How to Win Your NCAA Tournament Office Pool
Months and months of countless college hoops watching comes down to one shining moment. Now that the NCAA selection committee has made their decisions, it’s time to make yours. Three weeks of basketball, 60 games, 65 teams, and one national championship. The possibilities are endless. But one thing is for certain. Winning the Final Four is perhaps the greatest moment of sports. And at offices and around water coolers from coast to coast there is just as much at stake. So maybe the winner doesn’t cut down any nets, but the annual office pool carries its own honor ceremony. Bragging rights, your bracket hanging on the wall like a certified platinum record, and a nice cash pot awaits the winner.
Legendary coach John Wooden himself would be truly proud.
Like the chosen teams of March Madness, now is the time to set up a game plan. So print out your bracket, grab some loose bills, and remember these ten points to ensure your own win at the Big Dance.
1. Wreck the Rankings: Whether you are a seasoned veteran in filling out a bracket or just a green rookie, the first rule of hand is king. Forget the AP and Coach’s Poll. The Duke’s and Connecticut’s of the world may tell you different. But what happened in December or February truly plays a minor role in where teams finish in the Final Four. Prove it you say? In the last 20 NCAA Tournaments, only 3 winners have been ranked No.1 heading into the tourney.
2. Research, Research, Research: You get the point. How are the teams seeded? How did they fair in their conference? And what about over the course of the year? Did they run the gauntlet in their conference and outside of it? Include these factors into your brackets. Invest the time. You will be glad you did. This is where you need to think like a head coach and do your own scouting report on the competition.
3. Pick Your Champ: Yes, already. Sure the first round is all about the upset and thrilling finishes. But it’s the final weekend of the Final Four that really counts. Your team(s) has to be in it to win it (depending on how your pool is founded). A word to the wise: pick a team seeded No.1 or No.2 to win the national title. There has only been one championship game without at least a No.1 or No.2 seed involved (1989). Need more convincing? In the last 24 years, at least one No.1 seed has made it to the Final Four. Don’t get too excited. Picking more than two of the four regional is a no-no.
4. Right On: Time to throw some politics in the mix. When in doubt play it conservative. Pick safe and you will be fine. Don’t get overly excited by picking a No.16 seed over a No.1. Sure, we all love a flair for the dramatic. Many watch purely for the simple joy of hoping David slays Goliath. But it’s very unlikely though that the story will have the same ending. Selecting a No.1 or No.2 seed may be boring, but it’s safe.
5.Wake Up: For every team labeled a “favorite” there are a couple deemed a “sleeper”. Your job (if you choose to accept it) is to let that sleeper slumber. Then when the time is right, give that team a wake up call. This team tends to be a single digit team with a low seed. It’s as sure as the bracket itself. Picking a No.8 to No.3 is the way to go.
6.Three Isn’t A Crowd: Now that you have your No. 1, No. 2, and your “sleeper” (No. 8-No.3) in place, the rest is elementary. You can select a No. 3 or higher. Or you can go with another “sleeper”. The choice is yours. But remember to stay the course and remain conservative. Word to the wise: Since 1979, at least one No.3 or higher seed has made it to the Final Four.
7.Fill Me In: With winner in place and the Final Four set, it’s time to fill in the remaining brackets. Here it comes down to “what not to do” more than does “what to do”. Example: Don’t invest too much in the Pac-10 Conference; they tend to lose opening round games to teams worse than a No. 12 seed. Don’t let teams boasting All-Americans fool you. And don’t let a team’s poor play in their conference tournament diminish their chances at winning big in the tourney.
8. Put Me In Coach: Believe it or not, coaches have a huge bearing on the outcome of the tournament. Just ask Roy Williams of North Carolina and Jim Calhoun at Connecticut. Experience goes a long way in March. When seconds remain, players need to only make the big shot. But coaches have to strategically diagram the hopeful outcome. Some have had success. Others coaches are defined by their success. Let this be a lesson in your picks.
9. Remember Cinderella: Girls want to be her, guys want to be seen with her, and college hoop fans just want her to upset someone. She is the queen of the bracket buster. Remember,at some point you will have to ditch her in favor of her stepsisters. Don’t get caught up in riding a low seed all the way to the Big Dance: higher seeds usually fail to advance past the second round.
10. One on One: If you decide to stay away from Cinderella, then that’s okay too. If you decide the opposite, that is also a solid decision. Picking all No.1 seeds to move on past the first round is money in the bank. Just hope to be around to collect it at the end.
After you have taken these ten steps and filled out your bracket, let the ink dry and ponder this next thought. Winning isn’t everything. That might be a mantra to apply the other eleven months of the year. But in March, winning is the only thing. The other option is pure madness. Rememberm there is always next year. But after applying the above ten points you won’t have to worry about that. So have fun with it, enjoy March Madness, and toss in an extra bracket if you want.
