On Sunday, 68 teams were selected for the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Poker players were active on Twitter as the selections were revealed and let their Tweeps know how they felt about who was in and who was out.
Poker pro John D’Agostino got the Tweetfest off to a start. He exclaimed, “Greatest time of year, here we go! The selection show,” as CBS announced the tournament field. Tim “Tmay420” West was, at least, hearing the selections, as he mentioned to his followers, “It’s torture having the selection show on in the same room and not being able to watch it.”
As the show continued, many top players commented on the presentation of the event. “These NBA analysts on CBS are brutal,” Taylor “Green Plastic” Caby critiqued. “NBA guys shouldn’t do March Madness w/no prep. Show extra games on Turner, but use college analysts.” For the first time this year, CBS will share the broadcast of the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament with three other networks: TNT, TBS, and truTV.
Poker News Daily Guest Columnist Bernard Lee discussed the newly introduced First Four: “With 68 teams in NCAA tourney, why are UAB & Clemson playing for a 12 seed? Figured all the 16 seeds would have play-in games.”
Watching the NCAA selection show intently to see if his squad would make the field was Shannon Shorr. The University of Alabama graduate was congratulatory in the early going, Tweeting, “Oh wow UAB,” after the University of Alabama-Birmingham earned their entry into one of the First Four games. When fellow SEC bubble team Georgia was announced as part of the field, Shorr could only Tweet, “Georgia noooo!” In the end, the Crimson Tide would not be part of the 68-team field.
Every year, after the 68 teams are chosen, there are some squads left out that many feel should have been part of the fun. This year was no different and poker players took to Twitter to complain about particular teams being snubbed. “Some shocking teams made the NCAA tourney,” Tweeted Christian “charder30” Harder. “Can’t wait for the #sethgreenberg interview. Jay Bilas and Dick Vitale confirmed mad.”
“On behalf of the NCAA, I would like to apologize to the Colorado Buffaloes for being left out of the tournament,” Full Tilt Poker pro Erick Lindgren Tweeted after the teams had been named. West agreed with Lindgren as to the slight, Tweeting, “The Buffs are the one that really bothered me. To play in that conference and have so many quality wins, it’s just unbelievable.”
After all the selections had been made, poker’s elite sounded off on the chances their favorite teams had to win the National Championship. “UNC’s bracket is so absurdly tough,” Randal Flowers Tweeted about his Tar Heels. “Washington as a potential 2nd round match up and 4 Big East teams in the bracket. Plus #1 overall OSU.”
“Kansas drew the toughest 8/9 seeds by far,” Grant Hinkle observed over Twitter. “But if they make it past them, then I think they have the easiest remaining field.” Allie Prescott was excited about his team being chosen, Tweeting, “March Madness is upon us! Memphis kicking things off on Friday versus Arizona…. Anybody heading to Tulsa?”
For those looking for an expert’s opinion – and a possible edge as they fill out their brackets – ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas offered his thoughts. “Committee had a tough job; this is a weak field. But, no excuse for these decisions,” Bilas griped over Twitter before giving his picks. “My Final Four is Kansas, UConn, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse,” Bilas chirped. “Kansas to win it all. I picked KU last year.”
