March Madness 2013

This year it's round 2 (technically 3) and my bracket has been busted since half way through day 1.  Every year I get some insight into how things are going to go a week or two before the tournament.  This year my insight was blurred and Recognizing this I decided not to play.  Last year I won money in both contests I entered, so I was obligated to try again.  As I said my bracket is in disarray, especially the West region where I though for some reason New Mexico was the sleeper pick of the year.  Yeah they lost day one.  Now my final fours are intact except one bracket where Georgetown blew it against Florida Gulf Coast who wasn't even in the NCAA until last year.  Well I didn't feel real good about my bracket last year either at this time and things worked out, so we'll see.

Random notes

The Ravens beat the Colts.  It looked like they knew what they were doing. Can they keep it up next week versus Peyton?  I don't think so unless they can ride the emotional wave of Ray Lewis.

The National Title game is tonight the Crimson Tide versus the Fighting Irish.  I hope it's a good game. The SEC hasn't looked great in the other bowl games this year, so an Alabama win isnt a guarantee, but I like the Tide by 10.  Bring on the college football playoffs.

I made more whole wheat chocolate chip cookies because I didn't get enough at Christmas.  Oh by the way I was 35# off my highest weight we'll see how that goes.  On the same note I haven't been at the gym at the same rate as 2012 due to sickness at first; now working too hard and the fact that the gyms are packed. I'm going to stop slacking this week.

Penn State's hears from the NCAA

This week Penn State got a punishment from the NCAA in the form of losing scholarships for football, a fine,  loss of post season eligibility, and changed wins in the records.  Much what I expected, but what I am disgusted by is the crying or upset Penn State students and fans.  Most of the fans I know (alumni) understand the actions and are really reasonable about the outcome.  Maybe it's the fact the people the media found or decided to air are just the ones with the emotional responses.  Is it because they are young and naive or just immature?  Either way their selfish attitude disgusts me.  They claim the wrong doers are dead, going to jail or awaiting their day in court. The punishment should rest with them.  Do they not understand the problem is bigger than those people, but lies with the culture that the institution created?  That is what must be punished in addition to the people.  See those crying students are the ones who empowered the criminal acts by (as I mentioned in previous posts) created this atmosphere that the football team and the coach are above the law and beyond reproach.  If they hadn't been canonized they would have acted differently faced with the accusations.  Only the empowering of these figures would allow someone to weigh justice for abuse victims over the reputation of a school.  I only ask that this never happen at another institution and to achieve that the athletics departments (or any departments) must be help to higher standards with regard to personal conduct.  Also no man or team should ever  become a deity.