Before I inundate you with a 5,000 word anthology about the 2011 National League, I just wanted to follow-up on my “Complete Idiot” picks for this year’s NCAA Tournament (Round 1, Round 2, Sweet 16 and beyond).  With 35 of 48 correct picks (73%) and three of my Final Four teams still around, I am killing it with 45 points.  But really, what do those numbers mean without comparing them to some of the so-called “experts?”

Break yo’self Michael Wilbon, David Aldridge, Jim O’Connell, Pat Forde, Tony Kornheiser, and Bob Ryan!

(h/t to The Tony Kornheiser Show and www.thiswebsitestinks.com for tracking the expert picks)

The light heavyweight strap in the UFC has been passed around more then your girlfriend the last couple years. Since 2007, the belt, it has had six owners, the latest was this weekend with Jon “Bones” Jones who at 23 is the youngest light heavyweight champion in UFC History. Bones destroyed Mauricio Shogun Rua and got the duke with a third round technical knockout. Which puts Rashad Evans, who trains with Bones, as the number one contender for the belt.

Hit me with a spinning back fist, ESPN:

Former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, who trains with Jones at Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., entered the cage afterward. Recovering from a knee injury, he appears to be next in line to challenge for the belt.

“Well, I guess you should never say never, right?” Evans said. “We train together, but he’s got that strap, and I have to go after it.”

Good to hear. I am so sick of hearing about fighters who won’t fight their friends and would rather have sleepovers and give each other makeovers on Saturday nights. I think we can all agree that this is exactly the type of black-on-black violence that we can get behind.

By now you have heard the news that UFC has made yet another acquisition by buying up Strikeforce, home to scorned ex-UFC fighters like Frank Shamrock, and Paul Daley. Not to mention bigger draws like King Mo, Bobby Lashely (when was his last fight!??) Dan Henderson, and Herschel Walker.

Tim Marchman has a good column on SI about the barriers that the UFC must overcome in order to expand the business and compete with the likes of the NBA, NFL, and the WNBA.

Full disclosure, I am a Strikeforce fan. Just as I was a K-1/Pride fan, and a WEC fan before they got folded into the ever-expanding tent of UFC. Strikeforce is going to be separate until at least 2014, and they are immediately adopting UFC rules. Still, this is bittersweet for me because, although I like the potential future match ups, I believe that competition is best for consumers (straps dynamite to chest, prepares to run into the Comcast headquarters). Buying up Strikeforce potentially means that if Fedor wants to try his hand in the UFC heavyweight division, he can. It means that Herschel Walker can show up on a UFC card. It means that Bobby Lashley may someday fight again.

With Strikeforce now under the Zuffa brand, Bellator represents the only competitor left. Bellator is somewhat unique from UFC in that it structures its events around tournaments, rather then assigning match-ups. The roster does not have any big names for casual fans but the hope is that the concept catches on, like bj’s after Monica Lewinsky, or adopting african children after Brangelina. Like sex with your mom, I strongly encourage you to check out Bellator on MTV2. It won’t call you up in six weeks hysterical because you don’t like condoms, either. What am I, a sailor!?

So here we are – you slaved away through a terribly cold and crappy winter just for this weekend. There’s absolutely nothing in the news right now that makes you smile (aside from Charlie Sheen and even his act’s getting old). Well, today there is: it’s Christmas morning for sports fans.  Does it get any better than this? No way.  And to make sure you get your picks in before the (real) first round games begin, let’s wrap up the rest of this exercise.  Remember: I know nothing so if you roll with Duke, you do so at your own risk. Oh, and thanks for reading for the last 365 days, it’s been fun.  Here’s too many more. Enjoy the games; it’s all downhill from here:

East

1 OSU v. 4 Ken-tuck-ee: Sometimes, when I’m unsure of whether I like the result of my prediction, I’ll put it to the “Nantz Test;” i.e., could I picture Jim Nantz making an over-the-top speech at the end of the game tying everything together. In this case, you get the feeling OSU is going to win it all simply because of the trouble they’ve had with their football program. So, would this make a suitable game-ending speech?

The waning seconds of the 2011 NCAA tournament championship game:

Jim Nantz: “Dwight Eisenhower was in office the last time the Buckeyes were on top of the college basketball world, but it looks like that will all change tonight in Houston. Clark, I spoke with Coach Thad Matta earlier this week and he told me he spoke to Jim Tressel Sunday night and said, ‘Coach, we’re gonna win this one for you!’ And indeed he did! The Ohio State Buckeyes are your National Champions!”

See, totally plausible.  

UK has the Judd Factor, but she hasn’t made a good movie in a loooonnnggg time. Also, I can at least name one player on OSU; I don’t know anyone on UK. That must mean they aren’t very good.  OSU

2 UNC v. 3 Syracuse: I’m an ACC guy, but I think the Big East was infinitely tougher and better this year. Plus, ever seen Boeheim’s wife? Duh… Winning! ‘Cuse

Southwest

1 Kansas v. 5 Vanderbilt: Did you know Vanderbilt doesn’t even have an athletic department? How do they field a team? Kansas

3 Purdue v. 10 FSU: Since Florida State is winning their second round game purely because of my hate for their opponent*, I’d say this doesn’t bode well for another tough match-up. Purdue (*Irony alert! See Final Four picks below)

West

1 Duke v. 13 Oakland: Everyone will be rooting for Oakland to win this game simply because they despise Duke. Too bad the NCAA referees would never let this happen. Duke

2 San Diego State v. 11 Missouri: Ask anyone that’s ever stepped foot in San Diego: they’ll never say a bad word about it. Ask anyone that’s ever stepped foot in Missouri: if you can find one. SDSU

Southeast

4 Wisconsin v. 8 Butler: You’re my boy, Bo! Oh, and also because “The Butler did it” is the worst sports pun ever. Wisconsin

3 BYU v. 10 Michigan State: BYU suspended its second best player because he went to Bone City with his girlfriend. Michigan State probably shouldn’t be in the tournament in part due to legal problems like DUIs. BYU may be short a man, but at least you know what they will (and won’t) be doing the night before their games. When in doubt, go with Christ, brah. BYU

Elite 8

1 OSU v. 3 Syracuse: How the hell can your nickname be a color? Even if I give them the benefit of the doubt: what the hell is an “Orangeman?” Is this some bad racist joke no one else is in on? Then again, a “Buckeye” is a tree. What if you went to Stanford and your nickname was a color and your mascot was a tree? I’m confused. OSU

1 Kansas v. 3 Purdue:

Dear Josh Selby,

You’re from Baltimore, MD and you chose to go to Kansas? Well sir, in that case, you can choose to go to hell.

Regards,

Duke Jackson

Purdue

1 Duke v. 2 SDSU: Have I mentioned I dislike Duke? Not a lot to dislike about San Diego. SDSU

4 Wisconsin v. 3 BYU: Aw hell, I’ve practically convinced myself Bo Ryan is the same person as Bo Jackson. Might as well go with it. Wisconsin

Final Four

1 OSU v. 3 Purdue: I went and looked back at Purdue’s road to the Final Four and aside from a “Dumb and Dumber” reference, they’ve advanced purely off of my disdain for their opponents and their opponents’ opponents (irony alert!). Pretty remarkable… and lucky. OSU

2 SDSU v. 4 Wisconsin: On pure basketball pedigree, San Diego State is a runaway winner. Throw in Steve, Tony Gwynn, pristine beaches, Southern California, authentic Tex Mex, and you’ve got yourself a blowout. SDSU

Championship Game

1 OSU v. 2 SDSU: In a perfect world, the Aztecs would win, marking the end of an amazing tournament. In the wake of Tattoo-gate, NCAA establishment school OSU would suffer another great championship game let down as the little guy finally wins the big one. As we enter into spring after a long, rough winter, there’d be hope for us all. Nonetheless, we live in a world of pain, suffering, and “American Idol.” But hey, this would be the second year in a row a small conference school made the title game. Rome wasn’t built in a day… OSU

Wanna build the perfect bracket? Impossible. But you can take your chances with me, a guy who refuses to use fact or reason when making his picks. Just like the guys on your local sports radio station! You can check out Round 1 here.  We’ll finish things up Thursday morning. Once again, keep in mind I know next-to-nothing about this past season of college basketball.

East

1 OSU v. 8 GMU: As I’ve mentioned before, most UMD students have gigantic chips on their shoulders. I’m not any different. I don’t really want to see Northern Virginia-based GMU win anything. They also have ugly uniforms and they screwed my bracket in ’06.  OSU Read the rest of this entry