Morning line set for 26 Calcutta, Chieftans early favorite

 

AMHERST – The 27th annual kicked off March Madness in fine fashion, concluding with the Yellow Jacket presentation to the Chieftans, winner of the 2025 edition of the William A. Karin Memorial Chalise.

The Chieftans won for a record ninth time in the Calcutta and ended a three-year streak of the Slayers selecting the national champ.

On to 2026.

A wide-open tourney where any of the top 8 teams could vie for the natty.

In Calcutta Land, the top-seeded teams went for 40, 40, 40 and 39, showing how close the top echelon of competitors there are in this year’s NCAAs.

Shout out to the Auction Pro which tendered only one minor glitch all evening (sorry Counselors, UNC stinks anyways).

Seeing old faces, even if once a year is always good for the soul and our group moves forward yet another year without a defection.

Here’s the morning line, the Commish has been a solid morning-line maker over the past few years, eyeing the eventual champion Chieftans last year as the second choice…who will get tabbed as this year’s fav?

Defending champs lukewarm Morning Line Favorites at 3-1

We were leaning a couple of different ways to set the favorite, including yours truly, but landed on the Chiefs to defend their land in 2026. Rock solid top seed Duke-1 headlines Indigent Nation with a solid right half of the bracket in Arkansas-4 in the West and Tennessee-6 and Georgia-8 in the Midwest. The tribe is a proven commodity that’s the one to beat.

Morning Line Odds: 3-1; Longshot: VCU-11; ASR: 8.25

Commish spends early, maneuvers late

Early mover, late shaker. Commish & Assoc. garnered the lowest seed rating on the day and snatched the cheapest top seed in Florida-1. After spending large for Alabama-4 in the Midwest and for dark horse Louisville-6 in the East, the Commish is well balanced in each region, which is poetry in motion in some Calcutta years. A late evening math gaffe by the Win-Docs landed a 9-seed (TCU) for the low, low price of two bucks. Will need some mid-seed magic in the early rounds to put them in the catbird seat.

Morning Line Odds: 4-1; Longshot: Saint Mary’s-7; ASR: 7.0

Amigos chase the blue bloods looking for first title since 2019

Went big with Michigan added the basketball blue bloods Kansas-4, UNC-6 and Kentucky-7, all on off years, but with solid name recognition. You know who else had great name recognition, Abe Lincoln. Seriously, the Mexicanas have some solid mid seeds in Iowa-9 and Utah St-9 (who I love). Last outright championship was in 2013, coming close in 2024 as runner-up to the Elders.

Morning Line Odds: 6-1; Longshot: Utah State-9; ASR: 8.25

The Counselors look to break the drought

It is a year to end droughts in Buffalo, so don’t count out the barristers. I’ll give them a solid left side of the bracket, but they’ll need help on the left side with lone single-digit seed Wisconsin-5.  Two big dogs, UConn-2 and Houston-2 were both in consideration for top seeds over the last two weeks, falling in conference tourney championships. The legal beagles can ride those two to the prom but will need to bring them to the final dance to have a chance.

Morning Line Odds: 8-1; Longshot: Santa Clara-10; ASR: 8.38

Elders strategy unchanged in 27 years; big shot to hit the board

I haven’t had to change this headline in 27 years.  You’d have to do some long, hard research to find the last No. 1 seed this team drafted…they go mid-seed with hopes to cash a ticket. Monday was a little different in that their ASR rating was higher than usual, but they just didn’t overspend. Lowest two seeds however are in the same bracket (whoops) in Michigan State-3 and the Johnnies-5 in the East. Like his West teams, BYU-6 (low NET rating) and High Point-12 as solid win stealers. Give the old fellers their due.

Morning Line Odds: 10-1; Longshot: High Point-12; ASR: 9.13

The Win-Docs unbalanced and vulnerable

The left side of their bracket is a train wreck. Nothing lower than a 12. How does that happen? Right side is murderer’s row with Arizona-1, Gonzaga-3 and Virginia-3 and maybe a Cinderella in Miami of Ohio (Amigo-1’s alma mater). They’ll have to withstand some punches early, but three teams that will need to go long into the tourney to win it all.

Morning Line Odds; 12-1; Longshot: McNeese-12; ASR: 9.13

Catholic Boyz needs Big Ten dominance

Ended up with some bad teams (two 15s and a 16) and ended up with some good teams. Well balanced in each of the brackets (survive and advance is the word for the men of cloth). Purdue-2 will have to duplicate their efforts in the B1G tourney and 3-Illinois has a solid bunch. UCLA-7 rounds out their Big Ten bulk and Texas Tech-5 can surprise. They could’ve landed higher on this list, but four quick losses look imminent.

Morning Line Odds: 15-1; Longshot: South Florida-11; ASR: 9.38

Slayers will play the longshot role

Sometimes this happens when you hold your dough too long. It gets soggy. Will need some big 8-9 and 7-10 game upset wins in the first round if they are going to be a threat. Iowa State-2 is good but has historically faltered early in the tourney. Loved the work during the draft but seems like there’s not much to show for it. Could prove me wrong.

Morning Line Odds: 20-1; Longshot: Pick a 10 seed not named Santa Clara; ASR: 8.38

The results will be posted over the next few days in the google sheet link in the top right corner as usual. Next post - Saturday morning leading into round 2. 

Good luck everyone!

Calcutta: Catholic Boyz complete comeback in heavenly fashion

Amherst, NY -- Well it was holy week, after all.

Instead of Sister Jean and the Bunch celebrating an outright title and record seventh (two outright, five shared), they'll have to share it with the Catholic Boyz and Win-Docs. It was the first three-way tie since 2011 when the Boyz and Bunch tied the Elders, with exactly the same 11-point total. The Bunch sit up at night replaying the Houston debacle thinking what might have been.

The Boyz rode the Big Ragu all the way to the title, with hot-shooting Nova destroying the competition throughout winning every game by double-digit totals. The persistence of the Boyz down the stretch to keep the train rolling a share of their fourth title (one outright).

The Win-Docs had to look idly on throughout the Final Four after a hot start, but picked up a sixth title (four outright, two shared) and a piece of the cherished Chalise engraving. Syracuse basically kept them from the title with the Michigan State upset.

The Counselors, shackled with the morning line favorite title, made a keen run to the finals that ended with Coach Beilein's second loss in a championship game. The WNY hex continues.

The Catholic Boyz were all about a three-way (Cincinnati chili reference)

It was a Calcutta to remember, with the Win-Docs grabbing a piece of the record books with seven first-round wins. The Amigos also etched their name in the books for futility, with a record one first round win and overall tournament total. X marks the spot.

See ya next year

Congrats to the winners.

Counselors, Catholic Boyz Celebrate 09 Co-Titles

The 2010 Calcutta got off to a rousing start as the yellow jacket (note the matching tie) was presented to the Counselors celebrating their first title in 11 years. The Co-Champs donned the yellow jacket and smiles were abound for the legal beagles.


Next up were the Catholic Boyz, who accepted the Calcutta Chalise (engraved with both teams) for the second time in four years. Congrats to both teams for a job well done in 2009.

So now it was time for game-on and a sense of nervousness came over the room for the first team to be auctioned off. The Catholic Boyz tossed out the first team and they were off....so here's the Commish's morning lines and draft night synopsis as the 2010 Calcutta is underway.....

COUNSELORS MADE MORNING LINE FAVORITES
The Counselors (3-1) were made the morning line favorites based on the lowest average seed ranking of 7.5 and scooping #1 seed Kentucky to boot. The co-champions, missing half of their normal draft night team had a quiet and strong showing. With one strong #4 Vanderbilt and one weak #4 Purdue (had at the bargain basement price of $10) the legal pros bobbed and weaved all night long. Only their Midwest Region has any sign of weakness. If they steal a couple wins out of Big East #6 seeds Marquette and the Irish, look out. Sleeper Team: Minnesota.

The Catholic Boyz (4-1) and defending co-champions made another strong draft showing, challenging the Counselors as the team to beat. Selecting teams from all of the major conferences, they have a lot of eggs in the #3 Baylor basket. With a low ASR of 7.88, they need some second round magic out of their mid-seeds (#5 Spartans, #7's Clemson and Oklahoma State, #8 Gonzaga or #9's Wake Forest and Louisville) in order to be a factor in weekend number 2. Only one team seeded lower than #9. Sleeper Team: Louisville.

The Three Amigos (5-1) are looking to bounce back after a fourth place finish out of the money last year. We made them the third choice based on strong #3 seeds in New Mexico and Pittsburgh anchoring their brackets and solid mid level seeds such as #7 Richmond, #8 Texas and #9 Northern Iowa. Will need to do well early to be around late. The question is when will we say Adios to the Amigos this year? ASR: 8.0 Sleeper Team: San Diego State.

The Win-Doctors (7-1) were awfully quiet in the corner and didn't seem to have the normal tension among team members. We've got them as the fourth choice mainly on reputation alone. They'll need two teams (#1 Duke and #2 Ohio State) to thunder through the brackets to have any chance at sipping from the Chalise again. They also could use a mid-level seed to make the sweet sixteen to be a factor. ASR: 8.38 Sleeper Team: Washington.

Rounding out the bottom half of the morning line selections is the Bunch (10-1). For years a perennial contender, they've come up short in recent Calcuttas and need to right the ship. They'll be cheering on locally-bound #2 West Virginia, hot off a Big East Conference Tournament Championship and #5 seeds Texas A&M and Butler to win some early contests. #5 Xavier, upset in the A-10 tourney has a tough draw of Big Ten Minnesota who has been improving under Tubby Smith. ASR: 8.63 Sleeper Team: Georgia Tech.

Next up in the morning line are the Tax Men (15-1) who went with a similar strategy as the Commish, big guns blazing and try to catch a high seed upset. Three strong teams head up the Tax Men squad, with two #2's in Villanova and Kansas State and a #4 Maryland from the ACC. The Tax Men will have to ride their big dogs to the Elite Eight where anything can happen. ASR: 9.13 Sleeper Team: Utah State.

The Commish (15-1) again is one of the longshots. Never having enjoyed a sip out of the Calcutta Chalise and closest to the yellow jacket was putting it on the co-champs tonight. They played the hometown card and grabbed the Orange playing in nearby Buffalo and then hopefully in Salt Lke. Staying within the Big East, they picked up #3 Georgetown, who seemed to be improving late in the year. After shooting their wad early, they'll need a mid-level #8 UNLV or #4 Wisconsin to win a few games to go anywhere. ASR: 9.0 Sleeper Team: Florida.

The Elder Statesmen (20-1) is the longest shot on the board. With one of the largest bids in Calcutta history ($51 on #1 Kansas) it appeared the strategy that has made them one of the best Calcutta competitors in the history of the contest went completely out the window. their next highest seed is #5 Temple and then it's double figure seeds baby. Best of luck, there's always the 10% National Championship coin.... ASR: 9.75 (Wow!) Sleeper Team: St. Mary's.

Well there it is Calcuttians, we're off and running for the 2010 Edition. Stay tuned to the blog and we'll try and keep up the results on the top of the right sidebar as quickly as possible.

Enjoy and good luck......The Commish