Echoes in Eternity

Well, I don't think I've ever seen this before: a bracket contest with no potential points left to be had and the Final Four still left to be played. That's right, with the exception of the prize to the person who guesses closest to the championship game total score, Book Bracketology 2011 is done. Colin Elliott wins with 105 points (and 40 correct picks). Derrick Grow takes second with 98 points. Congrats to them both!

Well, that hurt. If VCU keeps up their hot shooting tomorrow, we'll see a Final Four without a top seed... and a lot of destroyed brackets in the process. Colin currently leads the pack, but his pick to win it all is gone, so he needs some help. UConn needs to win, for one. And Kansas needs to lose soon. If that happens, Colin likely wins. Other people still in the running are Chris Chaffee, Steve Brown, or Jacob Teichroew. Chris is in good shape if Kansas wins it all, Steve wants Florida to beat Butler and someone other than Kansas to win the championship, while Jacob is looking for a Kansas title victory over North Carolina. Good luck!

From Morehead State's opening round rejection of Louisville's attempt at a long tourney run to Butler's continuation of last year's magic (including the craziest 1.4 seconds in college basketball history) to VCU's domination of their heavily-favored opponents, it was a glorious beginning to the 2011 edition of March Madness. I can't wait to see what next weekend has in store. The Book Bracketology contest is pretty much over for some brackets, particularly those that picked Pitt, Purdue, or Notre Dame to win it all. Meanwhile, the front-runners of Kristyn and Colin have put themselves in good position with their picks, but the field is still wide open. By this time next week, we'll probably be down to a handful of brackets still in the running... good luck!

It's awesome, baby!

As I mentioned earlier this week, we are only a few days from the announcement of the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament bracket, and that also means we have come to my second annual Book Bracketology contest where you all can compete to win books, gift certificates, and the like. I have the rules posted above, but in short, you can enter up to 3 brackets at a cost of $5 a bracket. The overall winner takes home the main prize of a few books as well as some gift certificates. There will also be prizes for a couple other categories, such as closest guess to the total score of the championship game. Last year, the champ took home a nice load of books as well as a gift card to Amazon. That was from a group of 15 contestants (and 18 total brackets). If we can double that number this year, imagine the good books that could be gracing your bookshelf by the end of April. Join now!

I just wanted to give a quick reminder that the second annual Echoes in Eternity Book Bracketology contest is nearly here. The March Madness brackets will be announced this coming Sunday, and I should have the details up later this week. Want to win some books? Stay tuned...

RIP, Coach.

Marshall Posey's winnings from Book Bracketology (plus he won a $40 Amazon gift certificate)...

If you missed last night's NCAA championship game, you missed one of the best title games ever. If the basket had been located a mere inch in one direction, Butler would have walked away as victors... and DJ with second place in the Book Bracketology contest. Instead, Aaron completed his amazing comeback from last place to snag second while Marshall, having already wrapped up first place, also took home the side pot prize for being the closest guess to the total final score in the championship game. With his Nostradamus-like prognosticating skills, he wins six books and a $40 gift certificate to Amazon (a total value of approximately $120!). Aaron wins two books of his choice from the primary four books. Thanks for playing and come back next March for another chance at bracket glory!

Marshall Posey takes home first prize! Now to see who gets second, DJ or Aaron...

It's been a crazy tournament, but we're down to only two for the Book Bracketology title. DJ Williams and Marshall Posey. Let's get ready to rumbleeeeeeee! West Virginia beats Duke and DJ goes home with a bunch of books and gift certificates. Duke wins instead and Marshall is the grand prize winner. Second place is still up for grabs to several people...

• DJ gets second if Duke beats West Virginia but then loses in the championship game.
• AJ Kings takes second if West Virginia beats Duke.
• Aaron Vovk finishes an improbable comeback and grabs second place if Duke wins it all.

Good luck to all. If you haven't paid for your bracket, now is a great time to do so. You can pay me in person or via this Paypal link.

Thanks for playing everyone!

Ouch, this has been a rough year for March Madness brackets. Almost everyone's left side is now dead. Appropriately, only eight "elite" brackets still have a shot at winning it all, and a couple more could sneak in a second place finish. Keeping in mind that my top-ranked bracket is ineligible to win any prizes, here are (I believe) the winning scenarios so you know how to root over the next ten days:

• D.J. Williams wins... if West Virginia makes it to the championship game or loses to Baylor in the Final Four.
• Bryan McWhite takes home first prize... if Kentucky wins it all and Baylor beats Duke OR if Baylor beats Duke and Kentucky as long as Kansas State does not make the championship game.
• Marshall Posey is the grand kahuna... if Duke beats West Virginia in the Final Four.
• Mike Brown wins... if Kentucky beats Duke in the Final Four but does not win the championship game as long as Kansas State does not make the title game.
• AJ King wins... if Kentucky beats Duke in the Final Four and also wins the title game as long as Kansas State does not progress beyond the the Final Four.
• Holly Nimchuk wins... if Kansas State beats Butler and Duke beats Kentucky in the Final Four but loses the championship game**.
• Josiah Bruder wins... if Kentucky beats Duke and then beats Kansas State in the championship game OR if Baylor and Kansas State play for the title and Kentucky beats West Virginia.
• Aaron Vovk wins... if Duke wins it all and Kentucky beats West Virginia**.
  

**Holly and Aaron tie if K-State beats Butler and Duke wins it all, which means it will come down to the tiebreaker score.

If you haven't gotten me the entrance fee yet, try to do so soon.

After a whirlwind first couple of rounds, the dust has cleared and Marshall Posey is currently the bracket leader... but for how long? His champion selection of Kansas is out, so it will take some work for him to hold onto first place. It will help all the Kansas backers to start cheering for Northern Iowa or St. Mary's to win it all.

And Kerby takes the early lead. Everyone's still in it, though some more than others. Aaron needs a few upsets and Duke to win it all as many of his top picks crumbled.

The prize chest consists of approximately $135 worth of books and/or gift certificates. The closest guess to the total final score of the championship game will get a $25 Amazon gift certificate. The runner-up in the final standings receives his (or her?) choice of two of the four main prize books (listed here) while the champ will not only win those four books, but also two additional books and an Amazon gift certificate. Good luck to all!

Only an hour away now from the start of the 2010 NCAA men's basketball tournament known as March Madness. Below is a little reminder of the excitement it's offered in the past. Book Bracketology is open for one more hour before brackets lock for good.

Only slightly more than 36 hours left before the brackets lock and the NCAA tournament begins. Register here (password: "book"). Remember to get me payment for your bracket(s) or arrange it with me by Friday night.

The March Madness brackets have been announced! The matchups are set. It's time to put up or shut up. Go Gophers!

The Book Bracketology website is completely live now, and you can add up to two extra brackets in the upper right corner of the bracket page. Each bracket is $5 and goes to increasing the size of the winning prize(s). If you haven't already, go sign up and enter your bracket picks to win some great books and gift certificates. I've got the full rundown of the competition and scoring rules here. Brackets must be paid for by the end of the first round or they will become ineligible from winning anything. If you have any problems, let me know. Feel free to advertise to your friends!

Only a week away!

Here is an excellent post on the differences between Michael Jordan's acceptance speech into the NBA Hall of Fame and David Robinson's speech. Below you can view the two speeches. Jordan's is breathtaking in its self-indulgent, vindictiveness, while Robinson's displays the grace and love that defined his career.

Matt. 19:30