Sorry, Christmas. THIS is the most wonderful time of the year. Get ready to hear this guy’s song 1000 times.

A work Sunday with travel, so I am tired.  Working myself through the brackets and list in quick fashion, and then going to watch ANOTHER hour or two of bracket analysis.

1.  We are all talking about the Warriors this year, and we should be.  But, in reality, they can still get a record, but are only FOUR games ahead of the Spurs.  The Spurs have won FORTY ONE straight at home.  The Spurs are EIGHT games up on the overall third place game.  But, that is not where I am going with this.  The Capitals have SEVEN less losses than 2nd in the NHL.  That is almost as impressive.
2. The ONE time I don’t rent a car on a Sunday work travel day, the boxes aren’t full and I have to Uber all over the city getting gear because no one ships on Sunday.
3. I meant to go to bed at 10pm last night, but then Rounders came on TV way too close to the ESPN channel.  Dammit.
4. Even my cat likes Rounders.  
5. I have ESPN on in background, it is on a commercial, and that Tarzan commercial came on.  Sorry I am different, but I am fine with asking someone QUICKLY directions to a place.
6. Denver doesn’t want to have to go talk to Ryan Fitzpatrick, but they might have to with the options out there unless Jeff Garcia is still sitting on his couch waiting for phone calls.  How ironic.  A bunch of people from Harvard crunching numbers on Denver’s pickups, and they could pick up the Wonderlic kings of all kings from Harvard.  
7. Speaking of Denver, I heard they were looking at Dak Prescott, and he got so excited he went out, got a buzz, and drove.  
8. So, this Sharapova story is leaking now into a Nadal story?  2012 was shady a LITTLE, but I think we are putting the cart before the horse.
9. The Pens are kind of in a spot in the standings where losing Malkin for a couple months…just isn’t good.
10. Process this.  I know we are in the mountains out here, but Denver has won TWENTY THREE ski crowns.  Amazing.  I know our mountains are the best, but other states have SOME type of mountains to practice on.  
11. No, I don’t ski much ironically.  I just hike them and talk about them.  I sit at the bottom of the mountain and set up drinks for my skiing friends.
12. Kyle Busch apparently is doing well turning left on Saturdays and Harvick is doing well in turning left on Sundays.
13. No one understands how the Griz keep losing people and winning more.  We get that.  But, I have no idea HOW that lineup from Charlotte has won 13 of 15 and is firmly in the playoff hunt.  
14. Actually, I like all of them.  But, just in college.
15. Who is excited?  This Louisville thing is just going to get better and better…or worse and worse depending on how you view it.
16. I hate Duke like everyone else, but I just turned the channel from the whole Duke lacrosse thing even though it is fun to hear negative things about Duke.
17. When going out for dinner, I noticed that downtown Phoenix is severely lacking my obsession.  Adjectives/ Animal bars.  Nothing.  I saw the Blue Hound, but that is a gastropub, and the Whining Pig sounded promising, but was a wine bar, which I chuckled at what they did there.
18. I would never, ever go on my own to a wine bar.
19. Ok (deep breath).  I worked for most of the Selection Show, missed doing my traditional isolated pen and paper/ pick at commercials time, but I have had time to pick my bracket.  I picked my rough draft in approximately in four minutes.  Just my rule.  Notes are below.  Dammit, I love this time of year.  Here we go.  Random as always, and more to come in the next few days.
20. So, the #1 seed in the South region plays in Des Moines and the #1 seed in the Midwest region plays in Raleigh?
21. And stop complaining about a #2 seed, Michigan State, as your Sweet 16 game and Elite 8 game would be in Chicago.
22. Nice that the committee is a smartass and has things like MSU and UVA in the same region and possibly Temple playing Nova in second round.
23. You can talk Oregon down, and I think Michigan State is better, but they pretty much earned their #1 seed.
24. Plus, the committee LOVES the Pac-12 apparently year in and out.
25. In my four minute picking (picks coming), I do my first draft without taking fully in account the location of the game.  That is where I adjust.
26. Don’t know about you, but I am surprised we made it to 2016 before there was a “leaked bracket.”
27. Tulsa, Cuse in and Monmouth out?  Come on.
28. I wanted to have UVA and KU or MSU in the championship game, but they might be in the wrong spots to make that happen (well, obviously MSU of course).
29. I might finally watch a play in game, as Vandy-Wichita State were both top 25 teams preseason, are experienced, and (by the way) can both beat Miami (but they won’t).
30. I wanted UVA to stay out of teams that fell out of grace during the year but were good on paper.  They dodged MD, Cal, and Gonzaga (for at least until the Elite 8) so overall happy with our grid.
31. Baylor vs. Yale might be the weirdest game we see all season.
32. Hold on.  Sneeze attack.
33. 14 consecutive in 1:35.  Weak.
34. And people will fall asleep in sports books if Butler and UVA end up playing in round 2.
35. OU-A&M in the third round is SO intriguing of game.
36. UNC vs. UK in the third round will have 10 of the best athletes in the nation on the floor.
37. But, UNC will be sweating Providence first, as they have two kids who could start on UNC.
38. Gonzaga’s strength is their bigs.  Seton Hall’s strength is their guards.  That sounds interesting.
39. Did you know that Frank Mason III and Devonte’ Graham from Kansas oddly both got recruited by Towson and Appalachian Mountain State before Bill Self called?  I didn’t.
40. UNC is a top ten team if Paige is how he has been this season.  They are downright scary if he is hitting.
41. The East easily leads my loaded or most titles region.  Lots of interesting things going on there.  You have the perennials at the top with IU, UK, UNC, and a bunch of irritating teams at the bottom in ND, Wisconsin, Xavier, and WVA.
42. I know it was OT, but kind of surprised that UK beat A&M today in a conference championship and UK ended up the lower seed.  Weird.  Was the bracket already done or something before they played?  The updater must have had to go to bathroom.
43. LSU is going to sit out the NIT also?  You might have talked it over with your players, but pretty sure they want to suit up.  Suit up and PLAY unlike what they did against LSU.
44. I think I like Yale or Little Rock as my 12 seed winners.
45. Watch Iona, people, although I am not officially picking my Sweet 16 darling/ Davidson yet (had them in Elite 8 Steph’s last year).
46. OK,   I have OU and UVA locked in to the Final Four (that is a joke as only UVA is locked in on my bracket).  I have KU and UNC, but my most logical subs would be MD for KU and UK or WVA for UNC.  Trying to to think about a perfect PERSONAL championship matchup with UVA vs. my lady’s OU…but I think it can happen.  Can’t wait to go to Stoney’s decked out in UVA gear.
47. Marty, no prizes.
48. I met AND sang the March Madness CBS Sports theme with Bob Christianson backstage at a concert.  One highlight of my life.  http://www.bobchristianson.com/?q=cbs-ncaa
49. That’s it.  Will I blog tomorrow?  That is a CLOWN question, bro.  Peace.