Who won the Game?
After all the last-second victories, after all the high-seed choke jobs, after witnessing the eternal glory of our great Saint Peepees, the 2022 NCAA Tournament came down to two all-time powerhouses. That’s right, it was the Roy Williams Bowl, as one seed Kansas met red-hot North Carolina and the most famous Hubert since the Vietnam Era.
The Tarheels had caught fire in the tournament, and they continued their hot streak in the first half. In fact, the Jayhawks were down a whopping fifteen points at halftime, and folks all across Kansas were beginning to turn their TVs back over to Hannity.
But then came Remy Martin and one of the all-time rallies. Miraculously, with 10:23 left in the second half, the Jayhawks were back in the lead. The game was close from there, but ole’ momentum had forgotten the Tarheels, and some ill advised plays at the end sealed the deal. Kansas 72, UNC 69.
Who won our Tourney?
The editor felt slightly bad for not keeping up the newsletters post the Sweet Sixteen. Then again, what was there to write about? This bracket pool stunk, folks. Just seven of seventeen players scored points with their Elite Eight picks. Worse, just three of seventeen players scored points with their Final Four picks. Worst of all, no one, and I do mean no one, picked the Jayhawks to win it all.
Nonetheless, a champion is a champion, and this newsletter would be a failure if it did not praise our own Davis Hatmaker for his victory in this year’s pool. After a spectacular Sweet Sixteen, the Hatter continued to ride high in the Elite Eight off of Villanova and Kansas. In the Final Four, the Hatter sealed the deal with his Kansas pick. This was enough to fend off a scary Matt Hunt. Matt made a brilliant climb in the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight, but alas, he picked Villanova to the final game.
Conner Deck, the apparent Buffalo Bills or Porch Madness, finished in second for the second year in a row.
Ryan Neal finished third in our tourney to close out the top three. Ryan, too, deserves cheers for his late round climbing. At the Sweet Sixteen, he was nowhere in sight, but he correctly picked Kansas to the final game and earned himself the bronze medal.
Potpourri
In our inaugural Battle of the Mississippi River, the boys back East rallied late to claim victory over the cowpokes out in Texas. The city slickers in the East finished with an average score of 517.86. The cowpokes: 476.67.
In our inaugural Battle of the Bourgeoisie and Proletariat, the Bourgeoisie won, and much like standardized test scores, it wasn’t even close. Private school graduates finished with an average score of 529.29, trouncing Bob, Jeff and my average score of 423.33. Bob and I can partially blame Jeff for weighing down our average score this year. Then again, Jeff is the 2021 champion, and we have nothing.
New Category: Jim Nance’s Shit List – Many readers undoubtedly have at least one year of March Madness they remember fondly for winning a pool or out-picking rivals. Then again, there are also those years that we just seem to be on Jim Nance’s shit list, because he sure as hell won’t be announcing any of our teams’ names come championship weekend. The inaugural JNSL winner? Our beloved John Christian Hunt. Crimpy scored just 310 points this year. Prayers for Crimpy that he’ll be back out of bracket-picking Purgatory next year.
Editor’s Notes:
It was not a year of glorious picking, but it was a wonderful year for the Madness. Shout out to Creel for putting the pool together, and enjoy your money Mr. Hatter.
PS – a silver lining: Next year’s madness will be our first in some 27 years without John Fulkerson.
Yours,
Neece
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