The NCAA Tournament Brackets: The Greatest Fantasy Game of Them All!!!

Over the past two weeks, I've been majorly distracted by the NCAA Tournament. All I've been doing is watching college hoops, and the weird part about it is that I have actually stayed awake during these games because usually I fall asleep watching TV. I haven't even made any progress on the new SportsSteez GT segment (Spoiler Alert) mainly because along with watching these games I've been caught up in my bracket. I'm not winning my group, but I'm tied with my friend Stephanie who I have a bet with, so that's all I'm really worried about.

I was talking to my boy Victor (who is also in my group but he's not doing too well) when I had an interesting thought about the whole bracket situation. I asked Victor, "Could filling out brackets be one of the greatest fantasy games of all time?" It didn't take him long to agree, but he asked me if filling out a bracket could even be considered a fantasy game. I figure why not, it's basically the same concept as all fantasy sports with the exception of you're picking teams instead of players. You pick who you think is going to advance just as you would pick who's going to start in your lineup in the other fantasy sports. In most online platforms, you get points when the team you picked advances, just like you get points when your player scores a touchdown, hits a homerun, or drains a three pointer. So why wouldn't we consider the brackets as a fantasy sport?

Filling out brackets also provides us with the same extracurricular fun that comes along with fantasy sports. There is usually some kind of bet or pot that is involved with fantasy sports. Whether it's an office pool or a group of friends that came together for the group, usually money or some other attractive prize is on the line. Plus, bragging rights is always up for grabs in fantasy sports and the brackets are no different. We all know whoever wins the your bracket group is going to be talking major trash until next March. Also, when you're in a group with other people, you're likely to watch the games and/or interact more with those people in your group about the game just like in the other fantasy sports. I know this to be especially true in fantasy football where many groups get together to watch NFL games.

I believe there are multiple reasons why the brackets should be considered one of the greatest fantasy sports of all time. Starting with the length of the games. In most fantasy sports, your fantasy season is going to last the whole regular reason of the respective sports. In most cases, you're talking about 16 to 36 weeks depending on if you're playing fantasy football, baseball, or basketball. The NCAA tournament lasts for about three to four weeks, so you really don't have time to get cute. Actually, you can get cute all you want when you're picking your teams, but once the tournament starts, you're stuck with your picks. When the tournament starts you can't change your picks like in other fantasy sports where you can edit your roster through free agency or make trades. Your picks are truly your picks and your bracket lives or dies with those picks.

Strategizing for the brackets is definitely one of the reasons why filling out brackets is so intense. Many people haven't watched a lick of college basketball all season and are just picking teams they are familiar with. Some people have bizarre methods of filling out their brackets such as picking teams whose team colors are blue and white, or random selection. There aren't major publications or draft kits floating around where so called experts are suggesting who to pick. There are sports reporters and so called bracketologists, but they'll be the first to tell you that anything can happen in the tournament. You always have to look for upsets because these upsets will bust your bracket so quick. Many people including myself will tell you one of the best ways to strategize for the brackets is to watch and pay attention to the conference tournaments that goes on right before the big dance. Watching these games are a good way to see which teams are hot and also have a good momentum going into the tournament.

So now let's imagine (and in some instances remember as this scenario has probably happened to most of us) that you just filled out your bracket, it's the end of the first weekend and you're feeling absolutely overwhelmed by your bracket. Some of your picks lost and you're thinking "I knew I should've picked UCLA." Then you realize that you can't pick UCLA for the next round because your picks are locked for the whole tournament. You start panicking because you realize your bracket is completely screwed and there's nothing you can do about it.  However, this weekend isn't the end of the game as the game lasts for the whole tournament. So you're watching and waiting week after week, hoping your remaining picks can pull out a victory. Yeah, I think filling out brackets should definitely be considered the greatest fantasy game of them all.

SportsSteez

Around here at PhantasySteez, I like to say that PhantasySteez is getting better everyday. This post is prime example of that statement as this post is not about fantasy sports. No my friend, this post is about real sports. You see, I was proposed by one of my blogging buddies +G. T. Niña to create this segment so that she could appear to know what she's talking about when she goes to barbecues. We kind of tossed around ideas as to what to call it such as "Sports for Dummies" and "Sports for Girls," but when I shared the idea with some of my Facebook fans the ladies didn't really like the idea. While I took their opinion into consideration, I decided I would still do the segment. I haven't really decided on the title yet, but I dig the concept.

Today, March 15, 2015, is one of the most important days of the NCAA Men's Basketball Season... SELECTION SUNDAY. Selection Sunday is the day when the NCAA committee selects 68 teams that will play in the infamous March Madness Tournament, or The Big Dance (I could've swore it was 65 or 66 teams, but it's like the let more teams in every year). The winner of this tournament wins the coveted NCAA National Championship. This year is interesting because there is one team, Kentucky, who is going for a perfect 40-0 undefeated season. I think they have a good chance, I have been watching college basketball all week and they have the most complete team from top to bottom. Any team can be beaten though, and if any team has a chance I would say that it is probably Wisconsin, Arizona, or Duke. Also, don't sleep on Northern Iowa University and SMU. I haven't seen much of Northern Iowa, but SMU is solid and their coach Larry Brown is known as the Godfather of Basketball. Anyone who knows me on a personal level knows I can never count out a true Don. Sidebar, +Stephanie Smallsen my bracket is coming for YOU!!!!!!!!!

Hasn't this year's NFL Free Agency been crazy? Who would've thought DeMarco Murray would end up with the division rival Philadelphia Eagles? Who would've thought Patrick Willis would retire from the San Francisco 49ers? Who would've thought the 49ers would get Reggie Bush. Let's talk about that for a minute because I thought Bush would end up with my New England Patriots, but instead he's going going, back back, to CALI CALI. This kind of fits because I believe that Carlos Hyde will be the feature back but Reggie Bush will come in and do what Reggie Bush do; catch the ball out of the backfield and make people miss. This should be interesting as I can't recall the last time the Niners had such a player. This will definitely help out Colin Kaepernick as he won't have to make so many ill decisions, he could just dump the ball off the Bush!

In the NBA, it's all about Steph Curry. Curry is the man. He makes shooting 3s look like a walk in the park. His game on Saturday was prime example as it was his birthday and he was doing what Steph Curry does best; making it rain. Curry is probably going to win the MVP over LeBron James and James Harden aka The Beard. I've always been a low key Curry fan ever since he played his college hoops at Davidson. His shot has always been incredibly wet and he doesn't just shoot jump shots, he can take you to the hole too. It looks like this could be the year for the Golden State Warriors as long as Curry stays healthy. The have the best record in the West right now, but you never know because anything can happen in the wild wild west.

Well, that's enough for now, I gotta write another post soon before the NCAA tournament begins. This was fun though, but I gotta think of a legit name for this segment. I would love your feedback on this, I'm not scared of negative critism. Hit me up, comment on my blog, hit me up on Google+, or Twitter @donofalldons.