Choices?

Ok, the BCO is in a charity group ... actually president this year ... the horror.

From BCO Pix2

From BCO pix

Well the March meeting is my favorite, outside around a fire (in a barrel.) Smoked wings, steamed oysters, hot chili, beer, friends and gambling!!

From BCO pix

You see before the first games begin the club of 30+ 10ish guests show up and bid on the teams. There is no price limit and pooling money is customary.

16 teams will go for a combined $2k+, this year in bad economic times ... I expect $2500, maybe 3k combined, Chalk means mo' money. The teams that get bid the most on the high end like UNC and doook will likely go for $400 to $500. This year Pitt, loooeyville and UConn may as well. ACC teams are almost always overvalued due to our location.
The low end, Arizona and Purdue will go for $70ish.

From BCO Pix2

So who should the BCO bid on? First the payouts:

Winner: 45%
Runnerup: 20%
Final Four participants 10% (20%)
Largest loser margin* 6%

Club gets 10% to the general fund, we are a charity, you know.

*The largest margin is typically for Sweet 16 teams that are in over their heads and get swamped. It's why someone will pay $40 for George Mason. Ooops. Some years a Final 4 team will get handled and the owner will get money for making the Final 4 and losing by the most.

Ok, I will pool my money with a couple of guys, but UNC, doook, looeyville, UConn and Pitt will be too rich for our blood.

I don't like playing the biggest loser, so Arizona and Purdue are out, unless I can get them for $40 and under. A wing and prayer.

So that leaves me with OU, missagain state, Kansas, Memphis, Mizzou, Xavier, Villanova, Gonzaga and Cuse.

Who do I take my chances with? Others in my predicament are going thru this thought process as well.

Teams I don't like at all:

• OU - cuse zone will eat the young guards up, but Blake will keep em close.
  
• Zags - nice story but unless Ty Lawson is hurt, they have no chance.
• missagain st - big1+10 team, no chance vs loooeyville
• Kansas - very young
• Mizzou - trap wont' work nearly as well now
• Xavier - needed a miracle to be VT, Pitt will mug em then kiss their moms

Teams I like enough to gamble on:

• Memphis - our athletes are better than yours ... well almost.
• Cuse - tough, matchup zone, low post, shooters, great pg
• Villanova - tough, spread, attack, not scared
  

Problems with teams I like, Memphis likely won't out athlete UConn and Cal won't out coach Calhoun. Cuse could give UNC fits, I sorta like this matchup and no Big East team in the Final 4 will scare them. Ditto for Nova but doook is very, very similar in style/size to Nova. Nova's toughness should win this game, but the Pittsburgh.

Hmmmm, looks like BCO and friends will bid semi-heavy on Cuse and Nova. Now how high is too high to spend? Thoughts?

From BCO Pix2

From BCO Pix2

By the way it sucks buying a team and watching them lose a close one that same night.