Peace life and ideas

Playing it safe at the NCAA

I know you think that its just hockey. The Hockeyman forever. And yes I did play this morning. I was dismal. I've been as sick as a dog all week and so I was just weak today. Not only did I not score I was never even close. Top that all off we had the shooter tutor at one end which does not make for much of a game. (I will explain later)

And really this is not about sports- its more about the idea of sport. I love basketball. This week started the NCAA men's tournament and I entered the tournament challenge on ESPN to go through a process to pick the tournament winner. The tournament starts with 64 teams and you pick each round. I made two entries... first I picked the teams I thought would win... then I picked one where the favorite would win in each case. so If a number 7 seed played a 10 seed the 7 seed always wins.. On my knowledged based entry I an in the 61 percentile of entries.. and on the pick the favorite I am in the 87th percentile. There are about 4 million entries.

The point of this is that I would have been a lot better off to pick the favorite in any case. But will I do that next year? Never, nada... I will never think that the easy way is the best way. Is this arrogance? ignorance? or the human spirit that wants to play. It s like deciding the other team is better so not playing the game. No matter whether you lose 3 of 4...it just makes that 1 of 4 much more sweeter.

I think its the human spirit. I want to compete. I know I will probably lose but I don't want to not play. Maybe its the romantic nature of being the underdog. Taking the favorites no matter how calculating, or easy - is just not rewarding.

Maybe this is the innate human characteristic that causes people to be warriors. I want to win. I want to mix it up... The war gene link- makes it good to have sports. The losers who rank in the 61st percentile live to play again next year. Maybe if Khaddahar had a team in the tournament the local Inman would have a little less power. Maybe George should have played a little more hockey or basketball.

I love the NCAA tournament. It is fun. The low ranked teams rise up. You have one game to win..thats all....and then you are on to the next round or out the door.

The shooter tutor is used when one damn goalie sleeps in and does not show up. rather than put some poor sap in net or shoot at an empty net, you hook up this tarp with holes in the corners and right in the middle--- over the goalie net opening. If you shoot through a hole, its counted as a goal. Its made so kids can practice their shooting... "shooter tutor"

posted by hockeyman @ 3:35 PM