DNFG Porch Madness - Welcome

Prognosticators,

It is my honor to welcome you back to another year of the “Definitely NOT For Gambling – Porch Madness” bracket challenge. This marks, according to our historians, the fifth year of the DNFG (and its affiliates) march madness pool. Since the inaugural year in 2021, the pool has crowned four champions (see below), added members, and embarked on new rivalries. Happy five years, and here’s to many more.

There are so many storylines our Editors are watching closely this year. Who will be crowned champ? Who will finish atop Jim Nantz’s Shitlist? Will the West beat the East again in the Battle of the Mississippi? Will the Private School Grads take back the battle of Proletariat and Bourgeoisie? Will Ders remain victorious over Sew again? Will he even enter a bracket? Has he wrecked Stephen’s car yet?

We will know the answers to all of these questions in a mere 27 days. But for now, let’s simply go over the Rules:

1) All Porch Members are eligible to enter the challenge. The entry fee is $25.

2) I ask that you please Venmo Yours Truly the entry fee prior to the start of the tourney so that I can quickly Venmo the winner once a winner is determined. Winners in previous years have had trouble collecting on the back-end.

3) There is a maximum of one bracket entry per player.

4) First place will take 100% of the pot.

5) Scoring will work as in previous years (10 pts Rd 1, 20 pts Rd 2, 40 pts Sweet 16, 80 pts Elite 8, etc.).

Brackets can be submitted by joining our “Porch Madness!” ESPN group. I am about to send out an email inviting you all to join this year’s challenge. I have everyone’s email but Lu and Hudson, who missed last year. Hud, Lu, please provide me with your emails and I will add you all to the group if you’d like to play this year.

Editor’s Notes

We would be remised not to give our respects to Greg Gumbel, who passed away in December at age 78. Gumbel was, particularly for our generation, the Voice of March Madness. I have seemingly countless memories of racing inside to the TV at six pm on Selection Sunday and frantically flipping to CBS in time to hear the overall One Seed. Greg, we will miss you dearly. RIP.

We live in a time of great change in college basketball. NIL and the transfer portal have replaced the Diaper Dandy and the Four-Year Senior with the Hired Gun. The NCAA is racking up legal bills faster than Donald Trump, and talks of a “Great Super-Conference” loom over the tourney’s very existence. Are these changes favorable? That is not the assignment of this publication (though our Editors may soon offer commentary). But as long as we have a tourney, and as long as a few of you bastards want to put money on it, we’ll be here to keep our readers informed.

Helplessly glued to the America East Championship game, I remain faithfully yours,

Neece

THE CHAMPS:

2021 – Jeff

2022 – Davis

2023 – Seward

2024 – Jake

2025 –