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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2001)
EA Sports game sparks Madness TWO MINUTES FOR CROSSCHECKING J_ PETER HOCKADAY Have you ever played that word association game, where someone (usually your psychologist) says a word, and you fire back the first word that pops into your mind? March. Madness. Tournament. Bracket. Buzzer. Beater. Final. Four. Aahhhhhhh March. Spring break, golf, CBS all day, every day. I even watch the soap operas in be tween the Madness. Days of Our Lives? You know it. So, of course, you want to know who I’m picking for the Final Four. Doesn’t everybody? (Sarcasm peo ple, learn to recognize it). Well, if you go by the video game, EA Sports’ March Madness 2001, that fellow sports staffer Adam Jude and I played the other day, Boston College and Arizona will square off in the champi onship game. Unfortunately, Jude is a video gaming God, whereas I am still try ing to figure out the controls of my original Nintendo, so he (playing with Boston College) spanked me (playing as Arizona) around in the final two minutes and took the game by 10 points or so. Also un fortunately, our other two Final Four teams were Duke and Califor nia, who both happen to be in the same regions as our finalists (we obviously played this mock tour nament before the actual tourna ment pairings were released. We may be dumb sportswriters, but we take our March Madness seri ously). Even though I lost the game on the scoreboard, I won it in spirit and heart, which is why I’m pick ing Arizona to win it all. Go ‘Cats! No, seriously, I really do like Boston College going all the way to the title game. The Eagles are the quintessential Cinderella’s, com plete with the glass slipper coming off at midnight, which is exactly why the Wildcats will topple BC in the final. As for Arizona, yes I hate them too, but they have so much talent that it will be impossible to deny them once they fire up the VlO en gines. Arenas, Woods, Gardner, Jefferson and Olson all on fire at the same time? The thought sends chills down my spine. The rest of my Final Four is completed by Stanford coming out of the West Regional, and, in a shocker, Oklahoma coming out of the South. Why Stanford? They have talent up and down the roster and at every position, a coach, Mike Montgomery, that has a hoops IQ so high I’m surprised his head doesn’t explode basketballs and a longball assassin in Casey Jacob sen, who, when he’s on, is unstop pable. The Cardinal’s bench is de pleted, however, which is why they will fall to BC in the semifi nals. Why Oklahoma? If you saw the Big 12 title game, or any part of the Big 12 Championship, you know that the Sooners are hotter than a fire poker. They have long-ball precision and play with passion and heart. They will do what Okla homa State cannot — harness all their emotion on the court, and up set a few teams on their way to Minneapolis. It’s insanity.J^’s craziness. It’s March. ' T Madness. Peter Hockaday is a sports reporter for the Emerald. He can be reached at phocka day@yahoo.com. Final 4 Picks Jeff Smith, sports editor Men: Arizona, North Carolina, Boston College, Maryland Champ: North Carolina Women: Connecticut, Okalahoma, Iowa State, Tennessee Champ: Oklahoma Scott Pesznecker, assistant editor Men: Arizona, Stanford, North Carolina, Duke Champ: Stanford Women: Duke, Tennessee, Connecticut, Notre Dame Champ: Tennessee Peter Hockaday, sports reporter Men: Arizona, Oklahoma, Boston College, Stanford Champ: Arizona Women: Notre Dame, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Tennessee Champ: Connecticut Robbie McCallum, sports reporter Men: Arizona, North Carolina, Stanford, Duke Champ: Arizona Women: Rutgers, LA. Tech., Tennessee, Notre Dame Champ: Tennessee Adam Jude, sports reporter Men: Arizona, North Carolina, Maryland, Boston College Champ: Maryland Women: Tennessee, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Connecticut Champ: Notre Dame Jack Clifford, editor in chief Men: Duke, Indiana, Florida, Arizona Champ: Duke Women: Tennessee, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Connecticut Champ: Tennessee 0113331 Buy any foot long sub at regular price and get a 1/2 size FREE! Select from 1-15 sandwiches! CORNER OF 17TH & PEARL ST. • 302-12141 ‘NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER Oregon daily emerald worldwide www.dailyemerald.com Your Bracketville Dance Club. Jiggles 2165 W. ' Help Is Just Around The Comer... 010174 ■ Ju%l head to the store with no long lines, the best advice around and service l|ke it ought to be! mm7nMl/MueHARDWARE 2825 Willamette • 342-5191 VISA
