AMHERST NY BITCHES -- Oh yeah.....we back.
In person....and it was spectacular (Seinfeld reference).
The Calcutta, after some slight technological delays, roared back into the forefront of our pandemic-restricted lives to regain some normalcy.
Pivoting in '21 to an online auction format for a bunch of old guys who have been doing this since 1996 (who knows where those early Calcutta results are) shows that we've come a long way.
The Original 8 are still in tact since 1999 and it's been a great ride. The fact that one team actually drafted off a cell phone only makes me shake my head.
I will admit coming in as the defending champ for only the second time in the last 22 Calcuttas, I was feeling confident after watching tons of hoops in the last three weeks. Yet I didn't have a plan. And it showed. More on that later.
But let's get down to business for the column that writes itself year-after-year.
The Slayers were installed as the morning line favorites after last year's second-place finish.
R-Pete was methodical and patient in garnering two No.1 seeds and the third lowest ASR, a feat that can be hailed as nearly impossible based on the historic cost of a number one. Weaving his way through a Calcutta that had more twists and turns than a road course in Europe, the Slayers have earned the morning line favorite role.
With 1-Baylor and 1-Kansas leading the way at reasonable purchase prices, the Slayers grabbed mid-level seeds with opportunity in 8-Seton Hall, 9-Memphis and 10-Sister Jeans. They come with the stigma that is the morning line favorite, but the co-2019 champs have hit the exacta in the last two Calcuttas and are a deserving favorite.
Morning Line: 2-1; ASR: 8.1; Longshot to watch: Loyola (IL).
The Doctor is In, The Win-Docs drafting remotely are your second choice on the morning line at 4-1. The Docs with Artie back in the bidding saddle are looking to end a 4-year drought last robing the yellow jacket in 2018. Buoyed by 2-Kentucky, the perennial Calcutta win threat backed up their top selection with 4-Arkansas in the West and a solid MidWest region of 6-LSU and 7-USC.
Morning Line: 4-1; ASR: 7.8; Longshot to Watch: Play-in winner Wyoming/Indiana
The strategy has yet to wane in over 20 years of competition. Can anyone remember these guys taking a No. 1 seed? I think it was a slip of the finger that put 2-Duke in their basket, yet the old guys still seemed to middle their way to the lowest ASR of the Calcutta and position themselves to hit the board once again. They sit in the third spot on the morning line just for that reason. They've hit the board in 10 of 22 Calcuttas on record, which is pretty impressive. The four time champs are looking for one for the thumb in 22. The only team in this year's Calcutta with a realistic shot of sweeping the first round...they'll be favored in six of the eight games and a 9-Marquette and a 13-Chattanooga winning is not out of the question. It's never been done, Calcuttians, so stay tuned.
Morning line: 5-1; ASR: 7.0; Longshot to watch: Chattanooga (only one they really have)
The Counselors on draft night are always fun to watch. For once I let them off the hook as the morning line favorites and they have as good a shot as any in this year's wide open affair. With top dog 1-Gonzaga and formidable 2-Auburn who was on top of the rankings most of the year, they have a solid 1-2 punch at the top. They'll need big showings from the B1G notably the Wolverine State, as they tabbed the rival schools from the Great Lakes. A win from 9-TCU and an upset from the higher seeds could put them squarely in the mix.
Morning line: 6-1; ASR: 8.6; Longshot to Watch: 9-TCU.
The Bunch of Chieftans were an enigma from start to finish and they were a real distraction all night, kinda like the tomahawk chop at a sporting event. I wasn't sure where to put them after evaluating them post-draft, but seeing six double-digit seeds have them in the latter half of the morning line. With the go-big-or-go-home philosophy, they went all in on 1-Arizona surviving a bidding war with yours truly, but the price just might cost them in the long run. They'll need a big run by 3-Texas Tech to survive an early elimination and one of their higher seeds to steal a game or two. On the fence on this team.
Morning line: 6-1; ASR: 8.8; Longshot to watch: 10-Miami (FL)
Morning line: 10-1; ASR: 8.3; Longshot to watch: 7-Murray State
The defending champs came in with no strategy and it showed. Failing to pull the trigger on Arizona will be telling as the games progress. Will need wins early and often to compete and a big run by B1G behemoth 3-Purdue and 5-seeds UConn and Houston and wins in 8-9 games from Carolina and Creighton. Big thanks to the Space Kid for helping out on the big board (whilst he wasn't texting his friends). The Commish has won two of the last four Calcuttas outright after a 17-year drought (sound familiar), so don't dig that grave too quickly.
Morning line: 12-1; ASR: 9.3 (ugly); Longshot to watch: 9-Creighton
The morning line column can be harsh at times, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Folks we have the first ever ASR over 10. Three 16-seeds. Freddie will never miss draft night again. I will be roorting for 4-UCLA, but only because I have a future bet on them. Nick working off his phone was a trooper and I'm being a little hard on him....But hey, if Vermont makes a run.....
Morning line: 15-1; ASR: 10.3 (wowza); Longshot to watch: Too many to name.
Enjoy the opening rounds and we'll have a report out by Saturday morning.
Good luck everyone.
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