Many hours, in fact days after my most recently promised entry, I am ready with some thoughts on BC, the brackets, how I don't usually believe the Billy Packer hate but found him and Nantz insufferable during the selection show interview with Craig Littlepage, and how March is just plain a great time of year.

I was disappointed doubly to see BC passed over as a 3 seed and sent to Salt Lake City, Utah for their first round game. In 2004, they were sent out to a high elevation western site as well, but performed well enough to nearly defeat national runner up Georgia Tech. This team is clearly battle-tested and intent on making noise in this tournament. The disappointment this team felt at losing such a hard fought game to Duke on Sunday was so clearly etched on all of their faces and made me feel even more pumped and eager to see them back on the floor. I was a bit alarmed when I first saw Pacific as their opponent, but the stats show that this Pacific team is not nearly as dangerous as the previous one. In terms of tempo, this game will be played at about a 61 possession pace, which is closer to where BC plays than Pacific. BC's defensive numbers do not appear stellar after the games against Duke and UNC but those are excellent offensive teams, formidable and dangerous, very higly ranked teams. BC will be able to dictate tempo and get good shots almost every time down. Smith and Dudley should have standout games. I also believe BC should fare well against Nevada if things proceed as I expect. That will leave BC to most likely face Villanova in the Sweet 16, a matchup I would love to see, even if it would present a major challenge.

So my final four is Duke, Gonzaga, UConn and Boston College, with Duke beating UConn for the National Title, thereby giving everyone's most hated coach (Coach K) a fourth ring while deflating the bluster of my most hated coach (yes, I dislike Jim Calhoun's antics quite a bit). My major upset picks are Winthrop over Tennessee, George Mason over Michigan State, Georgetown over Ohio St, San Diego St over Indiana, Cal over Texas and Texas A&M over Syracuse (if that is even an upset). I cannot wait for the games to start and for me to be reveling in Savannah, washing the games down with beer and good times in 75 degree beautiful Southern weather. (my biggest complaint about the brackets are BC's failure to get a 3 seed having beat UNC twice and Syracuse soaring to a 5 seed, although these things tend to level off anyways).

I thought Jim Nantz especially and Billy Packer were unduly harsh and scoffing at the work by Craig Littlepage and his committee. I do agree with the consensus that Cincinatti should have been in, probably over Air Force, but I also believe Hofstra should have been in over Utah State. If the CAA had been given three bids, I think Nantz would have spontaneously combusted on the stop, which, well, then who is going to do all the sappy lead ins to Masters ads for the next three weeks. Let's just thank the bracket gods we did not have to brook that disaster. The last at large teams that make it are essentially marginally qualified teams being chosen over similarly marginal teams that did not do quite enough. Without the committee's reasoning in front of me, it is hard to speculate, but I'm guessing that Utah State and Air Force put up what the committee saw as excellent overall records, performed well in league play (Both Air Force in the MWC regular and Utah State in the WAC posted strong second place regular season finishes) and deserved bids. Florida State's schedule was laughable, Cincinatti finished quite poorly, and I imagine it was close to a toss up between Hofstra, Creighton and Missouri State versus the two that made it. Although relevant to the process, it was also a little justice to see Utah State get an at large bid a couple of years after being absolutely robbed of one. So I believe Mr. Littlepage's committee did an overall good job, for which Packer and Nantz could have been constructively critical or curious, but for which they both should have commended him.

So the games start for real on Thursday around 12:20 Eastern and for me the real height of excitement kicks off with BC's early tilt against Pacific. I love completing my bracket. I use the same green pen every year to enter my picks and the same blue pen to note all correct and incorrect picks (I know, I know a little neurotic but what can you do). And I relish this weekend of wall to wall basketball, with upsets and nailbiters and last second shots, even with complete blowouts, it cannot be beat for sports watching fun. Let's Go Eagles.