1. If I were Louisville or Michigan State, I would be pissed. By giving these teams both a 4 seed, does the committee really believe the Cardinals and the Spartans are somewhere between the 13th and 16th best teams in the country? Sure didn't look like it this weekend. More like 2nd and 3rd by my eyes. Maybe higher, because Florida looked a little vulnerable. Sure, body of work and all that rot. But given Louisville's weak non-conference performance and Michigan State's injury-driven February lull, I could see docking them down to 2 seeds, but 4 seems downright disrepectful. What a gift to coaches Rick Pitino and Tom Izzo. As if they needed any help.
2. In related news, my two favorite teams in this year's tournament, #1 seeds Virginia and Wichita State, better gird their frickin' loins. Assuming they can make the Sweet 16, they have the aforementioned thoroughly inspired 4 seeds potentially waiting for them. And in especially egregious salt-rubbing, Wichita State would play Louisville in Indianapolis, less than a 2 hour drive for the Cardinal faithful.
3. Another 4 seed, San Diego State, would get to play Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games in Anaheim, which according to my calculations, is only the length of 84,480 giant heads placed end to end. Not that I mind that Arizona, the 1 seed in that region and one of my least favorite teams historically, would be at a disadvantage if that happened.
4. Things I need to remember from previous years, in no particular order:
A. Pick against Tom Izzo and Michigan State at your own peril.
B. Never pick a team from the Beehive State, which is never to be mentioned by name but rhymes with "Foofraw".
C. Teams from the Mountain West should not be trusted.
D. Non-Michigan-State Big 10 teams are always overrated.
E. As my brother's father-in-law once observed, there comes a time every year when the Syracuse Orange play like they hate their coach. The trick is figuring out when that will happen.
F. Teams coached by Rick Barnes, i.e. Texas, will always underperform, often in spectacular fashion.
G. Tennessee, also known as Team Knucklehead, will either make it to the Elite Eight, or lose to Iowa by 30. There is no in between for Team Knucklehead.
H. Gonzaga is always most dangerous in Cinderella mode.
I. The Basketball Gods will punish poor footwear choices. Are you listening Virginia? Orange shoes are not your friend, they are the Devil's shodding.
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