It’s back baby!

With only six days until Selection Sunday, I’m already seeing brackets in my sleep and unconsciously drifting to ESPN for ticker-time. I long to be in a Vegas sports book, or at least that room in Graceland with the wall of TVs. It’s March, and it’s maddening.

So why shouldn’t we all head off to Bracketville a few days early this year? With stops at all six major conference tournaments, picking the winners of each game in the Big 10, Big East, ACC, SEC, Pac 10 has never been so much fun.

As always, the Championship Week Challenge is a great way to get an early look at teams you’ll need to know for next week’s office pool. So indulge a little early this year, we won’t tell anyone.

69 teams, 63 games, 6 champions, 5 days, 1 winner < -- you?

Download this Excel Spreadsheet, and start your pool today.
Games start on the 7th, so get your hustle-on!

Dr. James Naismith developed the game of basketball as a winter diversion for the Springfield, MA YMCA. His original 13 rules remain mostly intact to this day. Little known to most hoops fans are the 13 donut rules he applied to another New England winter treat – Dunkin Donuts.

The 13 donut rules.

1. The donut can be thrown in any direction with one or both hands.

2. The donut can be batted in any direction with one or both hands, but never with the fist.

3. A coworker cannot run with the donut. The coworker must throw it from the spot on which they catch it.

4. The donut must be held in or between the hands. The arms or body must not be used for holding it.

5. No shouldering, holding, pushing, striking or tripping a coworker.

6. A foul is striking at the donut with the fist.

7. If a comworker eats three consecutive donuts it counts as lunch.

8. A foul shall be made when the donut is thrown or batted from the box into the hall and stays there.

9. When the donut goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the hall and eaten by the first coworker touching it.

10. The umpire shall be judge of the team and shall note the donuts and notify the referee when three consecutive donuts have been eaten.

11. The referee shall be the judge of the donut and decide when it is in play in bounds, to which cowrker it belongs, and shall keep the time.

12. The time shall be two 15-minute halves with a five minute rest between.

13. The coworker eating the most donuts in that time shall be declared the winner.

The schools of Carmel, Indiana have always reflected its slot in the state’s pecking order, but none were more telling than the 1921 building. “Old North” was a classic Hoosier K-12; from the brick and limestone exterior to the cramped interior gymnasium. This small town on Indy’s north side slowly evolved into a middle class suburb, and this building helped get it there.

Occupying the property’s northwest corner, Old North was dwarfed by the post-consolidation factory I attended. During its retirement years, I played my youth hoops games in the gym and imagined all the Chuck Taylors and hot winter crowds that came before me. Old school Indiana hoops is no joke, and it happened in that building.

Prior to it’s demolition in the early 1990s, I captured it using a classic pinhole camera – Quaker Oatmeal box and all. If you have access to a darkroom, I urge you to build one and do some experimenting. It’s a great way to learn more about perspective, distortion, paper negatives, and ad-hoc darkroom techniques.

The party is over. Hoops season is complete. Spring Break in Bracketville has given way to finals prep and summer job searches.

After a bracket-gone-wild pre-party, little George Mason showed up at the kegger with some bruises and shoulder chips. LSU, despite post-Katrina chaos raging on, managed to down twelve beers at the wet t-shirt contest before passing out in UCLA‘s hotel room.

I just want to know one thing…who invited the Florida Gators to the Final Four?

Who voted them Prom King way back during fall semester?

Oh, wait, it was me!

While my official bracket was a colossal mess, much like the rest of the nation’s, I managed to tag the Gators as potential champions way back on December 12th. Now, I’m no hoops expert, but maybe Andy Katz and Jay Bilas should start answering my emails. That goes for you too Simmons.

Until November, enjoy your summer MLBcation. (zzzzzzzzzzzzzz…)

So…..how’s everyone doing in their office donut pool?

While my head says Boston Kreme will run the table, my heart wants Lemon to make a deep run out of the 5/12 pairing. The box is wide open this year, and even tournament newcomers Maple and Sour Cream have legitimate shots.

I know how much you love March Madness. All the picks, the distractions, watching four games at once, the chance of winning big…it’s got it all. That’s why you owe it to yourself, and your office crew, to get the party started a week early with the Championship Week Challenge.

Fill out brackets for the Big Ten, Big East, ACC, and SEC conference tournaments, and give yourself a reason to catch the games this week. Not only is this a great opportunity to scout teams for next week’s office pool, you just might win your entry fee.

47 teams, 43 games, 5 days, 4 conference champions, 1 winner < -- you?

Download this Excel Spreadsheet, and start your pool today.
Games start on the 8th, so get your hustle-on!

With the season well under way, schedule analysis becomes useful in determining which team will seem powerful come March. A squad with 25+ wins is guaranteed a high seed, and becomes an automatic threat to play deep into the postseason.

After posting a 9-0 start, the Florida Gators are facing what looks to be a win-friendly schedule. With 21 regular-season games remaining, they face only one ranked team: the struggling Kentucky Wildcats. Unless someone from the SEC East steps up, Florida may be running for Mayor of Bracketville this spring.

And while we may still be talking about Florida here, I wouldn’t want my Hoosiers to face anyone with a 31-2 record come March. So fight on Gamecocks, Bulldogs, Vols, and Commodores – take the steam out of this dangerous Florida basketball team.

Hey, my boy Josh McRoberts will be lacing them up for Duke tonight (ESPN, 7:30PM.) Be sure to check out fellow Carmel High School alum getting his frosh-on with elder teammates J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams. I’m sure I’ll tune in for a peek, but I’m more excited about the November 30th Duke/Indiana game in Bloomington. What kind of homecoming will Josh receive? Stay tuned…

Having the best high school hoops player in the country hail from your hometown is cool. Watching him dominate on national television is nothing short of thrilling.

In case you haven’t heard, Josh McRoberts is the real deal, and was awarded MVP honors last night for his 17-point, 12-rebound effort against the best talent in the country. His game has really matured, and Coach K surely liked what he saw last night – I just wish Josh was going to Indiana University. I’m trying to imagine a starting lineup at Indiana that includes the last 3 missed recruits (Sean May, Josh Smith, and now Josh McRoberts). Dynasty anyone?

There is a silver lining – Since he’ll be lacing up for Duke, I’ll get to watch him on the tube quite often. In fact, that trip to Cameron Indoor that Dad and I have been planning for years might finally come to fruition. I’m sure my friends can’t wait to here all about how he’s from my hometown after EVERY SINGLE GAME!