okay, they win

I'll guess I'll have to get on the LSU bandwagon after all, if there's any space left. Twice I've come down against that team and twice they've proven me wrong. But, I'll refuse to learn and yet again predict an LSU loss, this time in the Final Four to the Bruins. Looks like UCLA will be favored to go to the championship game. Somebody's bracket is gonna look all nice and pretty when UConn ends George Mason's fairy tale and routs whichever team between Florida and Nova volunteers to be the next sacrificial lamb for the Huskies. Which, of course, would lead to...a UConn victory over UCLA for the championship. Thank you very much.

However, things could get interesting if Florida squashes Nova to get to Indy, which the Gators ought to. That would set up a potential rematch of an SEC semifinal (Florida 81, LSU 65) from just two weeks ago and a cross-divisional showdown within the conference--only this time it'd be for all the marbles. Now that would be good stuff. That's the kind of thing one skips work to watch.

What would top it all off? Florida defeating George Mason to get to the championship game. Sure, that'd obliterate the remains of my bracket, but I'll sacrifice it to see the 11th-seeded Patriots in the national semifinals. I figure the greater D.C. area would go ballistic for the next week. And seeing only the second 11-seed ever (I think) make the Final Four would be great in itself. The catch with all of this is, their path to Indy goes through UConn. Not happenin'.

A final note to ruin what would otherwise be a great night of bracketology...I just realized my Final Four picks are the same for every region as Dick Vitale's. OUCH! I've never been more ashamed in my life...