Glenbard West Holiday Classic Recap: Day 2

Final Score:

Timothy Christian 53, Addison Trail 52

Summary

The Blazers (0-2) led for most of the game keeping Timothy Christian (1-1) an arm’s length away. The Trojans could not stop the dribble penetration and easy inside buckets by Addison Trail. Down by as much as 7, the Trojans worked away, chipping into the lead, going in front for good with less than a minute to go.

Key Players

• Danny Leach (TC): 22 pts. We noticed yesterday that Leach took over in the 4^th quarter to make it an interesting game, and he did so again here. He only hit a pair of threes, but he got to the hoop and to the line. He scored the final 4 points for Timothy, willing them to victory.

• Matthew Morrison (TC): 5 pts. Wasn’t much of an offensive factor, missing a bunch of layups, but came up huge on defense. He had at least 3 steals in the 4^th quarter, and forced a lot of bad passes. I wish defense was shown a little better in a box score, because he deserves a lot of credit.

• James Pupillo (AT): 15 pts. Was huge throughout the game, hitting several big shots, driving the lane with ease, and playing tough defense. But he made a bone-headed decision on the final play. The Blazers called timeout with about 8 seconds left down 3. Pupillo was playing the point. You figure he’d pass off to Varinder Kalsi, right? Instead, he passed inside to center Ricky Diaz for a layup. Terrible basketball IQ that could have cost his team a shot at overtime.

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Final Score:

St. Charles East 47, Wheaton Academy 46

Summary

The Saints (2-0) led 8-0 early before Wheaton (1-1) started to wake up offensively. It was a tie game at the half and after the 3^rd quarter, with Wheaton getting leads before the Saints came back to tie. Wheaton looked poised to take the game in the 4^th, but the Saints came up with late heroics (see below). St. Charles is now in prime position to go to the title game.

Key Players

• Luke Ludke (SCE): 6 pts. But he had the biggest 2 points of the game. St. Charles called timeout with 2.9 ticks left after Wheaton went up 46-45 on a free throw. The inbounds went to Ludke, who went from the halfcourt line, ran all but unopposed to the elbow and banked home a game-winner [insert Gus Johnson-esque finish here].
• Dominic Adduci (SCE): 15 pts. Adduci didn’t rely on the three as much today, instead driving to the basket, though he did hit a crucial 3 in the 4^th quarter before the heroics. I thought for sure he was going to get the final shot, but I’m sure he’ll take the win.
• Drew Sandberg (WA): 11 pts. Geoffy and I figured he’d be more of an offensive factor yesterday, but it wasn’t needed. He needed it today, getting to the line multiple times, plus some layups. It should be noted that it was Sandberg at the line with 2.9 seconds left. He missed the first, drastically altering the game, making it possible for Ludke’s heroics.

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Final Score:

Leyden 66, West Chicago 55

Summary

Leyden (2-0) jumped out to an early lead they would never relinquish. They led by 11 at the break after another great game by their backcourt. The Wildcats (0-2) were able to stay closer tonight compared to yesterday (24 point defecit at half), but couldn’t get closer than about 8 points.

Key Players

• Alex Hererra (LEY): 32 pts. He went off for 17 in the first half, 11 coming in the opening quarter. He went probably 5-7 from beyond the arc, all makes coming before the half, including a buzzer beater in the 2^nd. In the second he drove the lane, getting points almost at will.
• Jonathan Woolf (LEY): 13 pts. Definitely the favorite for 6^th man of the tournament. He hit one three, and came up with a few big free throws near the end. He’s a major guy to watch out for.
• Justin Mundt (WC): 20 pts. He kept West Chicago close throughout, hitting a bunch of free throws again, and getting to the basket. It’s just been too bad he hasn’t had enough help to give the Wildcats a win yet.

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Final Score

Glenbard West 48, Fenton 30

Summary

This was a defensive struggle throughout, with both teams struggling to score early. Then the Hilltoppers (2-0) went on a little run, leading 11-4 before the Bison (0-2) got back to within 2, but they wouldn't get any closer. It was 16-9 at the half, and 21-14 after 3, but then the Hilltoppers finally started getting shots to fall. Both teams had a lot of turnovers, but Fenton couldn't take advantage, while Glenbard did.

Key Players

• Michael Mache (GBW) 14 pts. No dunks for him tonight, but he did what he needed to do: get inside and get some easy buckets, and hit some free throws. He was the leading scorer (possible I'm off on the number of points by a couple either way), but he was the leading scorer.
• Vernon Harris (GBW) 11 pts. Did so off the bench. Will challenge Jonathan Woolf for 6th man of the tournament, and made his case today by getting to the basket in the 2nd half.
• Colin Wallace (FEN) 19 pts. Led his team, but when you score almost two-thirds of your team's points, you won't win many games. He was hounded much of the day, yet showed some signs of life early in the second half before the turnover bug really started to bite. Nonetheless, he's a good player.

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Tomorrow decides the fate of the teams for who plays for the title. A quick rundown is as follows:

White Pool

• St. Charles East (2-0) clinches 1st place with a win over Timothy Christian.
• Timothy Christian (1-1) clinches 1st place with a win over St. Charles East AND Wheaton Academy loss to Addison Trail OR Wheaton Academy win plus Wheaton gives up 12 more points than Timothy Christian.
• Wheaton Academy (1-1) clinches 1st place with a win over Addison Trail AND Timothy Christian win over St. Charles East plus Wheaton gives up no more than 11 points more than Timothy Christian.
• Addison Trail (0-2) is eliminated from contention.

Green Pool

• Glenbard West (2-0) clinches 1st place with a win over Leyden.
• Leyden (2-0) clinches 1st place with a win over Glenbard West.
• West Chicago (0-2) is eliminated from contention.
• Fenton (0-2) is eliminated from contention.

The Green Pool is simple, the White Pool not so much, but that should cover it. St. Charles East-Timothy Christian is at 3 tomorrow, Wheaton Academy-Addison Trail at 4:30, Fenton-West Chicago is at 6:30, and Leyden-Glenbard West is at 8.

Glenbard West Holiday Classic Recap: Day 1

Final Score:

St. Charles East 69, Addison Trail 68

Summary

The Saints (1-0) jumped out to an early lead today with a barrage of threes, leading by as much as 14 early. Over the course of the rest of the game, the Blazers (0-1) worked their way back, closing the gap to as little as 5 during parts, with the Saints keeping distance. But a 13 point lead after 3 dwindled quickly, seeing Addison Trail take a 63-62 lead with 3 minutes to go. But the Saints got the last laugh, hitting key shots down the stretch.

Key Players:

• Dominic Adduci (SCE): 6-10 FG, 2-3 3PT, 10-12 FT, 23 pts. He became the focal point of his team after Kendall Stephens went down with an injured ankle. He was hitting from everywhere, and did a great job getting to the foul line. Easily the Player of the Game.
• Johnny Hondlik (SCE): 7-13 FG, 3-6 3PT, 2-3FT, 19 pts. He was the inside-outside threat for the Saints. Capable of knocking down threes, but wasn’t afraid to do a little dirty work inside. Someone you have to keep an eye on at all times.
• Varinder Kalsi (AT): 8-14FG, 6-103PT, 1-2FT, 23 pts. He went off in the 4th and was a key cog in the comeback, hitting several threes in the effort. He’s someone the other teams will have to gameplan for.

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Final Score:

Wheaton Academy 58, Timothy Christian 46

Summary

In a battle between former members of the now-defunct Private School League, the Warriors (1-0) jumped out to an early lead thanks to great ball movement and lethal shooting. The Trojans (0-1) took a lot of bad shots in this one early on before trying to mount a late comeback. They came within probably about 6 points before Wheaton finished them off.

Key Players:

• Cameron Harvey (WA): 6-13FG, 2-5 3PT, 7-11FT, 21 pts. He slowed down after a hot first quarter, but was effective everywhere on the floor. Very athletic, and will be a nightmare to guard.
• Lars Olson (WA): 4-9 FG, 4-6 3PT, 2-2 FT, 14 pts. He’s a gamechanger with his ability to hit the three. Hit a couple early, then hit a couple late. Someone you have to watch out for at all times.
• Danny Leach (TC): 22 pts. I don’t have the exact shot attempts in front of me, but in the 4^th quarter Leach also went off, making me hope for another St.Charles East-Addison Trail game. Didn’t happen. But he did enough to impress, hitting a few key threes to give Timothy hopes of a come from behind victory. If he is consistent throughout the game, Timothy will be a pain for any team.

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Final Score:

Leyden 62, Fenton 49

Summary

Leyden (1-0) came out with a half court trap at the start and jumped out to an early 8-0 lead, then led 17-8 at one point. The Bison (0-1) did step up defensively the rest of the way, though they never get closer than about 10 points. The Eagles also brought Lob City to Glen Ellyn, seeing Brian McNamara throw down an alley-oop.

Key Players

• Alex Hererra (LEY): 9-12 FG, 1-1 3PT, 19 pts. Easily the player of the game. He got to the hoop again and again against an otherwise pretty stout Bison defense. He made it look easy, and should be watched closely on passes to open teammates.
• Jonathan Woolf (LEY): 5-8 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-2 FT, 13 pts. Up there for Sixth Man of the tournament. Came in off the bench and scored everywhere as well. When you have a guy like him off the bench, it takes pressure off the starters to do all the work. He’s someone to watch out for as well.
• Colin Wallace (FEN): 6-14 FG, 4-8 3PT, 5-5 FT, 21 pts. Wallace went off in the 4^th in a comeback effort, part of a theme tonight. If he can get involved early, he’ll be a dangerous man in every game.

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Final Score:

Glenbard West 60, West Chicago 48

Summary

The Hilltoppers (1-0) jumped out to a huge lead early on with the lid on the Wildcats' (0-1) basket. They went into the half down 37-13. How did they respond? They came out inspired in the 2nd half and while they didn't get closer than about 7 points, they didn't give up and gave Glenbard a great game.

Key Players

•  Michael Mache (GBW): 4-9 FG, 4-4 FT, 12 pts. Not a dominating scoring performance, but he did enough along with his twin brother Matthew (also 12 points). Normally you're lucky to see a dunk in a high school game. Michael had 2... on back to back possessions. One came on an open look on an entry pass, and the other was on a fast break.
• Jeff Levesque (GBW): 4-9 FG, 0-1 3PT, 7-12 FT, 15 pts. Levesque was a consistent threat to drive and get to the line. He had at least one steal as well, and his aggresive play took attention away from bombers like Kevin Loftus.
• West Chicago shooting: 4-26 FG 1st half, 13-56 FG overall. They were certainly better in the second half, but it's hard to overcome that poor of a shooting night. Hats off to the Wildcats for staying with it late.

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It was a good first day, and Geoffy and I are getting back to it tomorrow. Addison Trail-Timothy Christian at 3, St. Charles East-Wheaton Academy at 4:30, Leyden-West Chicago at 6:30, and Fenton-Glenbard West at 8. You can once again catch the games on iHigh.com.

Reality or Fantasy: A Matter of Honor

Fantasy football has really taken off in the Internet era, and I started in 2005, a year after my dad did. In 2006 he started a league with a bunch of people he works with, and some people known through them. I was an inaugural member of what was dubbed the Casual Interest American Football League (CIAFL, so named as a joke because a friend of mine in the league is convinced my dad works for the CIA.) That first year I made the title game. Five years later the league still exists, though my dad opted out this year for personal reasons, removing my biggest rivalry game from the schedule. It's entirely possible I found a new one.


This season I finished with a 9-4 record, tops in the league, and made the championship game against another original owner and my dad's coworker George. He was the #2 overall seed in the playoffs, so it seemed only fitting that we matched up in the title game. George, ever the trash talker (the best in the league), started talking smack as soon as he knew he was in the title game. I talked back, and he offered to make a bet. I win, I get his winnings from the league. He wins, I had to write a blog post about him and this matchup. I wish I could say this post was a forum to rub it in his face. Alas.

George has constantly changed his team name over the years. Originally he was Fear the Turtle (Maryland alum if memory serves) and has changed it around over the years, this year settling on "Chicken Crossing" (something about having chickens in his backyard). His consistency has come in his trash talking, so much so that within probably 10 minutes of Falcons-Saints going final he changed his team name to "Champions!" On the field, he has had some up and down years. I don't remember if he's won a league title before, but he definitely earned it this year.

Through random draw, George lucked into the #1 pick in the draft, though I seem to remember he wasn't thrilled about it since we draft in snake fashion, but his first few picks were fantastic. He took consensus #1 Adrian Peterson first, then in the wraparound later he took Vincent Jackson and Larry Fitzgerald. He also overcame me stealing 3 of his guys before he could pick. Overall, 6 of his 9 players in the championship game were players he drafted (Willis McGahee, C.J. Spiller and San Francisco's defense were the 3 pickups.) San Fran was picked up before the start of the season, and McGahee and Spiller were later additions.

Spiller was someone I contemplated getting for a while and now I do regret it, given the result today and due to having some trouble at the running back spot all year. He took advantage and had guys step up this week. My biggest mistake was playing Torrey Smith over Jeremy Maclin, though it wouldn't have been enough. He clearly earned the win and made some big moves over the course of the season to pick up a title, overcoming the team with the #2 pick (I took Rodgers. Took some heat for it, but it turned out well). I'm proud of what I accomplished this year, mirroring the Baltimore Ravens a bit, seeing 3 of my 4 regular season losses coming to non-playoff teams, while leading the league in scoring. Unfortunately it's what happens in the final game that counts, and George brought his A-game, netting the highest score against me all year.

So congratulations to this year's best fantasy owner on his title. You can take my word for it. Or you can listen to my dad who, when I told him about the bet and this blog post, said "He's not a very good owner." Your call.

Post-Christmas Preview

Hope everyone is having a great Christmas Eve so far! NFL games are about to kick off, there are probably some irrelevant bowl games on as well, and tomorrow I get to see two of my teams (Bulls and Packers) kick some butt. Merry Christmas to me.

Anyway, coming up in the final week of 2011 I have a lot of exciting things planned for Confessions of a Sportscaster.

If you've been keeping up on the Pipe Dream Playoffs, you'll know that the championship game is still Alabama-LSU. Thus I almost feel compelled to say that yes, it is indeed the national championship game. Next week I'll start simulating the major bowl games and I'll also have a bonus tournament featuring the system outlined in Death to the BCS.

More excitedly, I get to go back to doing a Gus Johnson impersonation instead of a Ray Clay impersonation. Next week many high school basketball teams are playing in various tournaments. I will be heading out to Glenbard West High School for their Holiday Classic and get to reunite with Geoff Clark to call 4 games a day for at least 3 days. I'm really excited for this. I don't know all the details yet, but I do know the games will be broadcast on iHigh.com. You can check in with me on Twitter for details (note that my tweets are protected, but that's only to block the spambots that usually pertain to sex-related crap. Request to follow me and you should be okay. You can also follow Geoffy here.)

I will be spending the next couple days with my dad, brother, and girlfriend and her family over the next couple days. Spend time with your loved ones and remember the real reason for the season. Merry Christmas!

NCAA Pipe Dream Playoffs: Bowl Semifinals

For Round 1 results, click here.
For Round 2 results, click here.

I'm switching the scheduling around this weekend because of Christmas. Normally I would have held the games on the Saturday, but given that it's Christmas Eve and I want the players and coaches to be with their families, and also because the NFL moved its games to that day, we're doing 3 games on Thursday and 3 on Friday in this round. With only 12 teams left, we can do one game from each set of semifinals on Thursday and one on Friday to allow players, coaches, and fans to catch possible opponents.

There are some fun matchups this week in all 3 groups of semis, especially the championship bracket. With a lot of OSU fans feeling snubbed, this is their chance to prove they belong in the title game over Alabama. And LSU doesn't have an easy task ahead with Oregon's strong offense.

With the bowl games being next week and still being held at their traditional sites, this is the final week of home field advantages. Higher seeds host, with local weather taken into account. And again, thanks to WhatIfSports.com for the simulations.

Losers Bracket

(16)Georgia vs. (12)Baylor                  (10)Wisconsin vs. (14)Oklahoma
Game 1: BAY 34, UGA 27                      Game 1: WIS 44, OU 36
Game 2: BAY 45, UGA 17                      Game 2: OU 27, WIS 13
Game 3: BAY 31, UGA 23                      Game 3: WIS 37, OU 26
Final: BAY 37, UGA 22                          Final: WIS 31, OU 30

Georgia and Oklahoma are eliminated from the playoffs.
Baylor will play Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Consolation Bracket

(8)Kansas State vs. (4)Stanford         (7)Boise State vs. (6)Arkansas
Game 1: STAN 35, KSU 18                   Game 1: BSU 40, ARK 19
Game 2: STAN 31, KSU 10                   Game 2: BSU 39, ARK 24
Game 3: STAN 44, KSU 17                   Game 3: BSU 55, ARK 48
Final: STAN 37, KSU 15                       Final: BSU 45, ARK 30


Kansas State will play Arkansas in the Fiesta Bowl.
Stanford will play Boise State in the Sugar Bowl.

Championship Bracket

(1)LSU vs. (5)Oregon                           (2)Alabama vs. (3)Oklahoma State
Game 1: LSU 40, ORE 13                      Game 1: ALA 47, OSU 17
Game 2: LSU 34, ORE 9                        Game 2: ALA 41, OSU 40
Game 3: ORE 20, LSU 13                      Game 3: ALA 47, OSU 31
Final: LSU 29, ORE 14                         Final: ALA 46, OSU 29


Oregon will play Oklahoma State in the Orange Bowl.
LSU will play Alabama for the national title.


LSU finally lost a game in the simulations... after getting 2 blowout wins, and they still end up facing Alabama for the national title, but both teams earned their way back there. I love the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl matchups as well. See what a playoff can bring?
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I just finished reading Death to the BCS today, and I can tell that my system has a couple flaws. I do exclude some conference champions that I should otherwise have in there (though LSU was the lone unbeaten). My system kind of made me a hypocrite in that I didn't include everyone. MWC champ TCU is out despite winning its conferece, and no Sun Belt, MAC, WAC, C-USA or even Big East teams made the playoffs since I based the seeding off of the BCS rankings... another reason why they're flawed.

As a transitional system though, I think this would work until a system like the one the book suggests where the 11 conference champions make it and a selection committee picks 5 at large teams (which would likely include some participants from here). When I do the bowl game round, I'll also try to put together a sample bracket of the system implemented in the book and a rough outline of how that tournament would have gone. In the ideal world, their system gets put into place immediately, though knowing the minds of the Cartel, as the authors put it, they'll dismiss it as garbage and go back to counting their money.

Express NBA Preview

I say "express" because I don't want to take up a whole wall of text with all 30 teams. It's hard to come up with the teams that matter, so what I figured I'd do is narrow it down to the 7 teams who have even a remote shot at the title with a quick blurb about each. Should work well enough.

THE FAVORITES

-Chicago Bulls: I know it's presumptuous and possibly biased, but everyone knows that they're one of the major contenders this year. They addressed the need for another scorer while keeping their depth intact. If Boozer and Noah can stay healthy all year and Rose keeps making leap after leap, Grant Park could see another title rally.
Title Chances: 15 percent (40 percent EC Champions)

 -Dallas Mavericks: Can't exclude the defending champs. Dirk became a winner with other guys stepping up big time. But this year it'll be Brenden Haywood who will need to step up and fill the void left by Tyson Chandler. The champions will be the champions until someone knocks them off. Keep an eye on them.
Title Chances: 20 percent (40 percent WC Champions)


-Miami Heat: Last year's Eastern Conference champions still have the best trio of teammates in the league. After that... not so much. I'll ignore the possible problem at the point in favor of the big problem at center. Miami tries to upgrade from Joel Anthony with... Eddy Curry? He'll average 4 points, 3 rebounds, and 17 cheeseburgers per game. Even so, these guys will give you hell in the playoffs.
Title Chances: 20 percent (45 percent EC Champions)




-Oklahoma City Thunder: My most intriguing team in the bunch returns nearly everyone from last year's squad that made the conference finals. Another year of experience for Durant and Westbrook will help immensely, but so will a full year with Kendrick Perkins. He's not an elite center, but plays hard and will defend the rim, making the Thunder a tough out. No huge additions to the roster, but once again not a team you want to see in the playoffs.
Title Chances: 25 percent (45 percent WC Champs)



SLEEPERS

-Boston Celtics: Bill Simmons said it best. After the Big 4, the best players in green are Brandon Bass and Jermaine O'Neal. Ouch. You can't count out veteran guile and experience from Garnett, Allen and Pierce, but their window is clearly closing without much help behind them. If they manage a 6 seed at worst, they can maybe sneak in one more title.
Title Chances: 5 percent (15 percent EC Champions)

-Los Angeles Lakers: Oy vey. A terrible offseason and Kobe with a hurt wrist? It sounds like he thinks he'll be fine, but with failing knees and so many games played, his window is closing. Losing Odom was huge, but with Gasol still in house and assuming Bynum stays healthy, you can't count #24 and company out.
Title Chances: 10 percent (10 percent WC Champions)

 -San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan is still a winner, but he's 35. Manu is 34. Richard Jefferson is 31. They're not getting any younger, but they know the road to a title. Last year they were one of the top teams in the West still, and figure to be in the picture again, but probably not for much longer.
Title Chances: 5 percent (5 percent WC Champions)



I could probably also throw teams like New York, Indiana, Atlanta or Memphis in there, but they'd probably be a second round out (albeit a tough one). These are the 7 most likely squads to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy, but I'm leaning towards one of the first 4. My guess would be OKC over Miami, which I'd be okay with, but I'm definitely hoping to see D-Rose and company raise a 7th banner to the United Center rafters.

NCAA Pipe Dream Playoffs: Bowl Quarterfinals

For Round 1's results, check here.

This weekend serves as Round 2 of the playoffs as the actual Bowl season gets underway: a crappy system of games that puts money in the bowl administrators' pockets by robbing the very schools it puts on the field. I started reading Death to the BCS Friday night, which also endorses a 16 team playoff, though the teams in it are different than the system below.

Speaking of which, we're set to see who moves closer to a more legit national title as well as the other bowl games.

This year, the Rose Bowl will serve as the 9th place game (whoever wins in the loser's bracket). In the winner's bracket, every team will go to a major bowl game. The Fiesta Bowl (oh, the Fiesta Bowl...) will serve as the 7th place game, the Sugar Bowl 5th, and the Orange Bowl 3rd. These will rotate on a yearly basis, though I'm considering keeping the Rose Bowl as the 9th place game (makes more sense with the teams that go there getting roses after winning their conference titles to get there). More on that later.

For now, the games. Higher seeds get home field advantage, and weather is taken into account from Saturday, December 17th. Simulations are once again provided by WhatIfSports.com.

Loser's Bracket

(16)Georgia vs. (9)South Carolina                   (15)Clemson vs. (10)Wisconsin
Game 1: UGA 17, SC 12                                    Game 1: WIS 45, CLE 27
Game 2: SC 23, UGA 13                                    Game 2: WIS 38, CLE 13
Game 3: UGA 48, SC 22                                    Game 3: WIS 46, CLE 39 (2OT)
Final: UGA 26, SC 19                                       Final: WIS 43, CLE 26

(13)Michigan vs. (12)Baylor                            (14)Oklahoma vs. (11)Virginia Tech
Game 1: MICH 45, BAY 24                               Game 1: OU 28, VT 24
Game 2: BAY 52, MICH 13                               Game 2: OU 37, VT 24
Game 3: BAY 45, MICH 16                               Game 3: OU 40, VT 10
Final: BAY 40, MICH 25                                    Final: OU 35, VT 19

 South Carolina, Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Michigan are all eliminated from the playoffs.

Winner's Bracket

(1)LSU vs. (8)Kansas State                             (2)Alabama vs. (7)Boise State
Game 1: LSU 27, KSU 20                                 Game 1: ALA 48, BSU 30
Game 2: LSU 47, KSU 6                                   Game 2: ALA 57, BSU 7
Game 3: LSU 42, KSU 0                                   Game 3: ALA 34, BSU 21
Final: LSU 39, KSU 9                                      Final: ALA 46, BSU 19

(4)Stanford vs. (5)Oregon                                (3)Oklahoma State vs. (6)Arkansas
Game 1: STAN 34, ORE 31                               Game 1: OSU 41, ARK 21
Game 2: ORE 45, STAN 40                               Game 2: OSU 38, ARK 33
Game 3: ORE 37, STAN 34                               Game 3: OSU 45, ARK 42
Final: ORE 38, STAN 36                                   Final: OSU 41, ARK 32

A couple upsets in the loser's bracket makes things interesting, and I thought it was going to be 3 after the first Michigan-Baylor sim, though obviously that didn't happen. We're left with a couple fascinating games to decide who goes to the Rose Bowl down there. Meanwhile in the winner's bracket, we had only the one mild upset in Oregon over Stanford (5 over 4). Almost seems like even with a playoff, we're due for an LSU-Alabama rematch, barring Oregon or Oklahoma State throwing a wrench into things.

We have to wait another week now for the semis, and I'll end up doing some of these games on the Friday since it's Christmas Eve on Saturday. For now, hopefully the bowl games offer some good matchups in exchange for the greed that runs deep through them.