It’s our favorite time of year! Spring is in the air and the madness is sweeping the nation! The NCAA Men’s Division I basketball tournament is about to begin and that means it’s time to turn in your brackets!

This year, Stiletto Sports is participating in the CBSSports Bracket Challenge and we’d like to extend an official invite to all the Stiletto Sports fans!

The bracket challenge is totally free to sign up, super easy to play and even easier to win!

Never done a bracket before? No problem! Check out our posts about Bracketology and then go have fun!

Yeah, there is some research to do, but I promise it’s lighthearted easy reading!

• Girl’s Guide to March Madness: How Brackets Work
• Bracketology 101: 11 Common Ways to Pick Brackets
• Advanced Bracketology: 5 dos and don’ts for filling out brackets
• Mascotology: what happens when a memphis tiger meets a missouri tiger (or in this 2010 version, a Clemson Tiger meets a Missouri Tiger)

If you really want to take the time to analyze all the stats and stuff, feel free. But…. if you would rather pick your teams based on the mascots, hot boys and school colors… then you have come to the right bracket challenge!

And if it’s your first time doing a bracket, feel free to ask us any questions! Shoot an email, leave a comment below or send a tweet on twitter to @stilettosportsJ.

The whole point is to get everyone involved in playing!

Oh… and the prizes!

The prizes will be announced soon! The winner of the whole pool will get something fabulous! And also, whoever is ahead after rounds 1 & 2 will get a SWEET prize for the following rounds!

How to Play:

Head over to: Stiletto Sports Bracket Manager (http://stilettosports.mayhem.cbssports.com/e)

Password: rockchalkjayhawk

Oh, and anyone who picks KU to win it all, gets a cookie!*

*okay there is no cookie, I’ll be too busy watching the games to bake but you will be held in the highest regard!

Stiletto Sports March Madness Bracket Challenge is a post from: Stiletto Sports

When I told my friend I couldn’t hang out the other night because I was working on my “What to wear for March Madness” article she said, “Um, do you have to wear something special?”

Of course not!

But just becauase this big dance is all about basketball games, doesn’t mean the fashion has to be basketball jerseys and jeans!

In fact, since the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (aka March Madness) is colloquially called “The Big Dance” I thought it would be fun to find dresses and flirty fashion looks that were casual enough for game day, yet cute enough for fashionistas!

I will admit the number one march madness look is a college team jersey. Why? Well it shows team spirit AND girls look hot in jerseys! But I pair my one and only jersey with a short flippy, cheerleader inspired white skirt instead of jeans:

Don't I look cute?

But if you hate rocking  jerseys, check out these other March Madness inspired looks! Click on any photo to get ordering info!

My Super Sweet Sixteen

Sixteen Super Sweet mix-and-match pieces that are casual and fun. Comfy hoodies and flirty graphic tees and tanks make the perfect layered look. Pair them with cropped jeans or flirty skirts. Put away your stilettos (gasp!) and trade them for some spring inspired wedges, boldly colored flats or fashion athletic shoes! And don’t forget to accessorize!

More Aeropostale…

Going Dancing!

Irony never goes out of style! Instead of focusing on the teams or the basketball theme of March Madness, highlight the dancing! A unique “dance with me” or even a DWTS tee with leggings and ballerina flats give a quirky, lighthearted spin to the tourney and basketball fashion! Guaranteed to make everyone smile! Oh and it’s a great excuse to add a pop of hot pink to the tourney!

More Forever 21…

TEAM RELATED LOOKS

Now, I couldn’t do a look for every team in the tourney (remember there are 64 teams…..) So I just picked a few for examples. The key to March Madness team looks is color palatte. You gotta rock the team colors! But just because your team is bright orange and blue, doesn’t mean you have to look like you dressed in the dark!

Rock Chalk Jayhawks!

The Kansas Jayhawks are seeded No. 1 in the country and many fans (and experts) think that no other team can take them down this year. And I’m not just saying that becaue they are my personal favorite college team!

So how do you be a Rock Chalkin’ Jayhawks fan? Think red and blue. Think Dorothy. Think plaids.
I love the idea of wearing a red and blue plaid dress and adding a Victoria’s Secret Jayhawk’s sweatshirt over it when it gets chilly! VS also has cute tees with hearts all over them and in the hearts are the team logos.

More Victoria’s Secret…

Go Green! Go White!

The Michigan State Spartans took the 2009 Men’s Tournament by storm and became the Cinderella Story of the year. And what girl doesn’t love a good Cinderella story? Show your green and white spirit with a casual green sundress layered with a white cardigan. Super casual but the accessories really pull the look all together!

More Lee Angel…

Hook ‘em Horns!

Texas is all about going big and bold! And bright orange is about as bold as it can get! Ranked No. 8 this year, the Longhorns battle with No. 9 ranked Wake Forest is sure to be a great game! Show your team spirit in fashion forward casual look!

More Puma…

Go ‘Cuse!

Syracuse’s 6 overtime battle with UConn in the Big East Quarterfinal in 2009 was one of the best sports moments of the year. No, it wasn’t part of the actual March Madness tournament but it was still an amazing game! This year the Orangemen are seeded No. 1 and they are ready to win again!

More Forever 21…

Kentucky Wildcat

Show your inner Wildcat by supporting Kentucky in the tourney! I can’t say I’m a big UK fan, but I do love Coach John Calipari! These looks range from super casual to bold and in your face. The wild geo-metric design dress is sure to draw all eyes on you instead of the big screen!

More Victoria’s Secret…

Angelic Blue Devil

Forget Devilish! Show your blue blood with angelic looks like babydoll dresses and patent leather flats in Duke blue!

More Aldo…

UNC Tar Heels

UNC’s arch rivals Duke may be the elite private university, but when I think of the Tar Heels, I think of preppy chic. I think baby blue and white stripes. I think argyle. Maybe because their basketball team is one of the most storied programs in the NCAA.
But… sadly….UNC did not make the tourney this year. For the first time, like, ever. But that’s no reason to not give love to the 2009 champs!

More Eddie Bauer…

Stiletto Sports “I Watch Basketball….Players”

Looking for more great March Madness looks? Check out HalftimeDesigns by Stiletto Sports contributing writer Megan Wood

And coming ASAP, the Stiletto Sports Official March Madness looks!

What To Wear for the Big Dance: Over 32 Great March Madness Looks is a post from: Stiletto Sports

We all get a case of the Mondays every now and again. Sometimes it’s just spilling coffee on the way to work. Or how about those times when you hit a major traffic jam and wind up being late to your meeting.

Those days that are grey, cloudy and raining when you just really needed a little ray of sunshine. Or those April snow showers that really make you wonder if there will ever be May flowers this year.

We feel the Mondays even harder when the chips are down.
When our hearts are broken, our shoulders burdened, and our footsteps heavy with the weight of our situations.
When we feel that hope packed up and left town months ago.

We’ve all been there, in one way or another.

But not today. Today, despite the rain, the snow, the hardship and worries, the despair and depression, there is hope. There is a cure for the case of the Mondays that has plagued so many of us for so long.

There is hope.

The Michigan State Spartans have breathed life back into the city that was grey, dismal and down. Over 70,000 Spartan fans flooded to Ford Field Saturday night. The 2009 Final Four had the largest attendance in NCAA history.

And tonight, they play for the NCAA National Championship. They have become the source of hope and joy for so many people. Like James Braddock and Seabiscuit during the Great Depression.

Tonight, the Spartans play for Detroit. They play for us.

Even the fans that bleed Carolina Blue should bleed a little Green tonight.

Eminem NCAA Final " Love Letter to Detroit "

A Cure for the Mondays: Eminem’s “Love Letter to Detroit” is a post from: Stiletto Sports

March Madness. The Big Dance. The Tourney. The Brackets.

You say any those phrases and immediately people know you are talking about the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. Rarely do you ever hear someone say that whole title. Who can blame them, it’s quite a mouthful! But where did those colloquial expressions come from?

“Tourney” is obvious, since it’s just short for tournmant. “Brackets” are the ranking system of the teams in the tournament. And by now, most people know that the term “March Madness” originated from a high school in Illinois. H.V. Porter coined the term in 1939 in his poem “the Basketball Ides of March.”

“The Madness of March is running/The winged feet fly, the ball sails high/And field goal hunters are gunning.

But what about “The Big Dance?” How did this phrase become so intertwined with the Division I basketball tournament that the NCAA registered a trademark for it? Why do we talk about teams “going dancing” when obviously they are off to play basketball, not perform a Viennese Waltz?

According to the Double Tongue Dictionary, “The Big Dance” is

“an important event, [in particular] the culmination of long preparation or a series of smaller events; (hence) in sports, a tournament or championship game.”

Yeah, but why? I mean, don’t get me wrong, it does take hours and hours of preparation to get ready for a Big Dance. First you have to find an  amazing dress, fabulous shoes, sparkly accessories and a really hot date. And then the day of the dance you spend hours in front of the mirror primping. And if you are like me, it takes a whole day just to fix up the hair.

But what on earth does that have to do with a basketball tournament?

Go ahead, Google it. You won’t find much info on where the term “The Big Dance” originated. Even those who work for the NCAA commission don’t know the origin of the word they trademarked. I’ve never even given much thought–always just used the term. It wasn’t until I saw that someone came to Stiletto Sports from the Google “why big dance name NCAA tournament” that I thought to look it up.

It actually took me hours to find the backstory. Most sites I came across told me the story of March Madness with a quick “yeah, no one knows about the Big dance”.” But I was determined to find out. While I was looking I developed a few ideas of my very own that I want to share.

My theories:

1. No sport has as many “Cinderella teams” as the college basketball tourney. And what did Cinderella do? She went to the Big Dance.
2. To get into the tourney, teams are given a special invitation by the committee–this has been referred to as “punching their tickets” like a dance card.
3. Teams move across the court like an effortless Quickstep or a highly syncronized group Waltz.
4. Players jump, leap, twirl, hop, glide and soar like graceful ballerina’s through the air.
5. Nigel Lythgoe (producer: American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance,  Superstars of Dance) coined the term so he can buy out CBS’s contract and turn March Madess into Fox’s next great Reality Dancing Show

Personally, I really think it could be #5!

The first two are actually great supporting evidence for The Big Dance theory. But it brings up the point of  which came first: Cinderella and the dance cards or the term the Big Dance?

After hours of searching I can finally reveal that the term “the Big Dance” was coined in 1977 by Marquette University Head Coach Al Maguire. Here’s what Kevin Byrne, the former Sports Information Director of Marquette University said.

“The year we won it all [1977], Coach McGuire wore a lucky blue blazer. At the end of the season, a reporter asked him if he’d keep wearing it during the Tournament. Al said, “Absolutely. You gotta wear the blue blazer when you go to the big dance.” ~Answer Guy, ESPN

No, I'm not kidding. This is the Marquette 1977 National Championship team that helped found the term "The Big Dance." Very stylish and sexy!

And the term Big Dance stuck to March Madness, well, like March Madness stuck to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Al McGuire & Marquette win 1977 Championship.

Over the next 13 years, the phrase became such a part of the NCAA that they began the process of trademarking it for the Division I Championship in 2000.

One quick side note is that there is still mixed feeling about what the Big Dance actually is. Most of the time it refers to the tournament as a whole and encompasses all 64 teams in the bracket. However, as the tournament progesses through the rounds, the term winds up being used to define the Final Four. Some feel the actual Big Dance is the Championship Game, where there are only two teams dancing on the floor.

And there you have it! Shock everyone you know with this trivia because I’ll tell ya, every sports fan I know talks about the Big Dance all the time, but never once questioned why they say it.

Dancing With the NCAA: Why It’s Called “The Big Dance” is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Welcome back to the Unofficial Ask Stiletto Sports Forum. For those of you that missed the first forums, let me fill ya in. I like to think of my  “googles” (aka keyword search terms), as my unofficial Ask Stiletto Sports Forum. I mean, people google things when they want answers, right? I feel it is my duty to try to answer my googles to the best of my ability!

Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time and research so I only do it once a month, if that. And this month, we had over 1600 different search terms. Obviously, not going to report on all them but I did pick out my faves.  There were still so many for college basketball and march madness that I decided to create it’s own special F.A.Q section!

In most of the Q&A I provide a link to one of my own articles to reference for more info and details. If you still have a burning question, shoot me a comment or an email and I’ll be happy to try to find the answer for you!

The F.A.Q. is long so if you don’t want to scroll through it all, just click on the link that most relates to your question.
The Stiletto Sports March Madness F.A.Q.

Questions like what is March Madness or Other NCAA Basketball Technical Stuff
Questions about the college basketball Players
Questions about Macotology & School Colors
Questions about Bracketology Other Fun, Fascinating or just plain weird facts

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What is March Madness & other NCAA basketball stuff:

Q: 10 Reasons to watch NCAA

Stiletto Sports Jen: 1. Hot boys. 2. more Hot boys. Okay fine, I actually have 20 other reasons: 10 to watch NCAA and 10 to watch March Madness.

Q: What is March Madness?

Stiletto Sports Jen: It is the modernized term for the frenzy that sweeps the nation during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament that typically runs from the middle of March until the first Monday in April. People become so immersed in the tournament, the brackets, the games, their side bets, and the players that it really does turn into madness. The first weekend of the tournament packs in 48 action packed games in only four days. Many end in buzzer-beating shots and overtime suspense.

For more about March Madness, see the Stiletto Sports Getting Ready for the Big Dance Guide

Also check out The Origins of the term March Madness
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Q: How many teams are selected for NCAA March Madness?

Stiletto Jen: 65. The 64th and 65th teams play each other to determine who will take the 64th place.

Q: Why do they have a wild card game in March Madness?

Stiletto Jen: The Wild Card, or “Play In” game determines the No. 64 team for the tournament. Personally, I think one year the Selection Sunday Panel were unable to pick between two teams for the final spot so they made the teams play to win. In reality, in 2001, the Mountain West Conference was added to the NCAA and rather then mess up their 64 team system, the bottom two teams have to play for it—kinda like the dance-off on DWTS.

For more about Selection Sunday and the Wild Card see the Stiletto Sports Getting Ready for the Big Dance Guide
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Q: What is the Cinderella Metaphor in March Madness about?

Stiletto Jen: Who doesn’t know the story of Cinderella–the ultimate underdog turned fairy princess who got to go to the Big Dance and got the prince? Sports are filled with Cinderella tales just hers–but especially in March Madness.  In sports, a “cinderella team” is the come from behind team that wows everyone. No one expects them to be great or fabulous, and suddenly, there they are, taking over the dance and stealing the guy. Um. I mean, winning games and taking down the Big Bad Wolves Teams with the better players and better records.

This year, I pick MSU as my March Madness Cinderella

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Q: Why is the name for the NCAA Tournament, The Big Dance  (also googled: what is the meaning of The Big Dance for March Madness)

Stiletto Jen: You know, I have no idea. It just is. I really had never thought about it till I saw this google.
It actually took me so long to find the answer that I had to do a post about it. Came up with a few theories of my own along the way but I also discovered who first coined the term! Want to know? You gotta read the post! Dancing with the NCAA: Why is it Called The Big Dance?

Q: In March Madness, what does “go dancing” mean?

Stiletto Jen: Teams get to “go dancing” when they secure their place in the tourney, aka The Big Dance. Some get their dance card with they win their Conference Championship. Others have to wait until Selection Sunday to get voted into the Big Dance Show that is March Madness. Also, as the rounds progress and build towards the National Championship, teams “go dancing” when they make it to the Final Four in the tourney.

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Q: How many games will be played in the Big Dance before a Champion is announced?

Stiletto Jen: The National Championship is the 65th game of the tournament, including the Wild Card/Play-in/Opening Round Game.
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Q: What are last 8 teams in the 2009 March Madness called?

Stiletto Jen:  The Elite 8. The teams for the 2009 Elite 8 were: UConn, Villanova, Michigan State, UNC, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Louisville and Missouri.

Q: How many games do you have to win to get to the Elite 8?

Stiletto Jen: Um. Well. Technically, you have to have a really good winning season to even get to March Madness. But if you are talking about the rounds in the tourney itself, teams have to win three games to get to the elite 8: Round 1 (The Sassy 64), Round 2 (Trendy and Tenacious Top 32) and the Sweet 16. The No. 64 ranked team had to win four games because they had to win the play-in game.
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Q: How many people watch the Elite 8 basketball games?

Stiletto Jen: A lot.
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Q: What are the last 4 teams in the 2009 March Madness called?

Stiletto Jen: The Final Four. The 2009 Final Four  are: UConn, Villanova, Michigan State and UNC.
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Q: Big Dance Sweet Sixteen Names 32

Stiletto Jen: Could I get that in the form of a question? Let’s see what I can do. Sweet 16 = the final 16 teams left in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, also known as The Big Dance. Round 2 of the tournament has 32 teams, but they do not have a cool nickname. I call it the Trendy and Tenacious Top 32. But it hasn’t caught on yet for the NCAA to trademark it.

Q: Has #16 ranked team ever won a March Madness game?

Stiletto Jen: Nope. No. 16 takes on the No. 1 and there has never been an upset. Though a lot of 16 seeds have come close.

Q: What is the number of fouls that puts NCAA basketball into the double bonus?

Stiletto Jen: Teams hit the double bonus at 10 fouls. From 7-10 they shoot one-and-one, meaning if they make the first free throw, they get to try for another. If the miss the first, they are done. In the double bonus, they shoot two free throws even if they shoot an airball on the first. For more NCAA rules and details please see Girl’s Guide to Basketball: The NBA vs. NCAA

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Q: Teams to watch NCAA basketball?

Stiletto Jen: Can’t go wrong with UNC, Duke, Oklahoma, Louisville, Memphis—er, I guess I should say Kentucky now….. And this year, Michigan State has definitely been the team to watch.

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All About the Players and Coaches

Q: Things college basketball players should know:

Stiletto Jen: If you tell a girl you play ball, she will automatically think you are hotter than she did 10 seconds ago.
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Q: Sexiest, cutest, most attractive, hottest, physically attractive, sexy, college basketball players of NCAA march madness

Stiletto Jen: That wasn’t the actual google, that was just the mix of all of the different googled variations about good looking college basketball players. I am sad to report that I never had a chance to do a piece about NCAA as a whole, but I did pick my hotties of the tournament! I have a huuuuge crush on Mr. Chris Kramer from Purdue and think he is F-I-N-E. A big YUM to Blake Griffin!

My Super Sweet 16 Hotties of March Madness

• Part I: including Chris Kramer, Jeff Adrien, Leo Lyons, Tryeke Evans….
• Part II:  including: Tyler Hansbrough, Blake and Taylor Griffin, Preston Knowles, Jonny Flynn and Delvon Roe

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Q: Who are the top NCAA basketball players of 2009/top 10 college basketball players in country 2009

Stiletto Jen: Ask 10 different fans, 10 different analysts and 10 different sports writers and you will get 30 different answers to that question. This year, it’s almost unanimous across the board that Blake Griffin is the Player of the Year–even to anti-Oklahoma fans. After that, the Top 25 tends to get a little muddled. The same players will show up on everyone’s list, just ranked differently. College Hoops has a great ranking system and a really useful list to reference. Here is their Top 10 picks.

1. Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
2. Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
3. James Harden, Arizona State University
4. Stephen Curry, Davidson
5. Ty Lawson, UNC
6. Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
7. Hasheem Thabeet, UConn
8. DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
9. Jordan Hill, Arizona
10. Jeff Teague, Wake Forest

A few more: Sherron Collins, Kansas; Jodie Meeks, Kentucky; Darren Collison, UCLA; Kyle Singler, Duke; Gerald Henderson, Duke; Tyreke Evans, Memphis; Kalin Lucas, Michigan State. For the complete breakdown and their picks for Top NBA Prospects, check out CollegeHoops.net.
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Q: Who are the best college basketball players that you haven’t heard of?

Q: Stiletto Jen: Glad you asked. I actually did a piece about this for The Bleacher Report back in January. By now, though, some of these players have made a name for themselves but, it’s still a pretty good list.

• Into to the Top College Basketball Players that You Need To Know But Probably Don’t
  
• Part I
• Part II
• Part III

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Q: Crazy name college basketball player 2009:

Stiletto Jen: Who is…. Arinze Onuaku? Or who is…. the entire team from Robert Morris with names like Bateko Francisco, Mezie Nwigwe , Ifeanyi Ehirim, and Khalif Foster? Announcers were praying they wouldn’t advance too far in the tourney.

Q: Who is Tyler hansbrough’s sister?

Stiletto Jen: This is a trick question! He does not have a sister! Tyler has a brother named Ben who plays NCAA basketball also. But he plays for Notre Dame I believe.

Q: Who is Blake Griffin Dad?

Stiletto Jen: Tommy Griffin. Tommy coached both Blake and his older brother Taylor in high school basketball in Oklahoma.
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Q: Wayne Ellington is hot

Stiletto Jen: Yes, yes he is. I even picked him as a Bonus Pick on my Hottie Team.


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Q :Who is the college basketbal player with crazy curly hair:

Stiletto Jen: I’m going to go with Matt Bouldin from Gonzaga. He has the best mop of hair!

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Q: Kyle Mcalarney shirtless pic

Stiletto Jen: Oh yummy! He is delish! I couldnt’ find him without a shirt but I found some really hot shots!

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Q: Who is the 4′6 college girl basketball player?

Stiletto Jen:  Tiffara Steward from Farmingdale State University in New York.

Besides being veritcally challenged for basketball, Tiffar is also blind in her right eye, has 50% hearing loss in both ears, has severe scoliosis–her spine is not fully fused since she was born very premature and only weighed 2 pounds–and she has a discrepancy in her legs.

But none of this held her back from becoming a huge star of her team and an inspiration to people all over the world.

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Q: Rick Pitino Christopher Walken

Stiletto Jen: Yes, Christopher Walken would be a great choice to play Pitino in the Disney production of  Louisville basketball.

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Mascotology

Q: Bracket guide by mascot

Stiletto Jen: Ah yes, the beloved mascotology approach to brackets. I created quite a few guides for the tournament to help you do NCAA tournament picks by color and mascots. I’ve listed the guides next to some of my favorite FAQ er, I mean Googles.

• Radford Mascot: Highlanders, Guide to the South Regional Bracket
• E. Tenneessee State Mascot: Buccaneers, Bucky the Pirate and Pepper the Parrot. Guide to East Regional Bracket
• Morehead School Colors: Blue & Gold, Guide to Midwest Regional Bracket
• CS Northridge colors mascot: Red & Black, the Matadors, Guide to West Regional Bracket
• What 2 universities claim “vikings” as their mascot? In the 2009 tournament they were the Cleveland State Vikings and the Portland State Vikings. Mascotology, Missouri Tiger Meets Memphis Tiger
• Tar Heel Sooner Mascot Matchup: see the Elite 8 Matchup Guide

Q: What is Rock Chalk Jayhawk Mascot

Stiletto Jen: Kinda answered your own question there…. the Jayhawk is the Rock Chalk mascot! Rock Chalk, Jayhawk belongs to Kansas University. The live action mascots names are Big Jay and Baby Jay.
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Q: LSU Clemson Memphis Missouri are all Tigers [so what do I do!?!??!?!??!]

Stiletto Jen: Yes they are! Have no fear, we actually covered this topic in Mascotology: What happens when a Memphis Tiger meets a Missouri Tiger! Mascotologists have special means for determining the winner of those kind of mind-stumping match-ups.  (oh yeah, and I totally added that part in the brackets of the googled question, could you tell? )
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Q: Kansas Jayhawk Pic

Q: What the hell is Rock Jock Jayhawk Chant?

Stiletto Jen: It’s actually “Rock Chalk Jayhawk.” It’s the frenzied chant by the fans of Kansas University used to taunt the other teams.

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Q: What are the Kansas Jayhawk Rock Chalk Lyrics

Stiletto Jen: “Rock chalk… Jay-Hawk… KU” They sing it twice veeerrrry slooooowwwlly. Then three times really quick building momentum and frenzy

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Other random facts

Q: NCAA baby ESPN guy

Stiletto Jen: Dick Vitale. Even if the google was not in the form of a question–nor was it even really a complete thought—I have read the Dick Vitale dictionary and am able to decipher such encrypted messages.
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Q: Big Dance Best Cinderella Team Ever

Stiletto Jen: Oooohhhh tough call! Great question! It’s hard to say because every year, there always seems to be a team that breaks out and stuns us all—and makes us love them. And to choose, well, that’s like pitting the Disney Princesses against each other and asking who is the fairest of them all!

But I asked around and was told that it probably has to go to Villanova in 1985. Yeah, they were from the Big East so some don’t count that as Cinderella, but hey, I just argued that MSU is 2009’s Cinderella and they are Big 10 and a No. 2 seed.
In 1985, ‘Nova was a No. 8 seed and they went up against reigning champs Georgetown. G’Town Hoyas had only lost 2 games all year and were boasting their big man Patrick Ewing. It looked like a sure thing. But the Villanova Wildcats won the game and to this day, they are they lowest ranked team to ever have won the National Championship.

Also on the list of Best Cinderella’s are NC State in 1983-83, Kansas in 1988, Gonzaga in 1999. But that is for another day!
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Q: Awesome basketball shot March Madness 2009:

Stiletto Jen: Again we may have to give this to Villanova. Scottie Reynold’s buzzer beating shot advanced ‘Nova over bracket favorite Pittsburgh in the Elite 8.
Another amazing shot during the tourney was from Missouri’s Marcus Denom. Sure, it was a (more than) half-court buzzer beater shot. But, the 65 foot three pointer came as they were heading into halftime, not the end of the game. But I’m sure it hurt Memphis no matter when it was shot!

I’m going to refrain picking my shot until it’s all over!
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Q: Mario Chalmers 3-pointer

Stiletto Jen: …came in the 2008 National Championship game between Kansas and Memphis. Chalmer’s three-pointer with 2.1 seconds  remaining, sent the game into OT. KU went on to win,  75-68,  giving them their first championship in a long time. I should know, I’ve liked them for 15 years and for 15 years they have come close only to fall apart come tourney time.

Watch the Mario Chalmers shot on YouTube

Q: Stiletto website girls NCAA tournament:

Stiletto Jen: Hey! That’s me! Stiletto Sports! Yay!

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Bracketology

Q: What is the point system for college basketball brackets?

Stiletto Jen: Um. No idea. I just filled out a whole lot, was rocking out on them and then came the Sweet 16. All I know is my  brackets went to hell in a handbasket  quicker than Mario Chalmers can shoot a three (or in girl speak, quicker than Julianne can shake those hips).

Well actually, I do know a little. I know that each round has a certain point value per game. Say, Round 1, you get 2 points for every team you guess right. Then in Round 2, you get 5 points for every team you guessed right. The Sweet 16 would be like 10 points per team, and so on. The points go up, the closer you get to the championship.
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Q: How to pick NCAA brackets girls

Stiletto Jen: First I will refer you to Advanced Bracketology which gives some of the most common methods for filling out brackets. I also recommend The Stiletto Sports Official Rulebook for Team Selection aka “the picks” which also helps when it comes down to the intense match-ups. Personally, I use a method that incorporates Mascotology, School Color-ology, and Hot Boy Factor.
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Q: What are the do’s and don’t of brackets?

Stiletto Jen: We covered this question during Bracketology 101: The Do’s and Don’t of Brackets.
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Q: What are the odds of guessing all of the elite eight teams in the brackets:

Stiletto Jen: Eh…. well, the odds of guessing every single team in the 64 team bracket is 9.2 quintillion to 1. So, guessing the Elite 8 is less than that. Ugh, I haven’t had to do a mathematical permutations like this in like, 10 years. If you are picking from the Sweet 16 teams that have already been determined, there are 256 possible combinations to create your Elite 8.
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Q: 65 top teams in order of ranking in march madness

Stiletto Jen: I didn’t really rank them like that. I broke it down by match up per region: East, West, South, Midwest.

For a ranking of the 2009 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, head to CBS Sports.
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Q: “what are the odds that any div. 1 school will make it into the tournament A 1-16 seed will make it to the sweet sixteen..a sweet sixteen team will make it to the elite eight….and elite eight team will make it to the final four”

Stiletto Jen: No joke, someone actually typed all of that into google

And apparently got me. I’m sorry to say, I don’t have a freaking clue and my advice would be, head to your local high school and ask the kids in the senior math Probabily & Statistics class. They would LOVE this kind of problem—plus that kind of math is right in the top of their young brains and ready to be utilized.
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Ask Stiletto Sports: NCAA March Madness F.A.Q. is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Over the last month we have compiled a ton of posts regarding March Madness. I wanted to make a Complete Guide where you can easily find what you are looking for!

The Stiletto Sports’ Complete Guide to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has links to everything from why you should watch March Madness and some of the key (and hot) players to the guides for bracketology and the Final Four–all in one easy to search guide!

What is March Madness and why you should watch it:

• Top Ten Reasons Why NCAA Basketball is so “Awesome, Baby”
• Elite 8 Reasons to Watch NCAA March Madness
• Getting Ready for the Big Dance: What is March Madness
• Dancing With the NCAA: Why is it called The Big Dance? I’m sure you have lot of theories, I know I did! But it took hours to finally found the answer and I can’t wait to share it!

Fun March Madness Commercials and tributes:

• There are no Cinderellas & CBS’s Little Girl/Cinderella Story Series: Cinderella Story was the funniest commercial I’ve seen!
• March Madness: Where Amazing Happens:
• March Madness Tribute Video: One of the best compilations of March Madness highlights that I’ve ever seen.

Girl’s Guide to NCAA college basketball players

• My Super Sweet 16: The hottest, sexiest, cutest, most attractive players of the NCAA tournament
  • Part I: including Chris Kramer, Jeff Adrien, Leo Lyons, Tryeke Evans….
  • Part II:  including: Tyler Hansbrough, Blake and Taylor Griffin, Preston Knowles, Jonny Flynn and Delvon Roe
• Top College Basketball Players That You Need to Know, But Probably Don’t
  • Part I
  • Part II
  • Part III

Girl’s Guide to Bracketology

• Intro to Bracketology: The Structure of the Bracket
• Bracketology 101: The do’s and don’t of brackets
• Advanced Bracketology: The Theories behind the common bracket methodologies. aka–tips on how to pick your teams.
• Mascotology: What happens when a Memphis Tiger meets a Missouri Tiger?
• The NCAA Division I Conferences: Quick NCAA reference guide of all the teams in the conferences

• Guides to the 2009 Brackets:
  • Midwest Region
  • West Region
  • East Region
  • South Region
  • Stiletto Sports’ Personal 2009 Bracket
• 2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Match-ups, Round by Round + my amazing insights!
  • Round 1 Update (Sassy 64)
  • Round 2 Matchups (Trendy & Tenacious Top 32)
  • Sweet 16 Matchups
  • Elite 8 Matchups
    • Tyler Hansbrough vs. Blake Griffin: Elite 8 Matchup of Oklahoma and UNC
  • The Final Four
    • And Starring in this year’s production of Cinderella…MSU

Girl’s Guide to Basketball

Unfortunately this section is still incomplete on my site. I’m a busy girl, what can I say! But I did write up a piece about the differences between NBA and NCAA basketball, from the different rules, fouls, and game play situations. More to come soon!

Other NCAA related info

• Caught Between Calipari, My Rock and a Hard Place: Thoughts on Memphis Head Coach John Calipari accepting Kentucky’s offer

The Complete Girl’s Guide to March Madness is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Here is just a quick glance at the four teams headed to Detroit for the Final Four next weekend. Over the week I’ll be doing more in depth analysis of each team. But here are the basic stats, facts and my quick pick.

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#2 Michigan State (26–6)

• Big 12
  
• Location: East Lansing, MI
• Mascot: Spartans
• School Colors: Green and White
• Coach: Tom Izzo (for shizzo)
• Players: Kalin Lucas, Raymar Morgan, Goran Sutton, Durrell Summers, Delvon Roe, Chris Allen (not to be confused with cutie Kris Allen from American Idol….)
• Claim to Fame: They have won 2 Championships. The most notable was the 1979 game that pitted Spartan Ervin “Magic” Johnson against Indiana’s Larry Bird. Perhaps you have heard of them? That win fueled the rivalry that extended into the NBA with Magic on the Lakers and Bird on the Celtics.

#1 UConn (27-4)

• Big East
  
• Location: Storrs, Conn
• Mascot: Huskies
• School Colors: National Flag Blue and White
• Song:” UConn Husky”
• Coach: Jim Calhoun
• Players: Jeff Adrien,
• Big Name Alumni: Ray Allen, of the Boston “Three-Party” Celtics

Originally I had picked UConn but I’m going to jump ship and go with Mich State! I’m enjoying the run they are on and would love for them to go all the way.

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#3 Villanova (26-7)

• Big East
  
• Location: Villanova, PA
• Nickname: Wildcats
• Mascot: Will D. Cat
• School Colors: Blue and White
• Coach: Jay Wright
• Rivals: Part of the Philadelphia Big 5, which is the rivalry between the schools of the city. “The Holy War” is the battle between Nova and St Joseph’s.
• Claim to Fame: When the famous Liberty Bell cracked, a new one was made called “the Sister Bell.”  Nova proudly houses the bell on their campus
• Players: Dante Cunningham, Scottie Reynolds, Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes—I like to think of them like as the Two Coreys (for those of you who are not children of the 80s, that means the bromance team of Corey Haim and Corey Feldman)

#1 UNC (28-4)

• ACC
• Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)
• Nickname: Tar Heels
• What is a Tar Heel: Been wondering that for years. In short, North Carolina was big on producing tar way back in the days of wars. Also, someone with “tar on their heels” is said to be someone who stands their ground and doesn’t back down.
• Mascot: Ram named Ramses
• School Colors: Carolina Blue and White
• Arch Nemesis: Duke Blue Devils
• Coach: Roy Williams (!)
• Players: Tyler Hansborough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington. And a whole lot of other players that no one can remember the names of becaue those big 3 dominate the headlines.
• Fame and Fortune: home of the great Michael Jordan, amongst many, many others.

Going to have to say UNC, but only because I love Roy Williams.

Girl’s Guide to the Final Four is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Michigan State came out hard and the Spartans never stopped fighting. In a dazzling performance that shocked even Mich State fans, they shut down Rick Pitino’s #1 seeded team Lousiville and provided one of the best upsets in the tournament.

Lousiville, who scored over a 100 points during Friday’s match-up against Arizona—and who averaged 74 points per game all season–was held to only 52 points during Sunday’s battle with the Spartans.

Mich State outscored, out-rebounded, out-defended, and just plain out-played the Cardinals.

The Game Stats:

Mich State: 34 rebounds, 19 assists, 7 steals

Field Goal: 46% 3-point: 50%  Free Throw: 72%

Louisville: 25 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals

Field Goal: 37%  3-point: 29% Free Throw: 56%  They only made 5 out of 17 three point attempts and only 10 of their 18 free throws.

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Players of the Game:

Mich State:

Goran Suton: 19 points, 9 blocks, 1 block, 1 steal and 4 assists.

Kalin Lucas: 10 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal.

Durrell Summers: 12 points, 3 rebounds

Louisville

Earl Clark: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

Preston Knowles: 11 points, 2 blocks, 2 assists and 3 steals

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Michigan State’s Coach Tom Izzo did a fantastic job reading Rick Pitino’s team and directing own his team on how to shut down the #1 team in the touney.

Michigan State heads home to Detroit for the Final Four where they will now have a huge home court advantage.

Michigan State Takes Down #1 Seed Louisville is a post from: Stiletto Sports

The last time UNC and Oklahoma met in the tourney was in 1990 and UNC won with a buzzer beater. This year the story isn’t just about the rematch, it’s about the match-up of the two biggest names in college basketball: Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin and UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough. Whether you love them, hate them or are totally indifferent and think the game will be more about the team effort—there is no denying that these two players are Big Names for a reason. They are fierce and fabulous!

There has been so much talk and speculation about the match-up that I don’t want to dwell too much. Tyler was player of the year last year. Blake looks like the shoo-in for this year. If Blake opts to go to the NBA at the end of this season, he is rumored to be the #1 draft pick—and he hasn’t even agreed to go yet.

I do have a few insights, some head-to-head stats and a Meet Blake/Meet Tyler section to help you make your own decision.

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My Amazing and thoughtful insights:

Until this year I actually kinda liked UNC, but now I do not particularly care for them–no real reason, I just don’t. I think it’s a case of the Tim Tebows.

I guess I better explain that. See, I live in Florida and the state is a bit dominated by Gator Nation’s Tim Tebow amazing football ability. I was so sick of hearing about this guy that I percieved to be a smug a’hole that I refused to like the team. During college football’s BCS I had to force myself to do a piece about him for my SportsMan of Style and was startled by all I found. I hopped right onto the Tebow train after that.

I think the same thing is the case with Tyler Hansbrough. ESPN and Sportscenter totally sweat him and there wasn’t a day from November till now that I didn’t hear his name at least once. It’s kinda like when Rihanna makes a new song and you hear it 10 times a day to the point you can not stand it anymore. It turned me away from UNC basketball, which is a shame because I am a huge Roy Williams fan.

I know for a fact that I pulled a “Tim Tebow” on Blake Griffin. I was anti-Sooner basketball (despite my new found love for the football team) just because I thought he was a media-saturated player. But Blake grew on me really quick. The first time I actually watched him play I was hooked.

Personally, I would love Oklahoma to win, even if my  brackets don’t agree with me. I did them before I developed my crush on Oklahoma!

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Meet Blake Austin Griffin, Oklahoma, forward

Blake is the younger of the two Griffin boys but this baby bro is the star of the team. There’s really not much more I can say about him that hasn’t already been said. He is in the Top 10 Big Names, if not the Biggest Big Name, of college basketball right now, meaning Sportscenter and every announcer, sportswriter and analyst sweats him.

And for good reason! He is hot! Just kidding….sort of….

The Sooners have always been known for their football prowess (mmmm Sam Bradford…….yum….) but Blake’s amazing talent really put Oklahoma on the basketball map too. Players all over the country began to sit up and think, “I want to go to Oklahoma! I want to play with Blake.”

He is super talented and fiercely competitive. He will do anything for the win.  Other teams are calling him The Terminator because he goes into game mode and nothing affects him. He just plays. This poor guy is constantly being injured and beat up on the court with other teams physically attacking him and he just stands up, shakes the dirt off and goes on. His retailiation? Winning the game. During the first weekend of March Madness, he was flipped over in this crazy Wrestle Mania type move onto his already injured back.

Rumors and speculations are flying about the upcoming NBA draft. Even though Oklahoma has managed to recruit some stellar players in the last two years, there is no denying Blake is the epicenter of their success.

Just a warning, sometimes he looks really weird looking. The camera doesn’t always love him. But watch him play and you will totally appreciate it! He is fantastic.

Game Day Stats: averages 21.9 points, 14.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Personal Stats:

• 6′10, 250 pounds
• Birthdate: 3/16/1989
• Major: pre-health and exercise science, currently a sophomore
• Parents: Gail & Tommy Griffin.

Meet Tyler Hansbrough,UNC, forward

Once again, there isn’t much I can say about this guy that hasn’t already been said. He is the Mr. Big Name. And apparently, this poster of him shows that he is also Mr. Teen Beat.

I definitely need to warn everyone, he does not always look so perfect and air-brushed. He can be a hot mess. During a heated Duke-UNC game his nose was smashed in and he’s really never looked the same since. But his body is hot and his play is top-notch, so even in those moments when his nose gets smashed in–again—he still works it.

Game Day Stats:

Averages: 21.4 points, 8.2 rebounds per game

Accolades:

• Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) All Conference Team: 2006. 2007, 2008…etc….
• ACC Freshman of the Year, 2006
• ACC Conference Player of the Year, 2008
• Sports Illustrated and Sporting News National Player of the Year, 2008
• All-Time Leading scorer for the ACC
• All-Time Leading free throw maker for the entire NCAA

He’s so good that his number will actually be retired when he graduates.

Personal Stats:

• Full Name: Andrew Tyler Hansbrough. Wow. As if Tyler wasn’t hot-boy name enough! Andrew is another Hot-Boy Name! Double the hotness! (For the record, I have concluded that “Nick” is the ultimate Hot Boy name.)
• Birthdate: November 3, 1985
• 6′8, 240 pounds of hard muscle….
• Parents: Dr. Gene Hansbrough and Tami Wheat
• Siblings: Ben Hansbrough, also a college ball player.

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Head-to-Head stats:

*created on CBS Sports

Total Points: Tyler  660 Blake   771

Points Per Game: Tyler  21.3 Blake  22.7

Field Goals Made: Tyler 210  Blake   291

Field Goal % : Tyler   52.1  Blake  65.1

Free Throws Made: Tyler  231 Blake  186

Free Throw %: Tyler   85.6 Blake   58.9

3-Point % : Tyler   45 Blake   37.5  (neither have actually taken a whole lot. Tyler has made 9 and Blake 3)

Offensive Rebounds: Tyler   99  Blake   129

Defensive Rebounds: Tyler   153   Blake 359

Rebounds Per Game : Tyler    8.1  Blake   14.4

Assists: Tyler   28  Blake   79

Assists Per Game: Tyler   0.9  Blake   2.3

Blocks: Tyler  12 Blake   41

Steals: Tyler   36 Blake   39    Tie

Turnovers: Tyler    57 Blake   113

Elite 8 Match-up: Blake Griffin versus Tyler Hansbrough is a post from: Stiletto Sports

First, I apologize for the delay in writing my Elite 8 piece. I was a tad, um, incapacitated after the Kansas-Michigan State game Friday night. My boys lost (or so I am told. I have found it much easier to just black-out the final two minutes of the game and assume they won) and I have been having a tough time with it!

So anyway….

Saturday, Pittsburgh met Villanova and UConn met Missouri. My picks were right on the money! UConn and ‘Nova are advancing to the Final Four. I’m saving my recaps for Monday’s Top, Deals, Steals & Scores but let’s just say that as of right now, that Pitts-’Nova game is the game of the tournament. The ending was just unreal–it’s the reason we all love the Madness so much and will not be pried away from the end of a single game during March.

Today’s matchups are Louisville-Michigan State and Oklahoma-UNC. Games are starting soon so I’m just going to do a quick overview. I will be doing a more in depth analysis of the Big Name Player Matchup in the Oklahoma-UNC game.

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#2 Michigan State (26–6)

• Big 12
  
• Location: East Lansing, MI
• Mascot: Spartans
• School Colors: Green and White
• Coach: Tom Izzo (for shizzo)
• Players: Kalin Lucas, Raymar Morgan, Goran Sutton, Durrell Summers, Delvon Roe, Chris Allen (not to be confused with cutie Kris Allen from American Idol….)
• Claim to Fame: They have won 2 Championships. The most notable was the 1979 game that pitted Spartan Ervin “Magic” Johnson against Indiana’s Larry Bird. Perhaps you have heard of them? That win fueled the rivalry that extended into the NBA with Magic on the Lakers and Bird ont he Celtics.

#1 Louisville (28-5)

• Big East Champs
• Location: Louisville, Kentucky (wonder if that’s close to Morehead….)
• Mascot: Cardinals
• School Colors: Red & Black
• Coach: the Rick Pitino
• Players: Edgar Sosa, Terrence Williams, Preston Knowles, Earl Clark, Samardo Samuels
• They aren’t just a #1 seed, they are THE #1 seed. Their season and conference play was so impressive that the committee picked them as their fave!

My Amazing and thoughtful insights and pick: I’d love to say I hold a grudge over Mich State for their win over my boys, the Kansas Jayhawks on Friday night, but truth is, it was a great game and I can’t be mad. My friend Erik was even courteous enough to not rub in the whole “my team is better than your team” all night long. For his sake, I actually hope the Spartans rally and give the Cardinals a tough game. He’s hoping to go see his boys play in the Final Four in Detroit next weke.

Good luck with that!

Like I said, I’m all for a great game and part of me does hope they pull it out, but Louisville rallied back from their close call with Siena in the Trendy & Tenacious Top 32 and completely crushed the Arizona Wildcats by like 40 points. Remember, they are a #1 seed for a reason! Plus, if Louisville stays in the game, there is a chance my dad will keep watching college b’ball and we are really trying to convert him from the NBA!

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#2 Oklahoma (25-7)

• Big 12
  
• Location: Norman, Oklahoma
• Nickname: Sooners
• Sooner than what damnit!: I’ve been curious about their name for a long time! It’s actually a throwback to the early days of land settlement. People were given markers and allowed to claim their land, but a “sooner” was someone who snuck in before they were officially allowed to and staked their claim anyway! (Far & Away with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman when they were still together and he wasn’t crazy, shows a great example of this….)
• Mascot: Sooner Schooner. LOL! It’s actually an oldtime wagon (think Oregon Trail game….) pulled by two horses, Boomer and Sooner
• School Colors: Crimson and Cream
• Coach: Jeff Capel
• Arch Rivals: Texas. It’s called the Red River Shootout. And also Oklahoma State.
• Facts: All I know is that Sam Bradford is the QB for the Sooners football team that almost won the NCAA Football thingy and he was the Heisman Trophy Winner.
• Players: Even better, the basketball team features the Griffin Brothers, Blake and Taylor. Anyone who knows me know that I truly believe there is nothing better than hottie brothers playing basketball together. Oh wait….it can actually get better if hottie brothers playing basketball play shirtless.

#1 UNC (28-4)

• ACC
• Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)
• Nickname: Tar Heels
• What is a Tar Heel: Been wondering that for years. In short, North Carolina was big on producing tar way back in the days of wars. Also, someone with “tar on their heels” is said to be someone who stands their ground and doesn’t back down.
• Mascot: Ram named Ramses
• School Colors: Carolina Blue and White
• Arch Nemesis: Duke Blue Devils
• Coach: Roy Williams (!)
• Players: Tyler Hansborough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington. And a whole lot of other players that no one can remember the names of becaue those big 3 dominate the headlines.
• Fame and Fortune: home of the great Michael Jordan, amongst many, many others.

My Amazing and Insightful Thoughts and Picks: Short and sweet: I want Oklahoma to win it. The only reason I was pulling for UNC in the first place was because I wanted to see a UNC-Duke match-up. Well, clearly, that’s not going to happen and my brackets were beat to crap in the Sweet 16 anyway so now I couldn’t care less what happens to UNC. And I have a bit of a crush on Oklahoma University. (Hey if I can have a crush on the whole state of Arizona, I can crush on a college)

Can they do it? I’m really not sure. I made the mistake of listening to my friends’ insights and some sportscasters analysis so I’m a bit muddled up. But word on the street is that UNC most likely can not shut down Blake Griffin.

As long as the game isn’t a blowout, I’ll be happy.  And if UNC does pull it off, then I just hope ‘Nova beats the crap out of them in the next round!

Elite 8 Matchups: Louisville-Mich State and UNC-Oklahoma is a post from: Stiletto Sports