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I feel like I'm taking more chances this year. It's either going to make me look like a genius or question how I've won the last two years. 6 double-digit seeds winning in the first round. First 1 seed goes down in the 2nd round. 2 "play-in" game winners getting into the second round. 13th seed in the Sweet 16. 6th seed in the Elite 8. Final Four consisting of 1, 1, 4, 5 seeds.

Without giving anything away until the reveal tomorrow, anyone else taking some big risks?

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"When I turn the page
The corner bends into the perfect dog ear
As if the words knew I'd need them again
But at the time, I didn't see it."

~"This Ain't a Surfin' Movie" - Minus the Bear

Oh I'm not going to win at all. This is the highest seed my school has ever gotten since the tournament expanded to 64. I'm picking them to win it all and I'm not going to finish in the top ten of this tournament. I've run out of ****s to give.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

Argh, I've been using personal connections to geographic locations as well as electoral politics to try to decide which ones to pick, and I'm running out of reasons to pick stuff. Might really have to start using those team colors...

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

Ha! I had my grandmother help me, because they watch NCAA!

I'm so clueless that I wanted to pick my school UT to go far in the tournament. I had absolutely no idea they were part of the First Four play-in tonight... MY SCHOOL!

Oh, and has anyone finished their picks yet, bc mine is the only one that shows up?

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Praise Be To Helix!

I always pick Syracuse to go way further than they should, since they're the closest school in here to Buffalo. This year, my foolproof strategy was to pick Syracuse til the final round, then give it to Michigan, who I selected as champion based on the amount of times I've seen the logo.

This can't go badly.

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If you've been mod-o-fied,
It's an illusion, and you're in-between.
Don't you be tarot-fied,
It's just alot of nothing, so what can it mean?
~Frank Zappa

Sins exist only for people who are on the Way or approaching the Way

Not knowing much about the game, I tried to analyze the numbers as best I could to get a feel for a team's momentum. Except the Providence Friars. Screw the Friars.

Quote (BlitzSage @ 20th March 2014 00:22)

Ha! I had my grandmother help me, because they watch NCAA!

I'm so clueless that I wanted to pick my school UT to go far in the tournament. I had absolutely no idea they were part of the First Four play-in tonight... MY SCHOOL!

Oh, and has anyone finished their picks yet, bc mine is the only one that shows up?

At least UT won in the end. Made my first round pick there a bit easier, because I thought Iowa could beat UMass but I don't think UT can.

You can't see anyone's picks until the games tip off to prevent collusion and/or gamesmanship. Around noon Eastern today, everything will become visible.

I'm making Lasz' alma mater my first 1 seed to go down.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Quote (Rangers51 @ 20th March 2014 08:11)

I'm making Lasz' alma mater my first 1 seed to go down.

You and EVERYONE. I think Michigan State and Louisville are both favored to win their regions. As FOUR seeds.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

*frowns* Not that I expected to win, but my computer says it's 12:24pm, the email says I have until 12:30pm, but it's not letting me put the bracket in. Ah well. Maybe next year won't be as crazy and I'll get a bracket in.

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"Getting upset over a trifle would indeed be unmannerly."

-Afra to Damia

I think I'm already doing better than I did the last time I entered, haha.

For some of my matchups, I used a completely irrelevant factor to determine who would win or lose: I went with which state's electorate do I want to see feeling more satisfied or dissatisfied with the result, based on how I wanted the upcoming midterm Senate/House/gubernatorial elections to come out.

Sorry, I was grasping for straws for ways to project match outcomes.

Let's see how badly this scheme fails.

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

Right now, 3 of my four picks are looking like they're gonna let me down! I've gotten lucky so far (except for Dayton screwing me up!), but now I'm looking at you UCONN, don't fail me!

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Praise Be To Helix!

Shoot, I didn't get any picks in before the deadline!

It looks like I did something wrong, and my bracket is floating out in no-mans land. It says I have two brackets, but I have no clue how that happened. I'm going to see if there's any way to link the one I filled out to the CoN group, but it looks like I'm out in the cold :/

Edit

Here's a link to my bracket. Not sure if anyone besides me can see it, though. http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challe...--eedit2-->

This post has been edited by Iain Peregrine on 21st March 2014 04:06

Provided Louisville doesn't have an epic choke (currently 35-33), I'm on my way to 15-1 for day one.

I literally cannot believe NC State's choke job. Jimmy V is rolling in his grave. Almost had the elusive perfect day. Sigh.

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The clouds ran away, opened up the sky
And one by one I watched every constellation die
And there I was frozen, standing in my backyard
Face to face, eye to eye, staring at the last star
I should've known, walked all the way home
To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone

-Atmosphere "Always Coming Back Home to You"

Quote (Iain Peregrine @ 21st March 2014 00:00)

It looks like I did something wrong, and my bracket is floating out in no-mans land. It says I have two brackets, but I have no clue how that happened. I'm going to see if there's any way to link the one I filled out to the CoN group, but it looks like I'm out in the cold :/

Edit

Here's a link to my bracket. Not sure if anyone besides me can see it, though. http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challe...--eedit2-->

I can see it, but it doesn't look like I'm able to administratively add it myself. If you come into chat today during the day, we can investigate.

Sorry if ESPN sent you an email that wasn't accurate, mehael. I'm certain I wouldn't have said anything other than noon myself, because I thought the first game WAS at noon until Neal told me at noon yesterday it was actually 12:15.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

I snuck in at the last (ten) moment(s), so my perennially bad bracketology will be on display as "roses r wow" (user GeoffreyPenalty).

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!

Quote (Rangers51 @ 21st March 2014 08:57)

I can see it, but it doesn't look like I'm able to administratively add it myself. If you come into chat today during the day, we can investigate.

Iain and I were able to fix his bracket, and that fix should be able to fix a couple other folks who didn't get in, too. It looks like Sabin and SSJ_Cloud could get back in soon, so don't be shocked if their point totals look like they suddenly go up.

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"To create something great, you need the means to make a lot of really bad crap." - Kevin Kelly

Why aren't you shopping AmaCoN?

Ugh, I thought that I was doing well, but I've dropped off a bit. Why did the Vols have to win?

(btw, don't let anyone at my school know that I said that)

Also, my brother was going to go to Duke for grad work... not anymore he isn't... I won't let him!!!

Edit: Okay, should've checked before... was 44%, now 74%.... I'm sure that Duke is a fine institution and GO VOLS!

This post has been edited by BlitzSage on 22nd March 2014 03:14

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Praise Be To Helix!

Really regretting not making a bracket this year since the tourney's been great (lol Duke), plus it was nice seeing North Dakota getting their first state win -- they're the underdog I'll be rootin' for this go-'round.

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It's gonna be a glorious day
I feel my luck can change

Someone advised me well to bet against Duke.

On the other hand, I bet on UMass. Oops.

--------------------

Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

Just some random stats while we determine the sweet sixteen over the next couple days!

First-round winners that nobody picked to advance to the sweet 16:
#9 Pittsburgh
#12 Stephen F. Austin
#10 Stanford
#13 Mercer

Most popular sweet 16 picks (out of 20):
#1 Florida (19)
#1 Virginia (18)
#4 Louisville (18)
#2 Michigan (17)
#1 Arizona (16)
#2 Kansas (16)
#2 Wisconsin (15)
#4 Michigan State (15)
#1 Wichita State (14)
#3 Duke (14)
#2 Villanova (12)
#4 UCLA (12)
#3 Creighton (11)
#5 Oklahoma (11)
#3 Iowa St (10)
#6 Ohio St (10)

Most popular elite eight picks:
#1 Florida (19)
#4 Louisville (14)
#2 Kansas (12)
#1 Arizona (11)
#2 Michigan (10)
#2 Wisconsin (9)
#4 Michigan State (9)
#1 Virginia (8)
#2 Villanova (7)
#3 Creighton (7)
#3 Duke (7)

Most popular final four picks:
#1 Florida (14)
#4 Louisville (11)
#4 Michigan St (9)
#1 Arizona (8)
#1 Virginia (7)
#2 Kansas (5)
#2 Michigan (5)

Most popular final two picks:
#1 Florida (8)
#1 Arizona (6)
#1 Virginia (5)
#4 Louisville (5)
#2 Michigan (4)
#2 Kansas (3)
#4 Michigan St (3)

Overall winners:
#1 Florida (6)
#1 Arizona (4)
#1 Virginia (4)
#2 Kansas (3)
#4 Michigan St (2)
#2 Michigan (1)

Tidu, Super Moogle, Kappa are each only missing one sweet sixteen pick.
Iain and Dave are each only missing two.

6 participants (Tidu, Super Moogle, Geoffrey, Neal, Nate, SSJ Cloud) haven't lost an elite eight pick yet.

Everybody's champion still lives and only two participants are missing a title game participant.

More after we narrow this field down further!

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Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me

99.9% right now. Pretty good start! I just hope it can hold up.

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The clouds ran away, opened up the sky
And one by one I watched every constellation die
And there I was frozen, standing in my backyard
Face to face, eye to eye, staring at the last star
I should've known, walked all the way home
To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone

-Atmosphere "Always Coming Back Home to You"

Quote (Tidu-who @ 23rd March 2014 11:41)

99.9% right now. Pretty good start! I just hope it can hold up.

Some people would call it cheating... lol

Right now, I'm in second, but I did something pretty silly... picked Kentucky over Wichita for some reason... I'll just enjoy my second place until 2:45 then!

Edit

I knew Kentucky was going to win, and never doubted it... A sage often tries to confuse his opponents!

This post has been edited by BlitzSage on 23rd March 2014 22:09

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Praise Be To Helix!

Looks like I might be first out again

Consistency!

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"Only the dead have seen the end of their quotes being misattributed to Plato."
-George Santayana

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here..."
-Abraham Lincoln, prior to the discovery of Irony.

I was joint second for a while but now I'm starting to drop like a brick.

Quote (Del S @ 23rd March 2014 17:40)

Looks like I might be first out again

Consistency!

Durnit, I suck so much I can't even get last place!

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Check the "What games are you playing at the moment?" thread for updates on what I've been playing.

You can find me on the Fediverse! I use Mastodon, where I am @[email protected] ( https://sakurajima.moe/@glennmagusharvey )

Question: last year when we did CONCAA, was there a 5 day window as well? I signed up on Friday the 14th this year, and it said I had to wait until Sunday the 16th to pick my teams. Then I didn't get around to it until Thursday the 20th, and by then it was apparently already too late. Just wondering if this is something I just didn't notice last year.

Quote (finalalias @ 25th March 2014 13:25)

Question: last year when we did CONCAA, was there a 5 day window as well? I signed up on Friday the 14th this year, and it said I had to wait until Sunday the 16th to pick my teams. Then I didn't get around to it until Thursday the 20th, and by then it was apparently already too late. Just wondering if this is something I just didn't notice last year.

There is a definite timing window that you have to fall into. Selection Sunday is when they release the brackets i.e. who is playing who, and then the first game is Thursday. So you have Sunday Night thru early Thursday Morning to fill them out and submit.

To be safe, it's a 3 days window. And yea, same process every year.

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The clouds ran away, opened up the sky
And one by one I watched every constellation die
And there I was frozen, standing in my backyard
Face to face, eye to eye, staring at the last star
I should've known, walked all the way home
To find that she wasn't here, I'm still all alone

-Atmosphere "Always Coming Back Home to You"

By some process of what I have to assume is luck, my bracket is actually fairing somewhat well right now, aside from having placed Kansas in the final four.

It'll be interesting to see how things come down, as the top four point-getters right now have, I believe, the same final four.

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Currently Playing : Final Fantasy V
Most Recently Beat : Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Favorite Game : Final Fantasy X

The newest CoNcast is up! Have a listen!