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2014: March Madness – The Results

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2014: March Madness – The Results

Photograph Credit: NCAA Tournament

March Madness was exciting and full of surprises again this year. With the teams ranked from a panel of sports experts, I found it interesting to see a team like Mercer, ranked #14, knock off a #3 seed Duke in the first round.

Poor Paul! He pretty much gave up on the NCAA Tournament after his team went out after the first game. 🙁

Though I was hanging in there through the Final Four, where Florida played, I lost interest once Florida lost to UConn (University of Connecticut) by 10 points. Although, if my team had to lose, I’m glad they lost to the National Champion.

Having shared how we setup our family competition through Sports Illustrated, I am not going to leave you wondering who actually won our family bracket. With our son being the reigning champion from 2013, we were all looking to bump him off.

So, the winner of this year’s 2014 Morrison March Madness Competition is    . . .

Mr. 8

For the second year in a row, he beat us all again, and he’s not shy about telling anyone who will listen. He is very excited as he had no teams remaining in the Final Four.

In order to beat him, I needed Florida to make it to the final game. Well, it did not happen this year. So, our family’s final scores were as follows:

Family Member

Points Scored

Mr. 8

 132

Tracy

 116

Paul

110

Miss 6

76
Miss 4

52

Second place seems to be my spot for sports competitions this year. I played in a fantasy football league and was winning all season until the final game. Where out of the blue, one player in our league swept in and snagged first place. Oh well, there’s always next year. 😉

In using time wisely, our family enjoyed rooting for the teams we picked; or, if your chosen team was already out, then rooting against the team another family member picked – just to keep the competition going. Our son kept us informed on the winners as he watched his iPod Touch closely for the final scores.

As March Madness has come to a conclusion for 2014, our son is our family champ for another year. But, we’ll get him one of these times when either Florida or Duke makes it to the final game.

Until that happens, we will enjoy this fun family activity as we pick, watch, and win or lose. Happy playing!

Question:If you participated in March Madness, then how were your results?

2014: March Madness – NCAA Basketball Tournament

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2014: March Madness – NCAA Basketball Tournament

Photograph Credit: NCAA Tournament

March Madness has started! The conclusion of the college basketball season culminates with the Big Dance, also known as the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Last year, I posted a video of my son and daughter making their picks when they were 1 and 2 years old. (Love that video as it takes me back to when they were little.)

As a sports family, we love March Madness. Having dealt with the criticism of how poorly the Florida Gators performed during football season, I am thrilled that they are currently ranked #1 in basketball. My husband is a Duke Blue Devil’s fan, so it may come down to a showdown.

For those unfamiliar with March Madness, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) hosts a single-elimination basketball tournament each year comprised of 68 college teams. Though the ladies have a similar competition, our family focuses on the men’s Final Four tournament.

March Madness Online

In 2013, Paul created a group on the Yahoo! Sports page for our family. We entered our picks, and the program kept track of our scores. Our son won the family competition hands down.

My only regret from last year was that I did not print our brackets. About a week after the tournament ended, I went to get the results, and Yahoo! had wiped out those groups to make room for fantasy baseball.

This year, Paul created a group with Sports Illustrated as Yahoo! would not setup a group without verifying a phone number. We did not wish to disclose that information, and Sports Illustrated did not require a phone number.

With the online version, all selections must be made by Thursday, March 20, 2014 at noon. This is the deadline for our bracket through Sports Illustrated. If you choose another online bracket, then check their deadlines to participate.

Once all our family members fill in their brackets, I will print them – even if the games have not begun. I want to be sure to have the brackets for this year. I can always go back to see who won the games and record the winners.

My children get excited about making their selections. The following embedded video is of my children making their 2014 first round picks. (Please pardon my youngest child’s manners as she is still learning proper etiquette, and I did not notice her actions while I was filming the event.)

March Madness on Paper

Prior to last year, Paul and I printed copies of the tournament bracket, made our picks, watched the games, and recorded the winners.

2014: March Madness – NCAA Basketball Tournament

Photograph Credit: Sports Illustrated

If you prefer a paper version, you can print a bracket from ESPN, CBS Sports, or Sports Illustrated.

You can choose how you want to score your brackets. For our family, we followed this guideline for each correct selection:

    • Round 1: One point
    • Round 2:  Two points
    • Round 3: Three points
    • Round 4: Four points
    • Round 5: Five points
    • Round 6: Six points
    • Round 7 (Championship): Seven points – we also guess the score.

If you have a sports fan in your family, then you will probably hear about March Madness, the Final Four, the Big Dance, or the NCAA Tournament – known by lots of names.

This competition continues to bring enjoyment to our family complete with bragging rights. In using time wisely, we love the bonding that this FREE activity brings to our home.

Watching the games and tracking the scoring heightens the competition. The games begin on Thursday, and the deadlines for the online versions are fast approaching.

Setting up a family group takes minutes which is a great use of time for this FREE family, group, or club competition. Happy choosing!

Question: Does your family make selections for the NCAA Basketball Tournament? 

2013: March Madness – NCAA Basketball Tournament

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March Madness – NCAA Basketball Tournament

Photograph Credit: Bing

March Madness is a favorite family event in our household. Both Paul and I love sports though Paul follows more teams than me.

My husband is a Braves fan for pro baseball, Denver Broncos fan for pro football, unfortunately a Florida State college football fan, a Celtics pro basketball fan, and a Duke Blue Devil’s college basketball fan. Whew!

For me, I root for the Florida Gators in each sport. The air gets a little tense in our home when Florida plays Florida State.

During those games, I usually watch the game downstairs while Paul views from upstairs. This arrangement works the best as we both need our space. 🙂

Following the NCAA Basketball Tournament

For those unfamiliar with March Madness, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) hosts a single-elimination basketball tournament each year comprised of 68 college teams. Though the ladies have a similar competition, our family only follows the men’s Final Four tournament.

Each year, Paul and I print copies of the tournament bracket, make our picks, and watch the games. As our family grew, we began having our children around age 2 choose their picks.

The following video shows our two oldest children making their selections in 2007 (our son making his first picks), 2008 (our son making picks during 2 different sessions), and 2009 (daughter making her first picks). 🙂

If you cannot see the video, then watch it here.

Special thanks to Paul for creating this video from our home collection. 😀

Printing Your Bracket

If you are interested in participating, you can print your bracket after the selection process on Sunday, March 17, 2013. ESPN has an entire program dedicated to the selection of the teams before releasing the bracket. The games then begin on Tuesday, March 19.

Making Bracket Selections

One of my favorite years was 2011. Our son chose Butler to go all the way – as he liked the name because Butler contained the word “butt.” (Yes, my son is all boy.) Butler ended up playing the championship game with my Florida Gators.

Though Florida should have won, Butler out-played them. So, my son won our family bracket competition. The great thing about this event is you don’t have to know anything about basketball. You can make your selections on the name, color of uniform, or random. You never know who’s going to win which makes this competition so fun.

Competing to the Championship Game

You can choose how you want to score your brackets. For our family, we follow the following scoring for each correct selection:

    • Round 1: One point
    • Round 2: Two points
    • Round 3: Three points
    • Round 4: Four points
    • Round 5: Five points
    • Round 6: Six points
    • Round 7 (Championship): Seven points – we also guess the score.

In addition to the paper version, Paul and I also participate in an on-line bracket competition with friends and our Sunday school class. Our fantasy teams are setup through CBS Sports where the group leader chooses who is in the group.

For me, the family competition is my favorite with our children making their selections. We all huddle around to check our brackets after the games as multiple games are played each round. If we miss the scores, we just check ESPN as they keep the master bracket updated.

If you know a sports fan, you have probably heard about March Madness, the Final Four, or NCAA Tournament – known by lots of names. This month-long competition brings enjoyment to our family complete with bragging rights.

In using time wisely, the March Madness event encourages laughter, anticipation, and excitement in our household. If you choose to play, happy selecting!

Question: Does your family make selections for the NCAA Basketball Tournament?

2012: Planning a March Madness Party

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Photograph Credit: NCAA.com

With avid sports fans in our household (ahem . . . Paul and I), our kids get roped into watching, listening, and participating in all sorts of sports-related activities. Before you feel sorry for them, know that they love it!

One activity occurs during March Madness. The brackets get released on the Sunday night before the start of the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament that usually tips off on Wednesday. To participate in an on-line fantasy league, you must  select your best guesses before the first tip-off.

Paul helps our children fill out their brackets. Yes, even the 2-year-old gets in on the action. Paul and I then fill out our brackets and take part in at least one private fantasy league. At the moment, yours truly ranks #1 of out 5 in our fantasy league.

Depending on this weekend’s results, I may quickly fall. You see, I selected the Florida Gators to win the championship, and they lost their Sweet Sixteen game. Boo hoo! For those who want to know, they played a great game. However, their shots did not make the bucket during the last 4 minutes, so Louisville came from behind and won.

The game is now down to the Final Four: Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas, and Ohio State. If you are entertaining this weekend and need some basketball-themed ideas, consider these creative ways to enjoy the showdown:

1. Basketball Bash on a Budget

The television station KTVQ reported a few money-saving tips. To save money, energy, and time, ask your guests to bring a snack or dish to share. Consider a fun pot-luck event focused on building relationships and enjoying the game. This link also includes a recipe for a quick and easy 7-layer dip. Yum!

2. How to Throw a Final Four Party

My favorite tip from this ehow.com article is to play a radio in the bathroom. I had to laugh because everyone waits until a commercial or half time to race to the restroom. With continuous coverage available, the bathroom rush may lighten during the peak times. 😉

3. Basketball Party Activities

For all things basketball, the Party Shelf presents invitations, decorations, games, and recipe ideas. To start the party, I love the “Guess Who I Am” game centered on basketball terms.

4. March Madness Munchies

The Food Channel offers 6 snack recipes. The Easy Cheesy Meatball Slammers look delicious. These could also be a great lunch or birthday party option.

5. Final Four Party Ideas

If you are looking for a creative spin on your basketball party, then mLive suggests serving foods that represent each state. The information in the link is from a previous year, but the idea is very creative. Though not for a Final Four party, I might use this idea for a Super Bowl or a World’s Series party. Just thought the idea was fantastic.

Gathering these fun and creative ideas gets my entertaining gene excited. I love highlighting special events, even if the party only includes my family. Celebrating these little adventures keeps the fun going while using time wisely. Happy planning!

Question: For which team are your routing: Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas, or Ohio State?