FIRST ROUND WIZARDS
The first round is
over and we have all been weighed, we've all been measured, and we've all been
found wanting, but only three Wizards were welcomed to the new world.
Chris Pardue of Muncie, Indiana, Kristi Downing of Rockwall, Texas, and Aidan
Morris of Midlothian, Texas picked 28 of the 32 games correctly to total 71
points and took the overall lead of the Big Texas Shootout after the first
round. In the process, they all three were able to pick all five upsets
(any win by a 9 - 16 seeded team) correctly. Congratulations to all of
them for becoming Supreme Ultimate Wizards.
Wizardary
is granted to those who show great skill in the unknown. Even though they
may not find themselves at the very top of the standings, they are very, very
close behind and showed great skill to position themselves within 5 point of the
lead. For that, these Supreme Wizards are Bob Crisci, Fishers, IN, Steve
Armold, Arlington, TX, Jerry Goff, Fortville, IN, Robert Murphy, Bloomington,
IN, Margaret Levy, Hurst, TX, Richard Bill, Richardson, TX, David Gammache,
Lancaster, PA, and Victor Gonzalez, Fort Worth, TX.
When
you've got 260 playing, if you can get yourself into the top 25, you deserve to
be called a Wizard. Those granted temporary Wizard status are Ricky
Fuller, Keyser Soze, Mike Fledderman, Jeremiah Criswell, Korey Saunders, Jamie
Martin, John Shelton (despite being a passenger on the ill fated Janan
Cartwright flight), Kevin McGuire, Colton Hamilton, Earl Shaw, Stanley Macadory,
Kymberly Sims, Tom Mock, David Wilson, Mandi Huff, and Mike Beck #2.
DAY ONE WIZARDS
Day one of the 1st
Round is over. It took all of the day, but we were able to filter out
enough people to see who our first day Wizards are. These four gurus
correctly picked 15 of the 16 games played on Thursday including all three of
the upset picks. For that, they are
truly Supreme Wizards. They were Chris Pardue, Kristi Downing, Robert Murphy, and
Aidan Morris. Congratulations to those four for showing their skill.
There were more
gurus that think they are special. They also correctly picked 15 of 16
games correctly, but they missed one of the upset games. They were
Steve Armold, Mike Beck #2, Mike Fledderman, Ricky Fuller, Jerry Goff, Alexis
Morris, Rex Pasko, Jimmie Phillips, Bruce Tresize, and Nancy Tresize.
For the record...
51 gurus picked Virginia Commonwealth to defeat Duke.
DAY TWO WIZARDS
Day Two of the
First Round is in the books. Once the dust had settled, we have our first
Supreme Ultimate Wizard of the year. Bob Crisci of Fishers, Indiana
correctly picked all sixteen games played on Friday correctly. How tough
is that? Well 259 of us should know as we couldn't do it. Bob also
picked thirteen of the sixteen Thursday games correctly. Congratulations
Bob!
We had twelve gurus go
fifteen for sixteen on Friday games. That is a pretty impressive feat as
well. For that we will call those people Supreme Wizards. Those
people are Giovanni Priatori, Idgie Threadgoode, Jerry Goff, Jeremiah Criswell,
Korey Saunders, Stanley Macadory, Mitch Burgess, Gary Jackson, Shelly Burgess,
Austin Garvin, Garfield OdieDavis, and Caroline Mock.
During the afternoon round of games played on Friday, we had a few gurus that have nailed
all eight games correctly. Those on the verge of wizardry are David Gammache, Bob Crisci,
Jason Baron #1, Greg Maison, Allison Kemp, Giovani Priatori, Timothy Eamma, Colt
Urban, Jason Warrick, Tammy Francis, Madison Painter, and Charlie Sims.
For the record...
92 gurus picked Winthrop to defeat Notre Dame.
D'OH!
...
50/50.....Where does picking only half of the games played on Friday send you? Spiraling towards the bottom of the standings, that's where. No one understands that better than Alice Haden and Michael Gregory as they could only get eight games correctly.
Joining them in accomplishing this feat was Who-Dey Palmer and Bobbi Groff. Although they only picked eight correctly, they did pick one of the upsets of the day.
EARLY MINOR DAMAGE
What was he thinking? Maybe this picture says it all. Who-Dey Palmer, Springport, IN, picked Eastern Kentucky to beat North Carolina in the 1st Round.
....and then you
had Amy Painter and Frank Dobson picking Weber State over UCLA.
Other what were they thinkings......
Belmont to defeat Georgetown - Alice Haden, Sonny Kemp, and Penny Pumphrey.
New Mexico State to defeat Texas - Bobbi Groff, John Hatley, Kit E Nash, and Wavetrack Wisman.
North Texas to defeat Memphis - Janan Cartwright, Larry Day, Heather Farrington, Lisa Reasonover, and Robert Young.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - Steve Bealmear, Kevin Greene, Bobbi Groff, Alexis Morris, Who-Dey Palmer, and there's that name again, Robert Young.
Don't count them out just yet, but you have to imagine that Penny Pumphrey
and Alice Haden are contemplating this as they are the only two on the
charts that haven't broken the 40 points barrier after the first round.
At least they still have their Final Four and Champions still left.
There's still time for a big turnaround so don't kick the stool from under
them yet.
GOING DOWN IN FLAMES
JANAN CARTWRIGHT
Oh, you can feel the pain. We aren't finished with the first day yet and Janan has lost a Champions Pick. Old Dominion just couldn't find their way past Butler let alone run the table. So sorry!
JOHN SHELTON
Was a passenger on the plane with Janan. John lost his runner-up pick, Georgia Tech as they fell to UNLV in the first round. Although not down and totally out, he is on some serious life support.
.....and we have a few others that are losing altitude and leaking oil. Scott Hamilton (Penn), Phil Peckinpaugh (Marquette), Bobbi Groff (Brigham Young), and Gary Lessis (Villanova) have all lost a Final Four team.
.....and that big crash you heard on Thursday were the 10 Dukies that lost a Final Four team. Those needing an ambulance are Justin Elm, Heather Farrington, Matt Koelker, Chris Martin, Tom Mock, Evan Munden, Long Haired Hippy Payton Mushock, Sally Sanders, Korey Saunders, and Mary Whitworth.
