NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament Brackets…

Let the bitching and moaning, and obsessive viewing, begin.

No. 1 seeds include three predictables (North Carolina, Kansas, and UCLA) and one less-so (Memphis, though ranked No. 1 for a good chunk of the season).

Printable bracket diagram here.

Women's bracket to come.

And let me make a salient point, regarding reason's general philosophy: All these athletes should be getting paid something approaching their market value (which in many cases wouldn't be much more than a scholarship). And as much as I really love college sports and will be glued to the tube from here on out (rooting against at least three of the four No. 1 seeds), I agree with Milton Friedman that there's something fundamentally retarded about the whole concept of mixing higher learning with essentially pro-level sports. (And I should say that there's a similar problem at the K-12 level too, where sports always takes away from more clearly educational programming and culture; and I say that as a multiple letter-winner, not a sports-hater).

Comments

[kcjerith]

Rock Chalk

KU is going all the way

[Tom]

Go Heels!

[Jesse Walker]

What Tom said.

[Taktix?]

Who beat G-Town?

Pitt = the most underrated NCAA team, 8 years running...

[Everyone]

Duke Sucks

[Taktix?]

Who beat Duke?

Pitt = the most underrated NCAA team, 8 years running...

[John-David]

Who cares? THE Ohio State University has the #1 seed in the NIT, which this year is the only tournament that matters. Kiss my ass, Pro Lib, Florida is going down!

[Yahoo Answerer]

I used to agree with what Nick is saying. I used to live in Columbus, Ohio and grew to HATE the Buckeyes and their fans. But now that I have stepped away from that and can look at it more objectively their is a value to having ports teams attached to an educational institution. For one thing it provides an outlet for physical activity at an age when that can be powerful and (if not directed) dangerous. It allows the institution to grow BOTH the mind and the body. It can also help to generate revenue for the institution. That being said, some institutions take it WAY too seriously (particularly at Ohio State.)

[Mr. X]

The Eagles are in the tournament for the first time in the 82-year history of the basketball program.

[Citizen Nothing]

Ditto, John-David.
NCAA? What NCAA?

[John]

If I ever have to bury my libertarian credentials, it'll be for college athletics. It may seem crazy, but it's all voluntary association, and it's a great way to hold an alumni base. Professional sports leagues have decided that they want their players to mature for some time before handing them millions of dollars, and athletes don't sacrifice as much if they decide to spend four years studying.

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk
Go KU

[Citizen Nothing]

That OSU-Dayton game in the quarterfinals is gonna be HUGE.

[Dog\'s New Clothes]

Tennessee is going down.

GO EAGLES!

[GinSlinger]

Did I just find myself in agreement with John?

Frightening!

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU
Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU
Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU; Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, KU; Rock Chalk, Jayhawk; KU

[peachy]

Oh, please. Ohio State win a national competition? As a top seed? That's the kiss of death for the Buckeyes, my dear fellow.

It would be neat, in a slightly sad, bizarro kind of way, to kick your asses back Columbus one last time.

[Ohhsweetconcord]

Yeah, I agree with John and Yahoo on this one. In many ways, athletes get paid more than what they generally would be playing for without college sports. And its all technically apart of the market, though in many ways they are publicly funded.

[Citizen Nothing]

Buckeyes - Gators. April 3, MSG.
Bring it, peachy.

[hke]

Since most college sports programs lose money, can we get these kids to give back their tuition waivers?

[Robert]

I agree with Milton Friedman that there's something fundamentally retarded about the whole concept of mixing higher learning with essentially pro-level sports. (And I should say that there's a similar problem at the K-12 level too, where sports always takes away from more clearly educational programming and culture;

Walter Olson explained the reason for it: tax advantages. It bugs me that varsity sports crowd out what could be a thriving culture of minor league amateur & semi-pro sports that would be much more flexible without being tied down to schools and the requirements of academics.

[matt]

GO KU! KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU KU North Carolina is ok. Tenesses's style of playing is good.

[Matt]

John i read ur comment and it's not cause ur from KU, it made sense. Plus I think we all agree it's good clean fun.