Well, the undefeated season came to a crashing halt as Kentucky fell to Wisconsin in the semi finals, only to see Wisconsin come up short again the 2015 National Champions, (it hurts to type this) Duke Blue Devils. The Team Selection pool was all but sorted heading into the final four due to minimal surprises through the latter part of the tournament, although, Michigan St helped many climb the rankings. The Pick Em All pool came down to the final game and had Wisconsin pulled it out, we would have had our fist back to back winner. As fate would have it, Duke won and we have a new champion (and his second Pick Em All title in 6 years). Congrats to the winners and thanks to everyone for participating.
Team Selection Winners:
1st: Willie Allan
2nd: Mike Johnson
3rd: Hugh Cooper #5
Pick Em All Winners:
1st: Keifer House
2nd: Mark Bellefontaine
3rd: Mike Johnson
Please note that I will look into ways to more easily accept international money transfers, but due to potential tax implications (to the sender), I'll have to give careful consideration as to the impacts and feasibility of any such options. Thanks for understanding and apologies to those who experienced the troubles.
I welcome feedback on the pool as well as how you felt about the Bonus Scoring changes implemented this year in the Pick Em All pool. Thanks again and see you next year!
NOTE: As some parents like to have their kids play along, the following will be implemented this year - if you are registering picks on behalf of your child (18 and under), please let me know and I'll make note and update the official entry name as something similar to
Important Dates - 2015
March 15: Selection Sunday
March 17 & 18: First Round Games (not required for the pool)
March 19: Deadline for entries
March 20: Deadline for Payments
April 5: Final Four
April 7: Championship Game and Winners Declared
My Tournament Predictions
1. Duke will not win (I will ensure of it) (DAMN IT!)
2. Kentucky will not win (I hate Calpari and he doesn't deserve that type of reward) (RIGHT!)
3. North Carolina will not win - as much as I want them to, I think they're missing too many things.
4. All 1-3 Seeds will win their first round match up (WRONG)
5. One "play-in" winner will advance to the Round of 32 with an upset in the round of 64 (Up to Boise St now) (WRONG)
6. More than one team will drop a hundo on some poor team in the round of 64 (WRONG)
7. Some poor team(s) will be held below 35 in the round of 64 (ahem...Belmont and Manhattan/Hampton winner) (WRONG)
8. One of the play-in games will produce a buzzer beater that will be in the running for finish of the tournament (Close - but wrong)
9. Other than Kentucky - no SEC teams will win a game (WRONG - Arkansas won)
10. The ACC will go 6-0 in the Round of 64 (RIGHT - 6-0)
11. Pac-12 will go 1-3 in the round of 64 (Wrong - 2-0 after Day 1)
12. The Big East will be down to 'Nova and Georgetown after the round of 64 (WRONG- 3-0 after Day 1)
13. I will win all pools. (WRONG - I'll call that after Day 1)
HOW MUCH DO I OWE?
Is that a question you're wondering? If so...follow this rule:
Add up your Team Selection Entries: 1st one = $15 and each subsequent = $10
Add up your Pick Em All brackets: 1st one = $10 and each subsequent = $5
So...if you had 3 Team Selections and 4 Pick Em Alls:
Team Selection: $15 + 10 + 10 = $35
Pick Em All: $10 + $5 + $5 + $5 = $25
Total: $35 + $25 = $60
Got it?
HOW MUCH DO I WIN?
Payouts are determined after all entries are paid, service fees paid out and then awarding winnings based on a 70%, 20%, 10% split. In the case of ties for 2nd and/or 3rd, see the Rules for Tie Breakers.
(updated for 2015)
NOTE: All payouts are in Canadian dollars!
FIRST FOUR - WE DON'T COUNT
When you start selecting your team and making those tough decisions, one thing you won't need to spend any time on is the first four games - we don't not count them (yet). So, when selecting your team, if you choose to select the winner of one of those games, you theoretically get two teams (but only the advancing team matters). Good luck!
Note: No points whatsoever are earned in the first four games - no scoring bonus points, no upsets points, no points for the win.
Note: No points whatsoever are earned in the first four games - no scoring bonus points, no upsets points, no points for the win.
2015 POOL DETAILS
Team Selection: The granddaddy of our pools, you MUST enter this pool in order to participate in any of the pools. This is a unique pool, unlike any other. You pick teams based on the seedings (4 teams that are seeded 1, 2, or 3, 4 teams that are 4, 5, 6, or 7, etc.) and in the end, you end up with 16 teams varying in seeds from 1-16 (yes, you may end up with all 4 #1 seeds - your choice). Points are earned by wins, upsets (lower seed beating a higher seed), and scoring (both offensively and defensively). The Rules section plays out a few scenarios to help explain the scoring and the points. It really isn't hard to understand when you see the example. See the bottom of this post for directions on how to pay.
Pick Em All: This is your standard, run of the mill "bracket" pool that everyone's used to - fill out a bracket and hope for the best. We don't do anything different here, with the one exception that in order to fill out a bracket, you must submit a team selection pool! See the bottom of this post for directions on how to pay. The details for the pools remain the same as previous years:
- You MUST go in the Team Selection Pool.
- You may NOT just go in the Pick Em All pool.
- You may register your spot early for this pool, but the brackets will not be available until after the tournament draw is announced
For those new to the pools, please check out the Rules section that helps explain both the Team Selection and the Pick Em All pools.
RULES FOR PAYMENTS
Payments MUST be sent in by the end of the Round of 64 - MARCH 20th, 2015. If they are not, all of your entries will be removed from all pools and you will be banned permanently from all future pools. I cannot stress this enough - I do not like hounding people months after the pool to get their payments in (this results in people hounding me for their money and I feel like the bad guy although I've done nothing wrong). SO....you've been warned.
Payments MUST be sent in by the end of the Round of 64 - MARCH 20th, 2015. If they are not, all of your entries will be removed from all pools and you will be banned permanently from all future pools. I cannot stress this enough - I do not like hounding people months after the pool to get their payments in (this results in people hounding me for their money and I feel like the bad guy although I've done nothing wrong). SO....you've been warned.
BANNED + SHAMED LIST
- Jeremy Krief (2011): $15
- Carlos Cabrera (2009): $15
- Sam Wilson (2008): $90
- David, Donna, Jason and Daniel Rubenstein (2008): $100
- Steve Pettipas (2007, 2009 NFL): $150
* there are others, but I am struggling to locate the file I saved them to; those on the banned list may get back in by paying for their outstanding debt and as well paying 100% upfront prior to the pool starting (current year + previous debt)
Email Transfers
My email address for email payments: jason@DISREGARDTHISPART-seabright.ca
There are no longer transaction fees for this - you're welcome. lol
*See above "How Much Do I Owe" to determine your debt - it will be posted as well here
There are no longer transaction fees for this - you're welcome. lol
*See above "How Much Do I Owe" to determine your debt - it will be posted as well here
All Cash Payments
Jason House - text/call me to arrange payment (9**) 809-HABS (I am no longer in Vancouver though!)
Note: Checks are no longer acceptable. Please do NOT mail a check. Please do not ask if you can mail a check. You have plenty of advance notice to make alternative arrangements for payment. I do NOT want to go to the bank and deposit checks that get held, etc. It's cold here in March! You'll also notice there's no address - I've moved so it's not the same either. And for me to cash a check, I have to drive 50 minutes - so, please either get off your wallet and pay the $1.50 transfer fee or somehow find a way to send me the funds electronically (or show up at my house with cash). Sorry to be a hard a$$ on this, but it's the age of technology - we need to learn to embrace it. If you send me a cheque, you will be added to the banned list (after I cash your cheque). I am not kidding.
Jason House - text/call me to arrange payment (9**) 809-HABS (I am no longer in Vancouver though!)
Note: Checks are no longer acceptable. Please do NOT mail a check. Please do not ask if you can mail a check. You have plenty of advance notice to make alternative arrangements for payment. I do NOT want to go to the bank and deposit checks that get held, etc. It's cold here in March! You'll also notice there's no address - I've moved so it's not the same either. And for me to cash a check, I have to drive 50 minutes - so, please either get off your wallet and pay the $1.50 transfer fee or somehow find a way to send me the funds electronically (or show up at my house with cash). Sorry to be a hard a$$ on this, but it's the age of technology - we need to learn to embrace it. If you send me a cheque, you will be added to the banned list (after I cash your cheque). I am not kidding.