Dave's Epic Win

Dave - Congratulations on your first round (actually the second round) epic win. Much inspirational.

Love, Donny

p.s. - no pain, no pain

It is Written 2010

This is the Mantra for achieving general success in life and getting protection in all matters. It increases respect from others and social contacts. It gives stability in job or business. Most auspiciousness is anticipated for those Houston Cougars who will recite this Mantra 15 Lakh prior to each competition.

Humbly, your most devote servant,
Guru-Ji

Selection Sunday

Thank Goodness...

...that the McIllece Family Bracketology trophy will be staying at our house. Otherwise, where would Anna put her CTR ring when she wasn't wearing it? Hmm?

Congratulations, Tony!

"Nuff Said.

It Is Written

When the India McIlleces failed yet another time to even remotely bring home a trophy last year, despite the signs we witnessed last year, we decided to take drastic measures.  We consulted a pandit/Guru for wisdom.  To watch Guru-Ji at work was most impressive.  The end results was his predictions for the outcome of this year's March Madness.  We were stunned to learn that American and Washington's stars were in the ascendancy, and look forward to seeing them shine this year.  Rest assured that Dave's presence at the "reading" had no bearing on the results of this bracket.  He only served to channel the energy through Guru-Ji (and help him pronounce the difficult names).  

Ouch!

Yeah, I'd be licking my wounds too.

I am among GIANTS!

I would like to start this season off my being the first to concede defeat.  I recognize that I am a shrimp among basketball GIANTS!  Fodder for the rest of you... 

So best of luck, and may the best of the rest of you win!

Are you MAD?

I love the smell of TRASH TALKING in the morning! March MADness is here!



Ladies, it is time to join your husbands to brush up on all that ESPN has to offer. We are officially on The Road to the Final Four! Curtis left this morning for the WAC tourney in loverly Reno, NV. Wish him luck!

Rules this year are the same. One bracket each. Good luck. Please use the Yahoo sports website again this year by going HERE. Our group name is mcillece bracketology and the password is mcillece.

Can't wait to see Tucker's and Cora's brackets...

The Trophy Exchange!

For the record, Donny has officially passed the coveted McIllece Family Bracketology Trophy back to Anna.


It was a beautiful, heartfelt ceremony complete with weeping and twinkle light crown. Anna carried it in her pink roller suitcase all the way home wrapped in her special blanket...we didn't get searched but did garner a second glance from the security guy who x-rayed her bag...

Until next year!

Here She Comes! Miss Bracketology...

Congratulations (click here) ANNA! She did it again! I knew when both UCLA and UNC lost in the semis that my run this year was over. Once again Tony inspired his little ones. Anna lead early and kept a commanding lead throughout the tourney finishing with 98 points setting a new family point record!
It was tough for me to take it on the chin again but I always have next year.
I could use some input about the formats used this year. Did you like using the yahoo brackets and/or the family blog? Would you like to use them again? I personally miss all of the paper brackets hanging on the wall and marking them off but I don't miss the time spent in relaying totals.
Thank you for playing. It was great fun!
Love, Wendy

From the Home Office in Wahoo, Nebraska

Top Ten Signs Your Team Won't Be Winning The NCAA Basketball Championship

10. Your top player scores 20 points a game, but most of them are in the wrong basket.

9. You spend most of the game guarding the mascot.

8. Some of the players joined the team for the free headbands.

7. Instead of drinking Gatorade, team uses timeouts to moisturize.

6. Typical motivational speech: "Let's hurry this up so we can shower."

5. The scorekeeper doesn't bother to light up your half of the scoreboard.

4. In your region: North Carolina, Duke and the '98 Chicago Bulls.

3. You lead the conference in nosebleeds.

2. Team refuses to attend games because they don't want to miss a new episode of The George Lopez Show.

1. Players ask themselves, "What would the Knicks do?"

David Letterman, 3/16/05

SWEEEEET!

Wow! What a weekend. Thanks to Coach Rupp we had the opportunity of a lifetime with Taylor and Anthony in Little Rock, Arkansas. Just wanted to share some pics (that Taylor took) of our experience watching the Texas/Miami and Memphis/Mississippi St games. Curtis gave you his insights on the bracket message board (priceless) so I wanted to give you the visual aids to complete the picture. Thanks to Grammy Joan who gave up her ticket so I could attend. Love you Mom!

History of the Game?

You can only check your brackets so many times before you realize there is no possible way to win. (sigh!) That will not deter the "AD" McIllece's from continuing to play McIllece March Madness if only to be fodder for those of you with "skills"--bowstaff skills, bracket-choosing skills, smack-talking skills. I was, however, interested in discovering how & when basketball was invented/created. I had no idea it was a YMCA guy back in the 1890s... did you? And I came across this picture:

I've played basketball for several years now, and I used to be pretty good, knew all the rules, etc. But I can't for the life of me figure out what part of the game would require this? Why is he doing the splits, and what is he looking at? Maybe Curtis could fill us in on the finer details of the game?

Cougars=CRAP

Despite my apparently overactive sense of loyalty, I will never, EVER pick the Cougs to win again. Like I don't say that every year.

But I really mean it this time.

WHEW! I was impressed that 'Ali-gator' had the foresight to pick Belmont! One point from being prophetic! Duke was nearly the Goliath slayed by the little boy from Belmont with at measly sling shot...Yeah DUKE !!!(turn up the volume for this link)! Kept my bracket in tact.

Ancient Hindu Wisdom...

I've been a bit concerned that I have no edge... no advantage in this bracketology science. The commissioner has hinted that divine intervention was desired, but then thought better of... then it hit me! India is home to many ancient wisdoms... older than most other world cultures. I sought my own gurus--the ancient art of Mehendi.

Some people look to the stars for their future and direction... I just went to the local market. I was a bit mystified when the designs were not symmetrical, in fact they didn't even come close to looking similar to each other, but then I noticed the odd orange slice shape on my right arm. Wait... it's not an orange slice... it's..... it's a BASKETBALL! It's fate... it's KARMA! Despite my lack of bracketology prowess in the past, I have a feeling this will be a good year for me.

I've been researching the opinions of experts (employed and self proclaimed) and I have decided that a dart board would be a statistically viable method for choosing teams (especially among seeds 1 thru 3 in each bracket). I nearly said a prayer while selecting my teams but decided against it-didn't seem quite right. Good luck to one and all...

Make a Hoe...I'm Comin' Troo

Da Legen' ... iz BAAAAAAACK!!

Inaguration Day!

"LLLET'S GET RRREADY TO RUMMBLLLLE!" (click me)

It's time to sharpen you pencils and fill in your 'Sheet of Integrity'. It's Selection Sunday but it feels more like Christmas for the sports fanatic!

Please utilize this forum to share thoughts, feelings, frustrations and victories. I expect that you will all have fun, keeping it creative, competitive and clean. We all have access to post blogs and I look forward to each and every entry.

Remember that everyone's brackets are posted online at http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/ . You can check and recheck your score and everyone else's as well.

I will be doing some point totaling and round recapping this year but not like in years past. I want to include y'all in the process-thus the blog was created for you and all of your brilliant insights and trash talking. Have fun and remember to get your bracket submitted by Wednesday night just to be safe.

Donny just a suggestion...you may want to pack the trophy to India just in case. It may save you on postage.