“The Cheap Seats: Notebook” NFL GameDay Blog: August 17, 2009 – East Rutherford, NJ

› 3:23 pm: We’re just about five hours away from tonight’s game, the first of the preseason for the Giants.  I’m looking forward to observing a few things: 1) How Eli Manning responds following the signing of his new contract.  Sure, it’s not the regular season and the crowd will not be a sellout, but you can be the ones that are there will let him hear it if he is shaky.  2) Which wide receivers will standout.  Steve Smith, Sinorice Moss, Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden, the list goes on.  I’ll be watching closely to see which receivers are showing enough speed and skills to standout this season.  3) How the Giants defense stacks up against the Carolina o-line.  It’s going to be critical this year for the Giants’ “D” to excel, especially with a questionable offensive air game.

For live updates from the Giants Stadium press box, check back later tonight.

I don’t like the Kansas City Chiefs’ signing of Amani Toomer. I love it.

Let’s flashback to the end of last season when the New York Giants fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round of the playoffs. I walked into the locker room immediately following the game and spotted Toomer, who already had his bags packed and was making his way out the door. He didn’t stick around to talk to the media, and with that I knew his time as a Giant was coming to an end.

Toomer, who spent 13 years in New York, was always a great guy to talk with. He was thoughtful, well spoken and courteous. For all of the franchise receiving records Toomer holds, including yards (9,497) and touchdowns (54), he never acted like a big-timer.

It’s understandable that the Giants wanted to get younger at the wide receiver slot. They rebuilt most positions on the roster through the draft, so why not this one? But the hard thing to understand is, couldn’t Toomer have helped? That is, if he wanted to.

Toomer will be 35 years old when the season opens in a few weeks. David Tyree is the oldest current receiver on the Giants roster at 29. That type of veteran presence could have proved valuable in New York, where the position has an average age of 24.6.

Some say his numbers weren’t the same, but he caught 11 fewer balls last year than during the Super Bowl season and still had one more touchdown (4). Some believe his six drops (T-8th worst in the league) hurt, but look at who was number one (Braylon Edwards, 16 off 71 pass attempts). Toomer was only throw to 54 times. Others believe Toomer was growing frustrated with his role on the team. I began to feel this was the case as the season’s end was nearing.

I strongly believe Toomer being on the Giants’ roster would have taken pressure off of the other receivers. With Plaxico Burress no longer on the team, this position is going to be under the spotlight all season long — deservedly so too as it’s the most uncertain. Outside of Domenik Hixon, who I believe is more valuable on special teams, the Giants really don’t know what type of performance they’ll get out of Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden and Tyree.

But that’s in the past now and Toomer has a brand new uniform to suit up into on Sunday afternoons. The Chiefs are young are could be considered to be in a rebuilding mode. The Giants, however, are not rebuilding. Instead, they’re expected to be in the Super Bowl year after year.

Kansas City has a star receiver in Dwayne Bowe, but after that, there are only question marks – sound similar to the Giants? Mark Bradley has potential, Terrance Cooper has been plagued by injuries and Bobby Engram, 36, was once a star — he’s in a similar boat as Toomer.

I believe Toomer will be a favorite target of Cassel this season. It’s now a wait-and-see game to learn whether letting Toomer leave was a good move. For now, though, I say good signing, K.C.

There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly cut Bermudagrass. You find it mostly in small patches, placed strategically next to water and sand. It’s often hard, but softens after a dampening rain. It’s perfect.

I consider myself a little above an average golfer. I try to play at least once a week, hitting up local courses here in New Jersey to hone my skills. Anything more than that and the stars were aligned — got home early, solid weather, etc. I get the same feeling pulling out my clubs as Ferris Bueller did taking Alan’s father’s car for a spin: You don’t know where they’re going to take you, but giddy up.

There’s a calm sense of relaxation when hitting the course. Not to mention, the fresh air, exercise and complexity of launching a small ball hundreds of yards into an apple-sized hole in the ground. It’s challenging enough to make even the best players frustrated.

I recently played a course in Sussex County and shot an 86. Now, shooting an 86 is not an every-outing occurrence for me. In fact, it was the best I’ve ever done. That day I pared or birdied the first six holes on the course before dropping a seven on a par-5 and a 10 on a par-4. That eventually led to a front nine of 41. This is where it becomes frustrating.

I shoot a wonderful 41, but should have done at least seven strokes better, and that’s if I’m playing at my best. Combine my back nine 45 with a what-should-have-been — or rightfully so, what-could-have-been — 34 and I’m shooting 79.

Ever keep track of how many times you say “if only” on the course? Don’t do it. I only presented the scenario above to prove how it can drive you nuts. Learn from the mistakes you make and be prepared to corner them head-on the next time you’re presented with a similar challenge.

Instead of dwelling, what I’ve taken from my 86 is the potential I have as a golfer. As I said before, I consider myself “a little above average,” but believe I could be even better if I just start making solid hits. I waste at least five or six strokes each round just on hitting “chunk” shots. It’s frustrating, but the best thing to do is clear your head and move on.

Perfect example: A few Sunday’s ago, I played a popular course in Hackettstown, N.J. I wasn’t hitting the ball extremely well, but was able to tame my score. On 18, I hit a drive about 100 yards on a 550-yard, par-5. Instead of getting mad over why I’m not hitting my second shot 300 yards to the pin, I pulled out my 3 Wood and dropped a perfect 225 yard shot straight down the fairway. From there, I used my 4 Hybrid to knock the ball to just outside a bunker resting right next to the green. A chip and a putt later, I was in the hole in five.

What I did there was turn that one bad shot in a great hole. Had I hit that desired 250-yard drive, I could have made a horrible second shot and been worse off. It’s all about capitalizing on the shot you’re presented with.

There’s also another reason to become a better golfer. The better you are, the less tired you should be at the end of a round. I played with a friend the day I shot an 86 who hit a 126. That means he had to take 30 more strokes that day – not to mention a bunch more practice swings. You stand there and take 30 swings and I bet you’ll be tired.

The biggest thing about playing the game of golf is to have fun. Each time out on the links is a new challenge. As long as you’re playing with a smile on your face than there’s nothing better. That’s the only thing I’m completely sure about in this game.

Have a golfing story to share. Post your thoughts in the comment’s section below.

I know what you’re thinking: Where have you been since your interview with Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira back in May? I have two responses: 1. Teixeira has been hitting much better since I spoke to him two months ago. 2. Working for the NBA. Among my roles there is to write features for WNBA.com, which has rightfully taken my complete focus.

Here are three of the several stories I’ve written so far:

Tale of Two Point Guards

Liberty Looking To Turn Season Around

Lyttle Thriving In Starting Role For Dream

Don’t worry, new stories are going to be appearing on CheapSeatsRadio.net in the very near future. The preseason for the Jets and Giants gets underway in just under a month. Last year, I was there from the start of training camp through the playoffs. Expect that same coverage this season.

I also have several interviews planned for the near future. So stay tuned!

No town puts more pressure on its ballplayers than New York City.  Few players put more pressure on themselves than Mark Teixeira.

The New York Yankees first baseman is only 21 games into his career wearing pinstripes, but so far things have not gone as expected.  Teixeira is hitting just .182 with three home runs and 10 RBI.  Only Cody Ransom has a worst average (.280) on the team and he’s a part-timer.

“Personally, I’m not happy with the way I’m playing at all,” Teixeira said standing at his locker on Friday.

The 29-year-old hasn’t caught any breaks, including on Opening Day.  The Yankees kicked off the season on the road against the Baltimore Orioles, Teixeira’s hometown team.  For years, Oriole fans had hoped Teixeira would join their club.  But, when he hit the free agent market, Baltimore didn’t offer enough money.  From the moment Teixeira’s name was announced at Camden Yards, he was booed.  Not by just a few folks, but thousands of them.

Despite Teixeira’s struggles, the Yankees have managed to play decent baseball throughout the first month of the season.  They’re 13-11 and sitting behind the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox in the A.L. East – not good by Yankee standards.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries and a few things didn’t go our way, but to be (13-11), playing so many games on the road, we’ve got to feel good about ourselves,” Teixeira, who signed a 8 year, $180 million contract this off-season, said.

The Yankees are built around big bats.  So if Teixeira struggles, Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter or Nick Swisher can step up.  That’s a luxury not many teams can afford.

“This is such a great team.  I’m surrounded by great hitters,” Teixeira said. “If I’m not doing my job, a lot of guys are going to pick me up and so far they have.”

So the work begins, and there’s lots of it for Teixeira.  He’s working on getting back to being the guy who hit .308 with 33 home runs, 121 RBI and 102 runs scored for the Anaheim Angels and Atlanta Braves last season.

“Everything,” Teixeira answered when asked what he needs to fix the most. “Just got to keep making sure I’m swinging at good pitches, and the pitches that I do hit, make sure I’m hitting them hard.  Just got to keep working.”

There’s always a reason.  No player in the Atlantic League has ever been cast out of affiliated ball just because.  They may not have played well, or maybe even got injured.

John Halama experienced neither.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs starting pitcher has been out of the Major League for three seasons now.  Over nine years in the big leagues, Halama racked up 58 wins, 492 strikeouts and a 4.65 ERA in 262 games — solid numbers for a back-of-the-rotation guy.

“Maybe my years are just past me,” Halama told me over the phone. “I think I’ve performed well at the big league level so hopefully I’ll get another chance.”

Halama says it was his mind, not his arm that got the best of him.  He was going through some personal off-the-field issues in 2006, which translated into a rough performance on the mound.  For a man who has never spent time on the disabled list, it was hard to overcome.

“When I was in Boston and Baltimore, I was going through some stuff,” Halama said. “That’s all behind me and I’m having fun again.”

The Baltimore Orioles brought Halama in to be their long reliever in 2006.  The club was young and needed some veteran arms to balance out their staff.  In 17 games, he was 3-1 with a 6.14 ERA.  The Orioles released him in June and he was out of baseball.

Halama went from the majors to the Atlantic League with no stops in between.  He signed with the Long Island Ducks in 2007 and worked to an 8-10 record with a 4.14 ERA over 26 starts.  Southern Maryland manager Butch Hobson took notice, and when Halama was left unprotected in the expansion draft, he snapped him up.”I have to give a lot of credit to Butch,” he said. “If you pitch well, he’ll reach out to friends he has in the majors and try and get you a job.”

The 37-year-old pitched masterfully in eight starts.  Hobson made some calls to organizations and told them about Halama, who was 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA and 48 strikeouts.  The Cleveland Indians liked what they heard and signed him to a deal.

Halama would spend the rest of the season in Triple-A Buffalo.  His numbers weren’t bad (8-6, 4.60), but not good enough to re-sign him.  So he returned to the last place he was successful: Southern Maryland.

This year, Halama is slated to be the club’s third starter.  He doesn’t care where he is in the rotation, as long as he gets an opportunity to throw the ball.  If things go as planned, Halama will pitch well and get another shot with an affiliate.

“I keep hearing teams are going younger and younger, but they always need a veteran presence,” Halama said. “I can be that guy.”

The New Jersey Nets’ season is once again on life support. Same phrase, different year.

Despite Sunday night’s 96-67 stomping of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Nets find themselves 13 games under .500 and on the outside of the East playoff picture. With five contests remaining, these type of wins matter more for head coach Lawrence Frank’s resume than anything else.

The term “under .500″ doesn’t bode well for the sixth-year coach. After four straight playoff appearances, the Nets appear on their way to back-to-back missed post seasons. Frank, who has a $4.5 million guaranteed deal for 2009-10, and his club aren’t ready to give up just yet.

“We’ve just got to come out like we did tonight,” rookie center Brook Lopez said about the 29-point victory. ” We’re going to play every game with our best effort and do what we can.”

The Nets still have an opportunity to capture the eighth playoff spot in the East thanks to Sunday’s win. But, one more loss and the door completely shuts. With Boston, Detroit and Orlando — all playoff teams so far — ahead on the schedule, the Nets’ road to the post season is going to be sudden death.

“Right now, it’s just trying to win games to get into the playoffs,” Vince Carter said. “We feel very capable, and anything can happen once we get there, but getting there is our quest right now.”

New Jersey isn’t built to contend with the top-tier NBA teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Keyon Dooling will never outduel Kobe Bryant in a seven-game series. Similarly, Ryan Anderson has no chance against LeBron James. One night, maybe. Seven games, sorry.

The Nets’ core is currently constructed of Carter, Lopez and Devin Harris. There’s still a chance the Nets try and trade Carter away this off-season. If they do, they won’t get much in return. Not because Carter isn’t still a 20-point-a-night guard, but because of his $20-million plus contract. They also risk losing fans from what little attendance they do have by making that move.

Harris is one of the top young point guards in the league, averaging 22 points and seven assists per game this year. He and Lopez, a Rookie of the Year candidate, give the Nets youth to build upon in this year’s draft and perhaps free agency.  They can get by with Yi Jianlian at the forward spot for next season, but should look for a combo guard-forward or power forward with their first-round pick.

Lopez knows these next five games are critical, and he’ll have to do his part to help out in the paint.  The Stanford product feels the experience he’s gained has prepared him for these match-ups against the likes of Dwight Howard and Rasheed Wallace.

“Knowing that you’re playing on the same level as them is a big deal for me.  My team has shown me enough confidence to get me the ball or involve me in plays against them.  If I make a mistake they just keep telling me ‘keep going.’  It’s just been a great learning experience for me,” Lopez said.

One game at a time.  That’s how Nets coaches and players are viewing this upcoming stretch.  After all, there’s no other way in but win.

“At this point, it’s just another game,” forward Jarvis Hayes said. “We just have to execute as best as we can.  You can’t put anything more into it.”

The grass has been trimmed to mere centimeters and the gates are nearly unlocked. The time of year more popular than Columbus Day is fast approaching and baseball fans are as anxious as ever.

Major League Baseball is days away from kicking off another season, and teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers are hoping to show they were no one-hit (and pitch) wonders.

The Mets and Yankees move into new stadiums this year. Both teams handed out wads of cash to big-name players in hopes of bringing a World Series to their new home turf. Mark Teixeira is the powerful bat the Yankees had longed for at first base, while Frankie Rodriguez is the closer the Mets believe will stop them from getting beat in the ninth, and down the stretch.

When the clock strikes 8 p.m. on Sunday, there will be something on television nightly for the next seven months. Sometimes games will be entertaining, sometimes they’ll keep you up past your bed time. The only guarantee I can make is the season will be filled with good surprises (Josh Hamilton), disappointments (Barry Zito) and blockbuster trades (Manny Ramirez). Maybe even a little scandal (Alex Rodriguez) mixed in.

Here are my fearless predictions for the 2009 season:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

East: Boston Red Sox – A.L. East teams will spend another year beating up on one another, but in the end, the Red Sox will emerge victorious. Their offense is way too dangerous and their pitching staff is deep. The Sox have one of the best 25-man rosters in the game today.

Central: Minnesota Twins – It’s amazing what this team does year after year without emptying their bank account. I believe starting pitcher Francisco Liriano will rebound to his 2006 form and catcher Joe Mauer (back) should be all fixed. Worth noting: The Twins also move into a new stadium this year.

West: Anaheim Angels – A youthful pitching staff comprised of potential stars sets up a strong bullpen. Rodriguez will be missed, but Scott Shields and Brian Fuentes are viable replacements.

Wild Card: New York Yankees – I don’t want to completely write off the Yankees. I also don’t have it in me to pick the Rays and the Indians let me down last year. The Yankees seem like the logical safe bet.

MVP: Josh Hamilton, Rangers

CY Young: C.C. Sabathia, Yankees

Rookie Of The Year: Matt Wieters, Orioles

Manager Of The Year: Terry Francona, Red Sox

NATIONAL LEAGUE

East: New York Mets – The Mets have two of the best hitters in the game (David Wright, Jose Reyes), one of the top pitchers (Santana) and many solid pieces to compliment them all.

Central: Chicago Cubs – Every year Cub fans come out in droves and declare “this is our year.” For the first time in my lifetime, I actually think they’re right. This is the best group of  players in the National League.

West: Los Angeles Dodgers – Ramirez is back, and any player who puts up that much of a fuss over $45 million had better perform. I think he’ll swing the best bat in baseball this year.

Wild Card: Philadelphia Phillies – The reigning World Series champions deserve to make the playoffs, just not as division champs. Jamie Moyer, the 46-year-old-pitching version of Julio Franco, still has the stuff to be a number two or three starter — and, that’s in a hitter’s park like Citizen Bank Ballpark.

MVP: Manny Ramirez, Dodgers

CY Young: Johan Santana, Mets

Rookie Of The Year: Cameron Maybin, Marlins

Manager Of The Year: Lou Piniella, Cubs

Playoffs & World Series:
Anaheim Angels over New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox over Minnesota Twins

Chicago Cubs over Philadelphia Phillies
New York Mets over Los Angeles Dodgers

Boston Red Sox over Chicago Cubs in the World Series

The Newark Bears may seem like they’re in hibernation mode, but they’re actually hard at work.  The team’s front office staff has begun assembling a roster filled with major-league talent.  While over the years we’ve learned that big names don’t translate into first-place finishes, it does help drum up excitement around the club, which is exactly what the Bears need this season.

I have your exclusive first look at how the Newark Bears’ roster is shaping up.

Tony Batista, 3B - Batista spent 11 seasons in the majors with seven clubs — Oakland, Arizona, Toronto, Baltimore, Montreal, Minnesota and Washington.  During that time, he was a .251 hitter with 221 home runs, 718 RBI and 625 runs scored.  The 35-year-old spent part of last season in Triple-A with the Nationals.

Ramon Castro, SS - The infielder received 15 at-bats with the Oakland Athletics in 2004.  He hasn’t been back to the majors since.  Castro spent the last two seasons in Newark and has been one of their most consistent offensive weapons.  Last year was the best statistical season of his career, as Castro batted .352 with 23 home runs, 102 runs scored and 84 RBI.

Julio Cordido, INF - Cordido spent 10 years in the San Francisco Giants organization before he was released after last season.  In 2008, he split time between Double and Triple-A.

Carl Everett, DH - This 14-year MLB veteran is already well known among Atlantic League fans.  Everett, who spent time in the bigs with Florida, New York (NL), Houston, Boston, Texas, Chicago, Montreal and Seattle, played the last two seasons for the Long Island Ducks.  During that time, he averaged hitting .320 with 99 RBI, 78 runs scored and 27 home runs.

Jose Garcia, P - Talk about a fast rise to the majors.  It took Garcia only two years to get a call from the Florida Marlins.  In fact, in 2006, he went from Single-A all the way to the majors, with stops at each level along the way.  During that five game stint, Garcia went 0-0 with eight strikeouts and a 4.91 ERA.  He missed all of 2007 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and made only three appearances for the Oakland Athletics’ Rookie League team in 2008.  Garcia’s minor league stats are impressive: 15-10, 2.72 ERA in 38 games with 53 strikeouts and just 14 walks.

Jose Herrera, OF - Herrera is perhaps best known for being traded for Rickey Henderson, another Bears alumni.  He’s played 14 seasons of professional baseball, two at the Major League level with the Athletics in 1995 and 1996.  During that stint, Herrera batted .264 with six home runs and 32 RBI.  He also has experience with the Orioles and Blue Jays organizations.  Herrera spent the last three seasons with Newark and hit over .300 in each of those campaigns.  Last year, he batted .331 with 93 RBI, 80 runs scored and seven home runs.

Bobby Hill, 2B - (Verbal Commitment) Hill started his career with the Bears and returned last season after stints in the Cubs, Pirates and Padres organizations.  Between 2002-2005, Hill spent time in the majors, where he hit .262 with 58 RBI and 67 runs scored.  The former second-round pick batted only .238 last season for the Bears.

Charlton Jimerson, OF - They should make a movie about Jimerson’s life.  I’ll spare you all the details, just check out his Wikipedia page.  This former walk-on at the University of Miami has big league experience with the Astros and Mariners.  Jimerson was called up over four different seasons, but only stepped into the batter’s box nine times.  During that time, he hit .444 with two home runs, including one in his first MLB at bat against Cole Hamels.

Shane Komine, P - Komine became the majors third American-born player of full Japanese ancestry when he was called up by the Athletics in 2006.  In four games, two of them starts, over the course of two years, he went 0-0 with a 4.86 ERA and two strikeouts (Lyle Overbay, Matt Stairs).  The first batter he faced was Toronto’s Reed Johnson, who homered off him.  In the minors, Komine has a career record of 29-30 with a 3.91 ERA and 418 strikeouts.

Ruben Mateo, OF - Mateo returns to the Bears for a third straight season.  He has major league time with the Rangers, Reds, Pirates and Royals, where he hit a combined .250 with 21 home runs and 89 RBI.  He joined the Bears in 2007 and was picked up by the Brewers after hitting .288 with five home runs and 15 RBI in just 24 games.  He re-signed with Newark last season and hit .298 with 16 home runs, 44 RBI and 35 runs scored.

Pete Rose Jr., DH - (Verbal Commitment) The son of the great Pete Rose is back for another season in the Atlantic League.  This time it’s not with the Long Island Ducks, but the Bears.  Rose joined the A.L. in 2005 after over a decade playing for the Orioles, White Sox, Indians, Reds and Pirates organizations.  He made an 11-game appearance in the majors with the Reds in 1997, but only hit .143.  Since 2004, Rose has played for the Ducks, with a stop in Bridgeport in 2006, and has always been consistently valuable.  Last year, he batted .289 with 15 home runs, 95 RBI and 65 runs scored.

Randall Simon, 1B - Simon rejoins the Bears after playing for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.  He has major league experience with the Braves, Tigers, Pirates, Cubs, Devil Rays and Phillies.  Simon is a career .283 hitter.  Last season for Newark, the first baseman batted .321 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI.

Dustin Smith - Smith is the son of Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith and brother of Nikko, a finalist on last season’s American Idol.  He has limited minor league experience.

I’ll admit it: I don’t follow a lot of college basketball. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy March’s third biggest event next to my birthday and St. Patrick’s Day.

I fill out a bracket just like the rest of you. The difference is that I don’t agonize over the 8-9 games, or even the 7-10s. I go with my gut. That’s what the lunch lady at my former high school did and she took home the crown in 1998.

Common sense tells me to pick all the 1 and 2 seeds. After that, it’s game on.

Now, I’m not naive. I’d love to pick Cal St. Northridge, Binghamton or Stephen F. Austin (Who? Where?) to go all Cinderella on us, but I don’t have it in me. I can remember when Gonzaga and Valparaiso were nobodies and look at them now — well, not this year for that Indiana town.

It’s just as hard notto pick UCONN or Pittsburgh. But, since I’m writing this before I fill out my bracket, I have no clue if they’ll make it to Detroit on April 6. I don’t need my bracket to tell you any team with less than 20 wins won’t be there though.

So to all of you NCAA enthusiasts – and those lunch-lady-type fans — enjoy the games and your bracket – most of you will end up tearing it up by Thursday night.

Click here to view my completed bracket

Note: I’ll be updating you on my progress throughout the tournament. Keep checking back.

Round 1, Day 1 Recap:I’m not proud of going 10-6 during the first day of the tournament. That will win you very few pools. I am happy to report, however, that none of my losses were predicted to advance past the second round. UCONN, Duke, North Carolina, Memphis and Oklahoma were all guaranteed wins. Sure, Memphis put a scare into everyone for a short while, but so did Gonzaga, and I have both those teams going to my Final Four. Purdue, Washington, Texas and Villanova all gave me wins. Butler, Illinois, Clemson, BYU, VCU and California all gave me loses. You try to call the upset and it just backfires.

Round 1, Day 2 Recap: I’m attending a wake this morning, for Wake Forest. One of my Final Four teams is out after an upset loss to Cleveland State Friday night. The score wasn’t even close.  I also failed on West Virginia, who lost to Dayton, and I had them going to the Elite 8.  I can’t be more disappointed that the tournament just got underway and I already have nothing to look forward to in the Midwest Bracket.

Elsewhere, Siena, Arizona, USC and Wisconsin pulled out big upset wins for me. I’m proud to have gotten those right, especially with Wisconsin and Arizona being a 12 seed. I have Wisconsin beating Xavier and Arizona losing to Wake, which won’t happen anymore, in the Second Round. Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville were no surprises. Pitt, however, did give me and about 94 percent of Pick ‘Em Nation a scare when they were tied with East Tennessee State with about two minutes to go. I also won with Kansas and Missouri, but lost with Tennessee, Temple and Utah St., who I had going on to the Sweet 16.

Round 2, Day 1: I’m calling this portion of the tournament a complete success on my part.  I made every right pick and couldn’t be prouder.  UCONN, Purdue, Memphis, Villanova, Duke, North Carolina, Gonzaga and Oklahoma all advanced on my bracket and in real life.  Sure, they’re all top seeds, but I’m not going to find a down note about this one bit.  Plus, knowing Gonzaga and Memphis had very good games gives me great hope that I’ll see them in the Final Four as I predicted.

Round 2, Day 2: Another good day in the Bracket Pool.  As of Sunday night, I’m 12-for-16 in Sweet 16 selections — not too bad, right?  My numbers were helped today by victories from Lousiville, Michigan St., Syracuse and Pittsburgh.  A Wisconsin loss to Xavier was the only downside; however, I had Pitt beating them to advance to the Elite Eight.

Sweet 16, Day 1: That about does it for my bracket.  No, actually, that does it for my bracket.  Duke and Memphis both lost, meaning my two teams I had slated for the National Championship are officially out.  The only thing I’m not disappointed in is not losing money in a pool.  Thank goodness.  The only game I did win was UCONN over Perdue.  There’s one positive.

Sweet 16, Day 2: I was happy to see Pittsburgh move on to the Elite 8, which I correctly predicted.  They’ll be going up against Villanova, who I had losing to Duke on Day 1.  Since my pick was Duke in that contest, I am officially done in the East part of my bracket.  In the South, I was 1-for-2 on Friday night.  Gonzaga fell to North Carolina and Oklahoma easily moved past Syracuse.  I picked Gonzaga over Oklahoma so I am also done in the South.  I am proud of how I did in this region though, as I correctly predicted all four Sweet 16 teams.

Elite 8, Finals: I no longer have any of my teams moving on past this round.  It was fun while it lasted.