Calcutta Morning Line: Slayers tabbed as 2019 chalk

2018 Champs (Catholic Boyz) don the coveted Yellow Jacket (photobomb by the Chief)

Amherst, N.Y. -- The 2019 Calcutta was off with a bang with the 1 seeds flying out early and in a big way. A donning of the Yellow Jacket, a toast to our late counselor colleague and a welcome to our newest counselor got the ball rolling.

The Tax Slayers avoided Chapter 11 by making a big push with late money to artfully pick up some solid squads at bargain basement prices. It was the first year that the Bunch of Chieftans brought their analytics to the draft with Bradley "Billy Ball" Hall putting the metrics to work all evening long as supplied by his long time partner. They may just end up in the closet after surveying their picks post-draft.

The defending champs maintained their low ASR strategy that propelled them to last year's championship and gave a nod to the team that got their name engraved on the Chalise (sic) with 6-Villanova.

A gentle reminder that the results are posted in the upper right hand corner where you can see all of the teams. Recaps after every round will be posted here with a link emailed out to the group.

Over the past five years Average Seed Ratings (ASR) for the Calcutta champ has been 7.1 (Catholic Boyz - 2018) 9.6 (Commish - 2017), 9.9 (Win-Docs - 2016), 7.3 (Tax Men - 2015) and 8.5 (Bunch - 2014, record 16 wins). So it's been all over the board, but the morning line maker tends to lean towards the lower ASR.

So let's get the morning line rolling....without further adieu.....

The Tax Slayers. (3-1 ML, 8.4 ASR) Heavily slanted to the right hand side of the bracket, the Slayers will need their top dogs in 1-North Carolina and 2-Tennessee to do reach the Final Four to have their best shot. Picking up wins by any of their 9 seeds (Baylor, Oklahoma and Washington) in the vaunted 8-9 games would only push their agenda forward. Sleeper:12-Liberty

Slayers hoping Carolina is #1 and not #0

The Catholic Boyz. (4-1 ML, ASR 7.4) Was a tough decision not to tab them as the morning line favorites, with the low ASR, the artful draft strategy for the squad looking for the repeat. Looking to be the first repeat winner since the Bunch of Chieftans in 2010-11, the Boyz once again drafted low-to mid-range seeds. Lowest seed is 3-LSU, who struggled down the stretch with on and off the court issues. With 5 teams seed between 4-6, they could easily walk into the weekend with 6 wins on the board. I really like 5-Auburn, but they may have shot their wad (sorry, Father) in the SEC tourney.
No longshots of note. Dangerous.

Who remembers the Flying Nun? 

The Win-Docs. (9-2 ML, 9.4 ASR). Sky high ASR, but look no further than 2016 when they took the crown with a 9.9(!!) with the go big or go home strategery. They may have done it better than the Slayers by being cross bracketed with their two top seeds (1-Gonzaga in the West and 2-Kentucky in the Midwest). Man, it was quiet in that corner this year. I'm guessing they mean business and Smytty is drafting for next year's honors again after last year's top rate performance. They need 7-Wofford to be the real deal to hit the board, I see them plodding along with their fate to be determined in the second weekend. Sleeper: 9-UCF. Always a threat.

The Win-Docs were in sync together all night

The Counselors. (5-1 ML, 7.1 ASR). Complete change in draft strategy with Baki at the wheel (you could almost hear "don't do that!"). A team that usually holds the change until the end of the night, it was strike early and strike often by the barristers. A lotta eggs in teh #4 seed basket though. Three of them if you're counting at home (Kansas, Fla State and Va Tech). Counting on the ACC second tier squads to show their big conference muscles. Snazzy 7-Cincinnati pick with them playing the opening weekend in nearby Columbus (less than 2 hours away). Sleeper: 15- Colgate. Don't throw the book at the legal beagles.

Snappy start by the Counselors

Elder Statesman. (6-1 ML, 8.6 ASR). This team's like clockwork with the middle seed strategy and pray someone goes deep. If they can sneak three wins out of their #3 seeds (Texas Tech, Purdue) they could be a nuisance come the regional finals. Fate likely decided if 5-Wisco or 6-Maryland can pull off a second round upset. Quiet at the far end of the table, probably a Notre Dame thing. Last Calcutta share of the title was in 2011, last outright championship was 2005. Time's running out on the Elders. Sleeper: Yale. Don't count them out.

Caption this...

Bunch of Chieftans. (7-1 ML, 9.1 ASR). They have Duke.

Not much else...

Amigos. (8-1 ML, 8.9 ASR). We bid them adios after day two last year when they set the all-time mark for futility with only one (!) calcutta win. Total "go big or go home" draft with 1-Virginia and 2-Michigan. Breathing easier that UMBC did not qualify for the tourney, but the Cavs are vulnerable and they'll need one of their two 8-seeds (Cuse and/or VCU) to win the 8-9 and upset a 1 seed. Good luck with that. Sleeper: St. Louis. The fat lady loosening her vocal cords early should one of the big dogs fall.

Lone Amigo draft night

The Commish & Assoc. (10-1 ML, 9.1 ASR). A miserable ASR, but some lower seeds (2-Mich St and 3-Houston) and some Cinderella types (12-Murray State, 13-Irvine) are the Commish's only hope for a longshot upset. Fell to post-championship syndrome in 2018, and could be sitting on another 17-year drought. Don't @ me. Sleeper: 14-Old Dominion (they beat Cuse in the Dome y'all). Thanks for coming.

Commissioner Gordon, get it.

That's a wrap on the morning line. Enjoy the tourney and may your March be mad.