Calcutta: Win-Docs take 2-point lead into Sweet Sixteen

Amherst, N.Y. - After a historic first round, the Win-Docs cooled off going 3-4, but still control the 2018 Calcutta heading into the Sweet Sixteen. The Docs have accumulated double-digit wins and lead the Bunch by two with both squads carrying three teams into the second weekend.

Several teams sit behind the top two, bunched together in the middle of the pack, within striking distance but needing help knocking off the top two.

Every squad advanced a team to the Sweet Sixteen, although two teams are left with a lone survivor (Elders, Amigos).

Let's take a swing around the Calcutta to see where everyone sits....

Win-Doctors. The five-time champs sit in the catbird seat advancing 3-Texas Tech, 4-Gonzaga and 7-Texas A&M. Ironically, A&M looked the best of the three in their Round of 32 matchup, drilling the 2-seed Carolina in Charlotte. Tech gets a wounded Purdue squad and Gonzaga catches a break with 1-Xavier getting upset. The Docs are poised for victory, but need a couple more wins to start the celebration.

Win-Docs: It's not time to start gloating, yet.

Bunch of Chieftans. The maroon and gold of 11-Loyola (Chi) vaulted the Bunch to the upper echelon of the Calcutta. They get a break with 7-Nevada beating Cincinnati in an epic choke game, and have a shot to advance to the Elite Eight. 2-Duke gets and 11-seed who they've beat in the conference and 4-West Virginia will look to take down 1-Villanova. The Bunch is sitting chilly at the top of the stretch looking to pounce on the rival Docs.

Loyola (Chi) cheering section

Catholic Boyz. The Boyz from the altar are alive with 1-Villanova and miracle workers the 7-Nevada Wolfpack, who will be wearing the home whites in the crazy south regional in Atlanta next week. Wolfpack look hungry on They came through St. Patty's Day better than past years and have a shot to still make some noise with 7 wins heading into the Sweet Sixteen. The soft East Region could be the route to cash money.

Wolfpack heading to Atlanta

Tax Slayers. Taking advantage of Black Sunday, the Slayers re-entered the picture with a 3-0 weekend, including two huge upsets. With ACC also-rans 11-Syracuse and 9-Florida State pulling major upsets, they slide into the Sweet Sixteen with 1-Kansas, who looks to be the best remaining team left (apologies to Villanova). The Slayers be slaying.

With 4 more wins.....

Commish & Assoc. The total Cincinnati meltdown was like watching a train wreck in your backyard. The Commish was set to waltz into the Sixteen with three squads, including two deuces. Insteadthey threw craps and has to hope that a wounded 2-Purdue and an overmatched 5-Clemson can sneak through their respective regions. Best shot is third at this point.

Are you kidding me, Cincinnati?

Elder Statesmen. Caught a break facing a 16 seed, but suffered a dismal 1-4 record over the weekend. Not looking good with lone remaining 9-K-State facing high flying Kentucky in Cat-lanta.

No caption necessary

Counselors. How is a 5 seed the top team in the South? If not for a miracle shot by 3-Michigan on Saturday night (simply incredible btw), they would be down to the Cats. Actually they look to have a clear shot to Monday night with the West falling apart on Sunday. They're not dead yet.

Don't count them out just yet.

Amigos. Not sure that record will ever be broken. Total Calcutta wins: 1. Have to admit, I'm kinda speechless here. Well accept for that one thing.

Wait for it....

Wait....

Here it comes....

¡Adios Amigos!

Final Four Report: Docs Clinch Tie, Commish Closing Late

Fat lady is humming

Amherst, N.Y. -- The Win-Doctors (11 points) clinched a tie for the overall title, capturing their fifth title, they'll attempt to win it outright for the fourth time with either a Villanova or North Carolina win on Saturday in the Final Four. The Docs' title run was aided by an impressive performance by Villanova on Saturday night taking down the overall No. 1 seed, Kansas sending the Bunch to the sidelines.

The Commish (8 points) is at the quarter pole and is making a late closing move, taking two teams to the Final Four and moving to the outside eyeing the three teams in front of him. Riding a wave of Orange and Maroon, Team Commish will need another upset of a #1 seed to even sniff a first ever Calcutta title. The Catholic Boyz (9 points) clinched a tie for at least third after a record-breaking first round.

The Counselors (9 points) Billy Ball strategy flamed out in the Elite Eight when 6-Notre Dame was ousted by the Tar Heels, leaving them saddled in a tie with the Catholic Boyz and rooting against the Commish on the weekend to maintain the currrent second-place status.

The Tax Men have the lowest seed remaining in the tournament and prohibitive favorite to win it all in Carolina.

And with the big 10-Syracuse, upset...it's that time of the year that we inevitably get to, albeit rather later than usual this year.......

Adios Amigos

So here's what we have and the eight possible national championship scenarios starting with the favorites and working down to the underdog:

Scenario #1: If North Carolina beats Villanova
Win-Docs 1000
Catholic Boyz 400
Counselors 400
Tax Men 200

Scenario #2: If North Carolina beats Oklahoma
Win-Docs 1000
Catholic Boyz 267
Counselors 267
Commish 266
Tax Men 200

Scenario #3: If Villanova beats North Carolina
Win-Docs 1,200
Catholic Boyz 400
Counselors 400

Scenario #4: If Villanova beats Syracuse
Win-Docs 1,200
Catholic Boyz 267
Counselors 267
Commish 266

Scenario #5: If Oklahoma beats North Carolina
Win-Docs 1,000
Commish 700
Catholic Boys 150
Counselors 150

Scenario #6: If Oklahoma beats Syracuse
Commish 950
Win-Docs 750
Catholic Boys 150
Counselors 150

Scenario #7: If Syracuse beats Villanova
Win Docs 1,000
Commish 466
Catholic Boyz 267
Counselors 267

Scenario #8: If Syracuse beats Oklahoma
Commish 950
Win-Docs 750
Catholic Boys 150
Counselors 150

There you have it...it's still up in the air, and up to five teams can cash going into the Final Four.

Good luck!

Elite Eight Report: The Doctor Is In

Sure looking that way, isn't it?

Amherst, N.Y. -- The Win-Doctors sat in the clubhouse watching the competition dwindle away on Friday night, with only a Fighting Irish upset away from putting the Counselors behind them and taking the 2016 Calcutta.

The four-time champions sit atop the Calcutta with 1-Oregon and 2-Villanova ready to lock up this year's yellow jacket with either a 6-Notre Dame loss and a couple wins out of his charges. They'll have to face formidable charges in 2-Oklahoma and 1-Kansas, so there is hope that someone can still sneak in and catch a piece of this thing.

The Counselors are down to their legal briefs!

The Counselors (9 points) secured a spot in the top three with its dramatic late-game victory over the Badgers, sending the Elders (7 points) packing and out of the money.  It had to be bittersweet for the Elder Statesmen, who wouldn't take a chance on the alma mater, only to see them take them out of the running for this year's Chalise (sic).

The only other teams with shots at cracking the top three include the Amigos (6 points), who are riding top-seeded Virginia to the Elite Eight, who have blazed through their region and handed the Counselors a huge setback with the win over the Cyclones of 4-Iowa State.  

Amigos just riding that Virginia wave

And don't look now, but the 10-Cuse is in da house. The Commish (6 points), all but thought for dead is doing their best dracula impression and starting to make a move.  The Oregon game is a pick-em and the Orange have come this far and certainly know what the Hoos are all about, losing by eight to them on Virginia's home court in January. Amazingly, the spread....wait for it.....is eight.

Syracuse: Still dancin.....

SHAME ON YOU, NCAA COMMITTEE! YOU COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS. THiS IS ON YOU.

THIS IS ON YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!

— NunesMagician.com (@NunesMagician) March 26, 2016

Final Four report after the weekend, with probables and whatnot.

Good luck!

Sweet Sixteen Report: Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

AMHERST, N.Y. - In a matter of 15 minutes, the Catholic Boyz went from commanding lead in the 2016 Calcutta to "What Just Happened?" mode.

Northern Iowa has a 12 point lead with 35 seconds left and loses. Xavier has the ball in a tie game with 7 seconds left and loses. Two wins turn into losses and this here Calcutta is still officially open.

Let's see it again.....

This is how you erase a 12-point deficit in 35 seconds. https://t.co/l3eJ83wDDB #MarchMadness

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 21, 2016

They still sit on the mountain, but the lead is just one and they enter the Sweet Sixteen without its highest seed, as 2-Xavier went down when Wisco hit a big three-pointer at the buzzer in St. Louis sending the Musketeers home to Cincinnati.

Meanwhile, at Counselor Central....

The Counselors made the best of the Boyz' misfortune and land three teams into the Sweet Sixteen, with 3-Miami, 4-Iowa State and 6-Notre Dame,  The Irish, their lowest seed will actually likely be the only one favored as they will take on 7-Wisconsin in Philadelphia. The strategy looks like its paying off, but there are still big games to be played.

The Win-Doctors also remain very much in the hunt, only one back and with two power teams left in 1-Oregon and 2-Villanova. The Miami-Nova game will be a separator for the two teams chasing the Boyz for the right to wear the Yellow Jacket next year. Keep your eyes open at the top, boys....these guys have a way of sneaking up on you.

In a matter of moments, the Elders came back from the dead. 3-A&M and 7-Wisconsin were literally halfway in the coffin. They went from 5 wins to 7 wins and sniffing the board in a matter of minutes. Seth Davis actually "sharpie'd" the Northern Iowa Panthers, his first premature evacuation in history. 

Northern Iowa. Sharpie.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 21, 2016

It got better....

Tragic pic.twitter.com/xajnHS61VY

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) March 21, 2016

So you know the Statesmen were tight-lipped, headed into their respective bathrooms and then did this....



Hanging around seeing what might happen are the Amigos, who advanced two teams to the next round in 1-Virginia and 4-Duke. They'll need to run the table with one or both to get into the money. It's not out of the question with those two teams, but the Kentucky loss to Indiana, surely smarts. We'll have to save those inevitable two words for another day....and they cruise into the Sweet Sixteen as the silent killer....

The defending champs are down to one. The Tax Guys just didn't have it this year, but still have 1-North Carolina left to carry the banner into Philadelphia's East Regional. The beautiful thing about the Calcutta is everyone can still cash in one way or another, the Tax Guys will be looking for their refund via the Heels.

Show me the mon-ay

The Commish salvaged a horrible first round to get out of the basement and actually have some hope after the Catholic Boyz trainwreck Sunday evening. Their destiny is in the hands of 2-Oklahoma and 10-Syracuse (I like the ring of that), who move on into favored situations in the Sweet Sixteen. They have one foot in the grave, but they're not dead yet.

#Cuse about to be #Sweet16 bound pic.twitter.com/pF3QUBfFxr

— Menotti Minutillo (@44) March 20, 2016

Rounding out the second round is the Bunch of Chieftans. Like the Tax Guys, they're down to a lone 1-seed, the Jayhawks, who look impressive and can play Calcutta spoiler the rest of the way. Mired in the basement with 3 wins, they will look to win four straight, collect a check and make someone's life miserable along the way....

On to the Sweet Sixteen....

I Got Nothing

Down Goes Kansas! Down Goes Kansas!

We're definitely not in Kansas anymore. Check StubHub tomorrow for St. Louis regional final tickets as there should be a few good bargains out there. Northern Iowa? Really?

The Elders after a strong first round showing really took it on the chin here.

The Win-Doctors (8) have stormed to the lead, but there's a Bunch of Chieftans (7) that have a loaded cannon for Sunday with FIVE freaking teams going manana.

The same four squads that were tied for third yesterday, still stay in the same spot going into Sunday's second round wrap-ups.

AO is out for the Cuse again, will they suffer another #1 seed setback or is there road paved with gold now that #1 Kansas is out? Or is the other Kansas looming in Salt Lake to make a mess out of the left side of the bracket?

These questions and more should be answered tomorrow.....the results are up for today and will be up tomorrow night after Sunday's action. Good luck.

The Commish

Round One Notebook: Chieftans Surge, Win-Docs Strong

East Amherst (AP)

News and Notes from the Opening Round

- Results are up for the opening round as we head into the weekend.

- The Bunch of Chieftans surged to 5 wins yesterday to grab a share of the lead with the Win-Doctors. Lots of Jersey Shore fist-pumps from Section 218 yesterday.

- Win-Doctors looking for respect in opening round blog, complaints have been rolling in. Regardless the two long time nemesis' are at each other's throats with six wins each. Let the smack talk commence.

- Four way tie for second between the Elders, Catholic Boyz, Tax Men and Tres Amigos. Still six teams very much in the hunt. Big second round games should separate the Men from the Boyz. LOL.

- The pressure of being the morning line favorites have the Counselors in fade mode. Looks like a repeat is remote.

- The Commish got off the schneid, just trying to avoid the record books for futility. They need one more win to stay away from the loser moniker.

- The Cuse showed some muster last night that had me dancin'.......