Sixty Four Down, Four to Go

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March Madness…The Big Dance…the NCAA Tournament, no matter which name you use, always offers drama, excitement, and surprises. The 2011 tournament, however, could have come with a disclaimer at the beginning of each game: “Expect the unexpected!”

There is not a single number one seed in the Final Four this season. Between the 11th seeded Virginia Commonwealth Rams, the 8th seeded Butler Bulldogs, the 4th seeded Kentucky Wildcats, and the 3rd seeded Connecticut Huskies, there are a number of unusual occurrences in the 2011 Final Four. The national semifinal matchup between VCU and Butler will be the highest combined seeded matchup in the history of the Final Four. * This is only the third time in the history of the Final Four that a number one seed has failed to appear* and the first time, ever, that neither a #1 nor #2 seed has appeared**.

I found the guy who predicted Butler and VCU in the National Semifinal. 2

After #1 seeded Kansas’ shocking loss to VCU, I doubt we will hear any analysts using terms like “slam dunk”, “sure thing”, or “no chance” when predicting the winners of the three matchups that will comprise the Final Four. While no single upset of any favorite in this year’s tournament should surprise nobody (after all, this is March “Madness”) the wholesale sweeping of the top two seeds in each bracket and the advancement of lower seeds into the Sweet 16 round and beyond has been mind blowing. The only predictable factoid among the Final four teams is that the Big East, which sent a record 11 teams to the field of 64, is represented in the Final Four. Thank goodness for some semblance of normalcy!

Butler coach (34 year old) Brad Stevens. This is basically the guy who used to be the younger kid I could pick on because he was harmless looking. He's still younger and still harmless looking, but he's just two games away from coaching his team to the national championship that eluded him by inches last year. 

The Hat Trick will give its expert analysis, with the usual disclaimer that it is worth the paper that you could print it on, later in the week. In the interim, I think that sports fans should take the coming week to savor the delightful entertainment treat that this NCAA Tournament has provided for fans. It is often said that the best predictor of future events is the past. The first five rounds of this tournament lead me to think that the best is yet to come and, perhaps, we could witness the most surprising and dramatic Final Four in history.

Don’t forget to vote in the fan polls!


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*Source: ESPN.com
*Source: si.com
1) The 2011 Final Four Houston logo is a trademark of the NCAA and its licensed affiliates.
2) Image from http://richde.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/liar.jpg
3) Image from http://indianapolis-indiana.funcityfinder.com