March Madness 2004

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For those "basketball fans" out there, I've completed my bracket this year and posted it for all to see. Remember, I won an office pool several years ago, so I'm pretty sure my luck has been used up and I'll never win one again.

The NCAA Divsion I wrestling tournament starts tomorrow, and while I don't have brackets filled out for it (330 wrestlers in a double elimination tournament? Get real...), I will predict the finals:

125: #1 Jason Powell (Nebraska) over #2 Luke Eustice (Iowa)
133: #3 Johnny Thompson (Oklahoma St.) over #4 Foley Dowd (Michigan)
141: #6 Dylan Long (Northern Iowa) over #5 Cliff Moore (Iowa)
149: #1 Jesse Jantzen (Harvard) over #2 Zack Esposito (Oklahoma St.)
157: #3 Jake Percival (Ohio University) over #2 Ryan Bertin (Michigan)
165: #2 Troy Lefters (Lehigh) over #1 Tyrone Lewis (Oklahoma St.)
174: #5 Eric Hauan (Northern Iowa) over #2 Tyler Nixt (Iowa)
184: #1 Greg Jones (West Virginia) over #2 Ben Heizer (Northern Illinois)
197: #3 Sean Stender (Northern Iowa) over #1 Damion Hahn (Minnesota)
HWT: #1 Tommy Rowlands (Ohio State) over #2 Pat Cummins (Penn State)

Team Placing:
1. Oklahoma State
2. Nebraska
3. Northern Iowa

I'm obviously biased towards my alma mater here, and most likely totally unrealistic in estimating Northern Iowa's chances. But Dylan Long was in the finals last year, I really like Eric Hauan's style, and Sean Stender lost to Damion Hahn (last year's national champion) 10-8 earlier this season. They'll all have to be sharper than they looked at the West Regional, but I have faith that Coach Penrith can get that done.

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