It's March Madness, BABY!!!!!!

It's one of our favorite times of the year!!!! 

MARCH MADNESS, BABY!!

(insert Dick Vitale voice right here)

Our family loves sports - watching, playing, anything to do with it.  Damon and I have always filled out brackets each year when the madness begins, and, last year, we got the kids in on it.  I am proud to say that the kids did a much better job filling in their "boxes" (as Carter called them) this year.  

Nobody was picked because "They like the name of the team."  

Nobody was picked because "I know someone with that last name!"  

Nobody was picked because of the color of the uniform.

Last year, Damon won the Family Challenge.  I cooked his favorite meal for him at some point after I got over the heartbreak that he won.  The kids and I are still in shock that he won when he picked Kansas to win it all and they were out in the second round - RIDICULOUS!!!  We all picked Duke to win it all - AND THEY DID!!! Therefore we are changing the rules a little this year - adding more points to the rounds as you get closer to the championship game.  We can't have that again, can we?  

So this year, we have filled out our brackets again and are competing for the supper of their choice (I hope I win because I am NOT cooking!!!).  Let's see what we have . . . .

THE WELCH FAMILY CHALLENGE

I guess we will start with me - my picture is first.  (Please disregard the MESS around me - I was finishing up a big birthday order for someone - post on that coming soon, and I was couponing - is that a word?)  Thanks to dear LB for taking the picture!

I really believe that this year it is anyone's tournament to win.  I was not going to pick Duke to win it all this year, but looking at the brackets - WHY NOT?  They have just as good as a chance as the next guy.

MY UPSETS - 

In the first round, I have (11) Marquette taking out (6) Xavier, (10) Georgia taking out (7) Washington, (12) Memphis taking out (5) Arizona, (10) Penn State taking out (7) Temple, (10) Florida State taking out (7) Texas A&M - lesser of 2 evils there, and (10) Michigan State taking out (7) UCLA.

My elite 8 are (1) Ohio State, (3) Syracuse, (1) Duke, (3) UConn, (4) Louisville, (6) Georgetown, (5) Kansas State and (2) Florida.

My Final Four are (3) Syracuse, (1) Duke, (4) Louisville, and (2) Florida.

My Championship game is (1) Duke vs (2) Florida with, of course, Duke winning it all.

Overall, I am not happy with my bracket.  I really don't think I am going to win.  I think this will be a great tournament because there is not just one strong team.  We shall see!!!!

LB is super excited about March Madness this year - as long as Duke wins!! Have I raised her right or what!!! I even bought her a Texas basketball shirt and she informed she only cheers for them in football!!

LB's UPSETS - 

(10) Georgia taking out (7) Washington, (12) Memphis taking out (7) Arizona, (11) Missouri taking out (6) Cincinnati, (12) Richmond) taking out (7) Vanderbilt, (12) Utah State taking out (5) Kansas State - I think she has heard Damon say more than once that a 12 always takes out a 5!!!!, and (11) Gonzaga taking out (6) St. John's.

LB's Final Four are (2) UNC, (1) Duke - I pray this does not happen. I cannot take another game with them this year!, (1) Kansas, and (3) BYU.

Her championship is (1) Duke and (1) Kansas with Duke winning!!!

Damon is defending champion and is ready to defend - although he feels the same way about his bracket as I do!!  Damon is sportin' his Texas gear, but is sad to say he has Duke beating them later on - do I teach my family right or what!!

DAMON'S UPSETS - 

(11) Marquette taking out (6) Xavier, (12) Memphis taking out (5) Arizona - he loves the 12/5 upsets!, (11) Missouri taking out (6) Cincinnati, and (10) Michigan State over (7) UCLA.This is the reason he is not thrilled with his bracket.

Damon's Final Four are (3) Syracuse, (1) Duke, (1) Kansas and (5) Kansas State.

His championship is (1) Duke and (1) Kansas with Duke winning!

Carter would say I am saving the best for last.  He has declared more than once that he IS going to win this year.  (He also declared that Damon's bracket was "pathetic.")  He has been waiting so long to fill out the brackets and took great pride in filling his out this year.  We shall see . . . .

CARTER'S UPSETS - 

(10) Georgia taking out (7) Washington, (11) Missouri taking out (6) Cincinnati, (10) Penn State taking out (7) Temple, (10) Florida State taking out (7) Texas A&M, and (10) Michigan State taking out (7) UCLA.

Carter's Final Four are (1) Ohio State, (1) Duke, (3) Purdue (WHAT?), and (4) Wisconsin (again, WHAT?)

His championship game has (1) Duke and (3) Purdue in it with Duke winning!!  

So, needless to say, things should be interesting in our house for the next few weeks!  We LOVE every minute of it - watching the games, "trash"talking, highlighting the winners, counting points and deciding what we are going to choose for our championship dinner!!!  Good luck to you and yours this March as well!

GO DUKE!