Come Monday you have to make some pretty difficult decisions. March Madness will be starting and you have to figure out who to pencil in on those office pool sheets. So, here from a committed college basketball fanatic, for what it’s worth (probably not much!) is some advice to help you at least best your buddy.

Dark Horses

There is absolutely no way to predict which team will rise from obscurity and capture our attention. The only way to cash in on picking one or two and thus blowing away your competition is to focus on the intangibles. I’m talking about hot cheerleaders, great mascots, stirring fight songs, catchy team nicknames and the newest Nike uniform.

Play it like Naomi in accounting and you have a fighting chance of picking the team that will bust the brackets and eventually go down in flames.

Unexpected Contenders

OK, here’s where I shine. These are good teams that will exceed lots of expectations and any one of them has a decent shot at going all the way.

• Kansas State — On a roll and loaded with talent.
• Notre Dame — Go figure. On paper not that good but they keep winning.
• Florida — A great coach in Billy Donovan.
• Wisconsin — They’re suspect on the road but a solid team.
• San Diego State — I’m sort of lukewarm on these guys. Would have put BYU in here but sex neutered them.
• Texas — I can’t figure out what happens to them every year but if they can pull it together, they have the size and talent to surprise a lot of people.

Big East

In my opinion, the most overrated group of teams in the country with the exception of Pitt. Every year we hear how many great teams there are in this conference and every year they get a bunch of teams in the tourney and every year most of them make an early exit.

Put it down to East Coast writers’ bias and undisciplined play. Lots of great players who will be stars in the NBA but none of the coaches seems able to get them to quit playing playground ball and play some defense.

Pick some of them to get through a round or two but leave them behind, Pitt and Notre Dame excepted, once you get to the Elite Eight.

Duke and North Carolina

I know you feel obligated to pick one or both to go all the way or at least to the Final Four. Fugetaboutit, they’re sub-par this year. Their records look good because they have been beating up on a pathetic ACC this season. If you must go with one take North Carolina. I don’t cared who wins the tournament tomorrow, if Nolan Smith is hurt a thin Duke team won’t get past a couple of rounds.

Final Four

Here’s what you tuned in for. Ohio State, Kansas, Notre Dame and Pitt. Ohio State and Kansas play for the title. And the winner is … Kansas (what else would you expect from a KU alum).

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