Joe Lunardi's First One is Up

[lawmaker]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Funny how Joe works. Creighton picked to win the Valley by many, and are the predicted Tournament Champs according to him are a 13 seed. We are a 12 predicted to play Virginia Tech and if we win, Alabama. Small small world.

[_kai_]

That makes total sense.

Creighton seeded a 13.

Wichita State seeded a 12, and we get the play in game... I don't understand how they have a 12 seed play the play in game.

[WuShock Reaper]

Check out what Sarah from Wichita asked (it's at the end of the chat):

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/41182/bracketologist-joe-lunardi

[_kai_]

I laughed at "pootential." I felt like I was in elementary school haha.

[XManCometh]

That makes total sense.

Creighton seeded a 13.

Wichita State seeded a 12, and we get the play in game... I don't understand how they have a 12 seed play the play in game.

I suppose it's just so more "deserving" teams are allowed a chance. Instead of just putting a bunch of Jacksonville State's in play-in games, they allow teams like VCU to get their chance. I'd much rather have it this way. 5 seeds are an easy knockoff.

[XManCometh]

I also don't see how Wisconsin is a "sleeper" team. THEY WERE A 4 SEED LAST YEAR JOE. They also have one of the best PGs in the nation returning.

Lunardi is such a joke. How he continues to have a job doing this is flabbergasting.

[RoyalShock]

It means he thinks WSU will have a better year and win the MVC regular season, but CU will win the MVC tournament and get the auto bid, protecting them from the "1st round". I can't fault that logic since CU has had more success at Arch Madness than WSU.

That said, it's time for my monthly-during-the-season critique of Lunardi. Historical analysis suggests that Lunardi is barely a mediocre bracketologist. But it's still fun to see his and other's bracket projections throughout the season. Keep 'em coming!

[Anthroshock]

"Joe Lunardi (2:40 PM)

So I should take them out??"

Yes, Joe. Please do. Because you have so much influence over the selection process.

Lunardi has followed the same path as most sports commentators. He plays up the smaller schools when his career starts, and then panders to the bigger schools when he finds some success.

[WSUwatcher]

I'll offer my periodic "Who cares?" without even looking at his bracket. Why does he even bother to wait until the season starts -- to make sure none of his picks suddenly drop basketball?

[SubGod22]

And he obviously thinks the Valley as a whole sucks big time.

[Capitol Shock II]

I have lost respect for his brackets but unfortunately a lot of other people haven't and I believe his wild ass guesses do have an influence on the selection process.

[The Mad Hatter]

I have lost respect for his brackets but unfortunately a lot of other people haven't and I believe his wild ass guesses do have an influence on the selection process.

I don't really think that his guesses exert much influence on the process, especially since he always has to make a whole bunch of last minute changes to his bracket right before the selection committee meets to have any semblance of successful prediction.

At this point, the difference between Lunardi's "Bracketology" and "Astrology" is not enormous.

[_kai_]

I don't really think that his guesses exert much influence on the process, especially since he always has to make a whole bunch of last minute changes to his bracket right before the selection committee meets to have any semblance of successful prediction.

At this point, the difference between Lunardi's "Bracketology" and "Astrology" is not enormous.

+rep for the bolded quote. Hilarious.

[WuDrWu]

Check out what Sarah from Wichita asked (it's at the end of the chat):

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat...st-joe-lunardi

Atta girl! What do you think....Waldo? McGee? Lungren?