	North Carolina	5	2
Joe Hastings	263	19	St. Joseph's	Wake Forest	3	2
Audrey Kohart	263	20	Indiana	Kentucky	5	1
Jeff Clark	262	16	Temple	Kentucky	4	2
Peter O'Brien	261	21	Indiana	Kentucky	4	1
Joe S. (& Job Z)	261	17	Tulsa	Kansas	4	2
Dodger	259	16	Indiana	Kentucky	4	2
GREF	259	16	Indiana	Kansas	4	2
Cowboy	258	12	Indiana	Minnesota	5	2
Al Alberts	257	15	Vanderbilt	Kentucky	4	2
Adam Mintz	257	18	Indiana	Kansas	4	2
Peter Homsher I	256	18	Iowa	Kansas	3	2
Joe Glowacki	255	14	Georgetown	Kansas	4	2
David J. Josephs	255	20	St. Joseph's	Kentucky	4	1
Mark Piccirillo II	255	14	Syracuse	Kansas	4	2
Bob Shaw	255	14	Indiana	Kansas	4	2
Brian Corrin	254	17	Indiana	UCLA	5	1
Joshua Einbinder-Schatz	254	11	Indiana	Minnesota	4	3
FREG	254	15	Indiana	Kentucky	4	2
Jason Joyce	254	16	Providence	Wake Forest	3	1
Marc Kleiman	253	17	California	Kansas	3	2
Retiree	252	14	Indiana	Kansas	4	2
Susan Abrams	250	17	St. Joseph's	Duke	3	2
S. Potoczak	250	14	Providence	Kansas	3	1
Frank Walker	250	18	Indiana	Kansas	5	1
Claude	249	17	St. Joseph's	Kansas	4	1
Michael Einbinder-Schatz	248	13	Temple	Kentucky	3	3
Joe Rogers	248	16	Indiana	Kansas	4	1
Jim Gibb	247	18	St. Joseph's	Kansas	3	1
Joe Lunardi	247	16	St. Joseph's	Kansas	4	1
Mark Tiger	245	14	Indiana	Wake Forest	5	1
AJOB	244	18	Georgia	Cincinnati	5	1
A Capella	244	17	Georgia	Wake Forest	4	1
Bris	243	14	Indiana	Kentucky	4	2
Frank Conte	242	12	Georgia	Minnesota	4	2
Curt Whiteside	242	18	Indiana	Kentucky	3	1
ERGEF	241	13	Indiana	Kentucky	4	2
Lou C	240	16	Southwest MO St.	Kansas	3	2
Bob D'Zuro	239	16	Georgia	South Carolina	4	1
Brian Leahy	239	14	Temple	Kansas	3	2
Norm Rosen	239	16	Indiana	Kansas	4	1
Len Kedson	238	16	Tulsa	Kansas	3	1
Sarah Adams	237	17	Georgia	Kansas	3	1
Arnold E Selig	237	15	Georgetown	Kansas	4	1
Liz Aldridge	236	12	Tulsa	Kansas	4	2
Laura Harlan	236	14	Indiana	Kansas	3	2
Peter Homsher II	236	18	Syracuse	Kentucky	3	1
Ron Melnik	236	18	Indiana	Kansas	3	1
Jon Broder	235	17	Temple	Kentucky	2	2
Coach Doc	235	15	Texas	Kansas	3	1
Hank Fila	235	15	Georgia	Kansas	3	2
Mark Piccirillo	235	21	Indiana	Kentucky	2	1
Bill Acchione	233	18	Boston College	Kentucky	3	1
Jack Henderson	233	14	Indiana	Kansas	3	2
Pat O'Brien	232	15	Boston College	Kentucky	3	2
GRED	231	15	Indiana	Wake Forest	4	1
Heather Howlett	231	15	Rhode Island	Kansas	4	1
Ann Mc	231	14	Providence	Kansas	2	1
Amy/Peter Natalini/Wendell	231	17	Georgia	Kansas	3	1
Kryjek	230	15	Indiana	Kansas	3	1
Rick Green	229	12	Temple	Kansas	3	2
Domino Leach	229	16	Georgia	Duke	3	1
Peter Young	229	15	Texas	Kansas	3	1
Chris Sheeler	228	17	Indiana	Kansas	3	1
Bill Byrnes	227	12	Texas	Wake Forest	2	2
John Josephs	227	15	Tulsa	Wake Forest	3	1
Manute	227	12	Fresno St.	Kansas	4	2
Casey	224	17	Georgia	Kentucky	2	1
R. Larson	224	16	Indiana	Kansas	4	1
McMoose	224	15	Indiana	Kansas	3	1
Jeffrey Nee	224	12	Providence	Kansas	2	1
David F. Post	224	17	Boston College	Kansas	4	0
Jeff Pokrass	222	14	Boston College	Minnesota	3	1
Robert A. Peloso	221	15	Temple	Wake Forest	3	1
Edward Leach	219	14	Tulsa	Kansas	3	1
Joe Mc	219	14	Tulsa	Kansas	3	1
Rick Schlegel	219	13	St. Joseph's	Wake Forest	3	1
Paul M. Brady	218	12	Indiana	Kentucky	3	1
Todd Anderson	217	16	Massachusetts	Kansas	3	1
George Brindisi	217	13	Georgia	Kansas	3	1
Tim Salvatore	217	13	Temple	Kansas	3	1
Chill	215	15	Marquette	Kansas	3	1
Ken Gold	214	18	St. Joseph's	Wake Forest	2	0
Barney Spitz (in absentia)	213	12	Temple	Minnesota	2	2
Alan Schwartz	212	15	Massachusetts	Kansas	3	1
Ken Fulmer	211	17	New Orleans	Kansas	1	1
Miguel Perez	211	13	Temple	Kansas	3	1
Tom S., Jr.	210	13	St. Joseph's	Kansas	3	1
Brett Connelly	209	13	St. Joseph's	Minnesota	2	1
Mike Baer	208	15	Temple	Wake Forest	2	1
Jerry Ostru	208	13	Temple	Kansas	3	1
Glenn Shapiro	207	15	Temple	Kansas	3	0
Brian Golick	206	15	California	Villanova	3	0
Tom Wamser	206	11	Texas	Kansas	3	1
Andy Kennedy	204	12	Massachusetts	Kansas	2	2
Bill Rourke	204	12	Massachusetts	Wake Forest	2	2
Marc Reisenfeld	203	14	New Orleans	Kansas	2	1
Johnny Bravo	202	13	Indiana	Wake Forest	3	1
Kevin Grande	201	14	St. Joseph's	Kansas	1	1
Perry Leach	200	11	UNC Charlotte	South Carolina	2	1
Ed Leeds	199	12	Georgia	Wake Forest	4	0
Gumbel/Robinson	197	14	Syracuse	Kansas	2	1
Bill Shaid	191	14	Temple	Duke	2	1
David Kedson	187	13	Tulsa	Duke	2	0
Rick Walker	183	12	Georgia	Cincinnati	1	1
Barry Gladstein	177	12	Texas	Kansas	1	0
Karen Dresden	170	13	St. Joseph's	Kansas	1	0
Rick Salus	162	10	St. Joseph's	Kansas	3	1
Bobbie Shaid	140	6	Drexel	Duke	2	0