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0 Subject: 2004 Contest discussion

Posted by: Chuck
- [542531619] Thu, Mar 18, 2004, 12:25

This is my favorite fantasy sport that I'm involved in. I think it has something to do with my success.


In 2002, I finished 7th
In 2003, I finished 6th
In 2004, I finished ???

Anyway, I figured with the first game up, this would be a good thread to track progress.
Only the 50 most recent replies are currently shown. Click on this text to display hidden posts as well.
54Deadeyes
      ID: 441532522
      Sat, Mar 20, 2004, 23:28
guess who moved up 300 spots today. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. Guess who strategy on the picks was solid. Now i only need Kentucky and St Joe's to lose... and i will be WAY up at the top. Guess who shorted Gonzaga??? that's right I did. Props for those who shorted Stanford. I couldn't decide who to short ST Joseph's or Stanford. Now i know to short stanford every year because they suck.
55TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Sat, Mar 20, 2004, 23:41
;-(
;-(
;-(
;-(
;-(
;-(
;-(
;-(
;-(

3 years and it still burns just as bad. If Rashad stays for 1 more year...at least we will be preseason top 2.

THK
56Tree
      ID: 572492021
      Sat, Mar 20, 2004, 23:43
guess who moved up 300 spots today. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.

wow. i bet you get your ass kicked a lot in the real world.
57Deadeyes
      ID: 441532522
      Sat, Mar 20, 2004, 23:46
Tree you such a backstabber. GTH.
58Chuck
      ID: 542492022
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 00:00
Deadeyes- care to link to your team or give a team name so we can follow along with you?

Today was an up and down day for me.

My top team went from #33 up to #5 and back down to #43.

My second team moved up to #81. I think this team is actually going to pass my first team sometime next week. It has a lot more variety and upside. My top team is banking on 4 seeds. Whoops.

My third team (basketfree) is #140. It is #14 in the basket-free standings.

UNC and Maryland really killed me today.
59kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 00:27
My strategy really didnt kill me that much. Maryland and UNC help me in shorting the ACC, and UNC hurts me longing them...not bad.
60TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 01:00
kev-
Shorting the ACC is never a good idea. Especially this year. GT has a legit chance to the FF and I have seen them picked more than I thought. Duke is always a threat to win it all and they are clicking right now. WF is still my pick to get out of that region with Chris Paul leading the way.

THK
61kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 02:35
THK...

I really did this last minute. The thing is, I longed Wake, because I believe, like you, they are the best team in that region. I shorted them, because I don't think GTech or Duke will come out of their respective divisions. I figure the shorts I make on #1 Seeds, Duke, and Maryland, along with my long of Wake will make a difference.

It's sort of like middling I guess. We will see if it pans out.
62Tree
      ID: 572492021
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 08:05
i shorted the ACC too.. hooray! :o)
63TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 17:59
Well I didn't expect the bad calls and an NCST loss! ;-(

GT, WF and Duke are still legit Final Four options.

THK
64TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:21
UAB was one of my upset teams but they recieved a higher seed than I expected. STILL KNOCKED OF UK! This tournament was shaping up to be very boring after the first round IMO but it got very fun very fast in the 2nd round.

Who still has a decent looking bracket?!?

NCST got a terrible call today to take away my DREAM of an All ACC Final Four.

I think UAB can beat KU and GT will take it to Nevada IMO.

WF will still beat St. Joes in a good game and Pitts vs. OSU I have no idea...should be a great defensive battle.

A rolling Duke will beat a rolling Illini IMO and Texas will end Xaviers dream run.

I really want Bama to beat Cuse, but for some reason I have a feeling Cuse will advance again even though I don't feel they have a good ball club. UConn has a cake walk to the Final Four IMO.

I would like to see GT, WF, Duke and UConn Final Four and I think it is very do-able. It should be a fun next weekend.

THK
65kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:27
My bracket isn't too bad. I was one of the few to take Pitt over Wisconsin, and I really feel Pitt will carry Momentum and beat Okie St. Wake really should beat St Joes.

My final 4 still has a shot with Pitt, GTech, UCONN, and Duke.
66Deadeyes
      ID: 262272117
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:28
shorted Kentucky here. I should be close to the #1 spot soon enough.
67Deadeyes
      ID: 262272117
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:29
wow i picked kentucky and #1 seeded bracket on the shorts and I drop 20 spots.. What the F????
68kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:30
Deadeyes, what do you have longed?

I shorted #1's and the SEC, and longed CONF USA

Some people probably passed you with that sort of thing.
69Deadeyes
      ID: 262272117
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:32
Georgia Tech [3] -10 3 11 14 4
Providence [5] -6 -12 -12 -18
Washington [8] -1 -9 -9 -10
UConn [2] -15 2 10 12 -3
#2 seed basket
( Gonz, Okla St, Miss St, UConn ) -59 8 -10 -2 -61
#3 seed basket
( Ga Tech, Pitt, Tex, NC St ) -40 12 19 31 -9
#5 seed basket
( Prov, Fla, Ill, Syr ) -24 -14 26 12 -12
#7 seed basket
( Mich St, Memph, Xav, DePaul ) -12 11 15 26 14
#8 seed basket
( Wash, Tex Tech, Seton, Ala ) -4 15 16 31 27
SEC (6 teams)
( Ky, Miss St, Fla, Vandy, Ala, So Car )
70Deadeyes
      ID: 262272117
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:35
I am not doing too well on the longs. I wish i just had shorts. I figured my longs would be very minimal if my shorts did well and my short gains would be minimal if my longs were good. They kind of contradict but I figured it would work out to positive numbers on both ends. GO UCONN, Oklahoma st, Georgia Tech, syracuse, xavier, texas tech, alabama, and Vandy.
71kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:37
I dont know if I will win, but I feel pretty happy to be in the top 10. I have never been in the top 50 before this year, not once during the whole time.

A Kanas, Pitt, UCONN, Texas final 4 would do me fine.
72Sludge
      Leader
      ID: 25919714
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:37
TTU is already toast. Scratch them off your list.
73Tree
      ID: 572492021
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 19:59
how am i doing?

this is the first time i've played, and i'm still trying to grasp things.

i've been floating around the top 10 since the onset, and i'm #7 now with the Sweet 16 filled in...

but i really don't quite know how to compare what i still have left and what other people still have left and so on.

is there any way to discern this? someone who comprehends better than me take a peak? i'm #7 - Tree. :o)

thanks!
74TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 21:25
Tree-
You have both WF and St. Joes shorted so no matter the outcome of the game it hurts you twice (you also have the #4 and #1 seed baskets shorted). Duke will hurt you shorting them I feel which also hurts with the ACC...GT and WF could also hurt you there...

OSU could be solid if they play like they did today but have a tough road. UAB I feel has another upset in them while Nevada is done with the payouts IMO.

GL

THK
75kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sun, Mar 21, 2004, 23:39
Tree, I don't have tons of experience, but looking around, an Okie St Championship looks very important to you.

Also, it seems like your best bet is a 2 seed on the other side to go far...obviously, that would be UCONN.

For me, I think my only chance at winning is a Pitt/UCONN final.
76Jazz Dreamers
      ID: 31813510
      Mon, Mar 22, 2004, 14:41
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this already, but this year's tournament reminds me a lot of 2000 so far. In that year, there were also only a couple of first-round upsets, but lots of second-round shockers. In the first round, there were only three upsets (2 #10's and a #11). In the second round, 2 #1's and 3 #2's were knocked off. Also, there were 3 #6's beating #3's in the second round.

That was the year Wisconsin and North Carolina made the Final Four as #8 seeds, while Florida made it as a #5. Of course, some sanity prevailed with Michigan State, a solid #1 seed, being crowned champion. Also in the elite 8 were #7 seeded Tulsa and #6 seeded Purdue.
77BigCheney
      ID: 52462214
      Mon, Mar 22, 2004, 15:46
If you have the time, can someone please break down where I stand? How I'm doin? This is my first year doing the March Madness, and as you can imagine it is quite overwhelming for a rook. I'm currently in 89th. Thanks ahead of time.
78TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Tue, Mar 23, 2004, 00:25
RE: 76-
I have heard the same comments on ESPN quite a few times after the 1st round.

THK
79Razor
      ID: 451181621
      Tue, Mar 23, 2004, 19:59
"UAB I feel has another upset in them..."

Silly Tarheel, early exits are a trademark of Roy, not Kansas. I love the fact that we lost two All-Americans and our supposedly amazing coach and got farther than UNC who got everything they wanted. Serves ya'll right.
80TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Wed, Mar 24, 2004, 23:25
LOL...

We will see how it ends up. If you would like to put a Guru bet or something (UAB +4.5 last I saw) on it just let me know before Friday's game.

THK
81biscuits7
      ID: 3610582217
      Thu, Mar 25, 2004, 11:32
I have Uconn, Oklahoma St., #2 seed, Big East, Big 12 and # 4 seed long and St. Joe’s short (also #1 seed and Atlantic 10 short). I figure I’m either going to catapult from WWR 135 to top 10 or plummet; although I like my chances of a 4 game sweep tonight (Uconn, Oklahoma St., Syracuse and Wake). It’s been a great tourney so far. MARKET MADNESS is better than any office pool. Guru, you’re a GENIUS!
82Chuck
      ID: 302372313
      Thu, Mar 25, 2004, 13:08
I haven't updated my teams standings, so, in the very least for my personal knowledge next year, here they are:

My #1 team is now in 51st place. (7:7)
My #2 team is now in 77th place. (6:8)
I am expecting a flip flop of these two teams by the end of the weekend. I haven't played everything out yet (that's no fun...), but my focus has now gone to the basket-free team (for now...)

My basket-free team is in 90th place overall, but has taken over #1 in the basket-free standings. That one is short on:
St. Joe's/OK State/Texas
and long on:
Kansas/Pitt/Wake Forest/Duke/Vanderbilt

Of course now I want my final four to be:
Kansas/Wake Forest/Duke/Vanderbilt... at least for that team. :D
(though I see no way Vandy can make it that far, a man can hope).

By this weekend, I will pick my best team and start all-out rooting for them. Even now though, with so many shorts and longs alive on each team, many of the results are neutral to me. The only place that's not true is the basket-free team. So by default, I'm rooting for those teams, and will see how everything else shakes out later.
83TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Thu, Mar 25, 2004, 17:07
Hm...I am suddenly anit-OSU. Go Pittsburgh!!!

WF W
UConn W
Cuse -1.5
Pitts +2

Hope these 4 win tonight! ;-)

THK
84culdeus
      ID: 5515619
      Thu, Mar 25, 2004, 17:59
I think in general I am learning that shorting baskets and longing seeds can leave you with a zero-sum game.

I think in the future I'll stick to longing seeds, they are easier to evaluate IMO.
85culdeus
      ID: 5515619
      Thu, Mar 25, 2004, 18:00
er, shorting conferences.
86Deadeyes
      ID: 262272117
      Thu, Mar 25, 2004, 21:26
Pitt's Point guard is HORRIBLE. Thinks he can do everything himself. Pitt WILL LOSE
87kev
      ID: 3155515
      Fri, Mar 26, 2004, 00:42
Well, there goes my chances....oh well.
88Tree
      Donor
      ID: 599393013
      Fri, Mar 26, 2004, 06:43
i *think* i'm still doing well...although OSU upsetting St. Joe's would be HUGE for me....
89Chuck
      ID: 302372313
      Fri, Mar 26, 2004, 10:43
Yup, all 3 of my teams died last night. I'm sure if all the right things happen I could still snag a GuruPatron prize, but I don't have enough teams alive versus my liabilities. Ah well... now I just get to root for whomever I wish.

I *think* i'm still doing well...although OSU upsetting St. Joe's would be HUGE for me....

Granted that would be an "upset" in seeding, but head to head, I think OSU is the stronger team. I think there's a pretty good chance of that happening.

Truth be told, the biggest development in this game will be if UAB/Nevada/Alabama make it to the Final Four. Their bonuses will be huge. Anyone with multi-long exposure on them will get huge boosts. That will also sort out the basket-frees if they make it that far.

It's very tough to know who is in contention until the Final Four are set.
90Chuck
      ID: 302372313
      Fri, Mar 26, 2004, 10:44
Oh yeah, Xavier is another major player in all this, too. If they hit the Final Four, things will be shaken up big time.
91Deadeyes
      ID: 18115269
      Fri, Mar 26, 2004, 10:50
Hey look at my team it's #88 Bannedcarpets.

Do i have any chance to win? In short, what is my best case scenario?
92TaRhEElKiD
      ID: 150521415
      Fri, Mar 26, 2004, 20:37
Razor...I am feeling my words now. UAB can't handle KU thus far in the ball game. Xavier and Texas shaping up to be a good ball game.

THK
93Razor
      ID: 20222616
      Mon, Mar 29, 2004, 09:13
Ok, so KU is out, but I still wanted to respond...did you really think UAB would be able to hang with KU? KU had a week to prepare, had way too much beef inside, and most importantly, had an awesome PG who destroyed the press. Kentucky had none of these things, which is why they lost and why we won by 25.
94Species
      Leader
      ID: 7724916
      Thu, Apr 01, 2004, 14:56
If it's OSU vs. UConn in the finals, I win. End of story.

Go Huskies and Cowboys!
95Deadeyes
      ID: 18115269
      Thu, Apr 01, 2004, 15:02
i am going for a GT vs UCONN with GT winning it to make top 10. I won't win i saw someone with the same picks ahead of me.
96Richard
      Dude
      ID: 204252420
      Thu, Apr 01, 2004, 18:40
I have three teams in the final four (Georgia Tech, Ok St and Duke). Any scenario that includes UConn surviving the next game, wrecks my plans. Go Blue Devils!

Richard
97Species
      Leader
      ID: 7724916
      Thu, Apr 01, 2004, 18:57
It's kind of funny. I have the ACC shorted, but have GA Tech and the #3 basket longed.....but I have OSU, the #2 basket AND the Big 12 longed, so I have to see OSU to win.

I have Duke shorted x 3, so if they make it I am toast.
98biscuits7
      ID: 3610582217
      Fri, Apr 02, 2004, 18:14
Species: I'm riding your coattails. UConn, Okla St. #2 seed, Big East, Big 12 long, #1 seed short. Storrs, CT is the Mecca of college basketball. Duke?? Isn't that a bible school?

GO HUSKIES!!

99kev
      ID: 3155515
      Sat, Apr 03, 2004, 20:19
shorted the ACC, longed the 3 seed, and Georgia Tech, shorted the 2 seed.

Worked out not bad....
100Deadeyes
      ID: 262272117
      Sat, Apr 03, 2004, 21:10
everyone in the top all did the same exact thing??? what does this tell us? that the tournament was very very very predictable this year.
101FRICK
      ID: 441551913
      Tue, Apr 06, 2004, 11:59
Guru, was the best possible score this year 728. So the highest possible score would have just missed the 500 dollar prize by 4 points. What is the closest anyone has come before?
102StLCards
      Leader
      ID: 31010716
      Tue, Apr 06, 2004, 12:02
After shorting GA Tech and taking KY, Gonzaga, and Stanford long, I still managed a +1! woo hoo, that might be my best score yet!
103Guru
      ID: 330592710
      Tue, Apr 06, 2004, 12:48
I have the best possible score calculated as $891:
All unit returns sorted from best to worst

Longs: (cost $226, total return $518)
UConn
Big East
Ga. Tech
#2 seeds
#3 seeds
#8 seeds
Big 12
Alabama
Xavier
Okla. St.

Shorts: (shorted for $299, total return $373)
#1 seeds
Pac 10
SEC
Kentucky
Stanford
Miss. St.
Gonzaga
#5 seeds
#4 seeds
NC State

The winning score of $652 was 73% of the best possible.
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