Every year for the past 16ish years, my family has gathered to watch the Selection Show for the NCAA tournament and then afterward drawn- in many many variations- teams to pull for in the playoffs. I think dad concocted this idea to have an excuse to watch ALL the games during March Madness because someone in our family was pulling for the teams.
Will is always in charge of drawing a HUGE bracket on a piece of white poster board. Each person's teams are written in a different color. Then slowly we fill in the bracket towards the Championship Game. Every year we say the person that wins will get a steak dinner courtesy of the rest of us but to date, this has NEVER happened. This year the fam informed us we are all putting in a dollar. So at least someone will win $8.
After the tournament is over, the bracket goes on the wall next to Will's bedroom. I don't think there is room for any more so it might have to spill over into the bonus room. One of my favorite posters is I think 1992's. Will in his 6 year old handwriting wrote BEAT in big blue letters over every team that Duke beat on their way to the championship that year.
Jonathan was the first non-Fitzgerald allowed into the family drawing. However, he was put on double secret probation and had to have all the 16 seeds his first year (and second year too come to think of it). After the 16 seeds, he could draw with the rest of the family. Unfortunately for him that year, every team of his was eliminated in the first round. Even his high seeds got upset. He has since won back to back years with Maryland ('02) and Syracuse ('03).
This is the third year in a row we couldn't be at the Fitzgerald home for the drawing so we participated remotely by telephone. Brooks came out on top with both UNC and Kansas. Jonathan and I have so-so picks. We'll see how it all turns out. I sure could use $8.
Jonathan's teams Kelley's teams
2 Texas 3 Louisville
2 Georgetown 4 UConn
8 Miss St 7 Miami
8 Marquette 8 Indiana
9 Texas A&M 9 Kent St
13 San Diego 10 Arizona
13 Winthrop 15 Belmont
16 Portland St 15 American
3 comments:
I didn't understand what half of this blog was talking about, but I gotta say, your family sounds really fun. And I bet Jonathan feels really lucky to have married into such a cool family and have a wife who understands brackets.
I think it's so fun that your family does this. Makes me wish I were a Fitz.
Go Texas!
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