Amigos Clinch Calcutta with Final Four Sweep

                                 

AMHERST – The Amigos won their first outright title in 13 years with a sweep of Arizona and UConn in the Final Four. Last shared title for the jumping beans was in 2019 where they shared a 3-way tie with the Elders and Slayers.

All time championship statistics are listed below as the Amigos moved up a spot in the all-time rankings after the 27^th annual Calcutta.

The Amigos were ablaze in Maize and Blue on Monday night reveling in their 6-point win. Things got a little dusty up in here as it was a long time coming and old teammate Bill the Cat had to be looking down chugging a Labatt Blue in a beer sabre admiring on his homies.

The Bunch had to play leader in the clubhouse and watch their lead evaporate after the UConn dagger sunk them in the Elite Eight. Yet another fine showing from the Chieftans who stand proudly on top of the heap in Calcutta lore. Their 16-win record withstood another Calcutta, in a year where they notched 4 second round wins to put them on the margin to the right.

The two top teams came in tied with the lowest ASR at 8.25, just behind yours truly.

The Catholic Boyz finished third for the second straight year and had a nice ride with Illinois but have the longest drought for an outright winner – 2006. They last shared a title in 2018.

The longest overall drought, rivaling the NY Jets, is the Counselors who haven’t won a title (shared or outright) since 2012.

The Elders have still never picked a national champ but have 5 titles to their name.

Was one of the more competitive Calcuttas, decided on Championship night.  Thanks again for playing.

All winners have been Venmo'd.

See y'all next year!

Amigos grab slice of Calcutta and overall championship

Hola Amigos

 Amherst, N.Y. (AP) -- Virginia smoked Tech in OT to capture a share of the 2019 Calcutta. With the lowest total wins since 2004 (tying the lowest score), they will go into the record books along with the Elders and Tax Slayers as this year's co-champions.

Shoutout to the Elders for a great run, one long Virginia pass in the Purdue game from sweeping the whole she-bang.

Big ups to the Slayers for jacking up the recliner and coasting to a co-championship.

Great year and great parity as most teams were still alive heading into the Elite Eight games.

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.

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!

Hail to the Chieftans

Record Breaking Performance by Bunch Tops 2014 Calcutta

Amazing GIF showing Aaron Harrison's game-winning shots at the same time.
Click on the picture to see the GIF.

That just about sums up the Bunch of Chieftans run to the title as the Kentucky Wildcats pulled out two big wins en route to the Championship Game only to fall to the talented and driven Huskies who took down their fourth National Championship. If you missed One Shining Moment last night you can find it here.

This sums it up for the Bunch

Records for Most Wins [16], Most Teams in Final Four [3], Most Wins in Regional Finals [5] set the record books back for years.

Let's take a look back at the Morning Line Prognosticator and see if he said anything valid:

"It was trial by fire for the newcomer, but he held his own and has the top seed in the tourney (1-Florida) who could waltz right through this thing for 6 wins which is halfway home in most years. 8-Kentucky could awaken at any moment and go on a run for Coach Cal, so it wouldn't be a bad bet to throw a few shekels at the Chieftans at those odds. Cincinnati will have to avoid the 5-12 first round upset that happens every year and 7-UConn likely has a reunion with old Big East date Villanova in the B-Lo."

Don't say so myself (other than setting putrid odds)...while not so right on Florida...not a bad comment on my old Kentucky home. Oh yeah, check out this dunk one more time.

The Bunch also grabbed their record sixth title and second outright title, as they have shared four others [see sidebar].

The Counselors. The morning line favorites did not disappoint, taking second place and hitting the board for the third straight year since the payouts were increased to the top three spots.

The Elders. Give the old guys some respect tying for the show spot. A couple bounces here or there and they are in the thick of it. Almost pulled off a record tying first round but an OT loss and a last two minute meltdown by two of its teams left them with 6 wins.  I also heard one of them was barking because they weren't getting enough press....

Wyn-Doctors. Tied for third trying to recapture the glory of old. The Docs last title was in 2010 (shared) after sweeping the 2007 and 2008 editions of the Calcutta. The reaction of the Wyn-Docs after the Elite Eight and the Bunch's cream rising to the top can only be described as...

Congrats to all who cashed and for those of us left behind....there's always next year....

Hope you enjoyed Calcutta 2014!

Hail to the Chief!

Hail to the Bunch of Chieftans for creating a nice 3-way (has a nice ring to it, eh?).  They pick up an extra 200 beans and the first spot on the Calcutta Chalise trophy.

The Bunch secured a record 5th Calcutta title with UConn's ugly victory over a brick-induced Butler squad.

Congrats to the two other co-champions, the Elder Statesmen and the Catholic Boyz for great runs at the Calcutta title.

The title is the third for both the Statesmen and the Boyz.  A job well done.

Until next year boys......The Commish

2010 Chalise, Jacket Shared by Win-Docs, Brady

Two Shots. That's what Gordon Hayward will be thinking about for the next six months before practice starts on October 15th. If one of them goes down he is on highlight films for the rest of his life. Oh well.

In a thrilling Calcutta finish and close from the outside, the Win-Docs grabbed their third straight National Champion selection (record), tied their own wins record (15) and prevented the Bunch of Chieftans (15) from the outright title. In a "game for the ages" it came down to the final seconds and a game for all the mah-bles.

Here's the final breakdown and congrats to this year's co-champs:

Win-Docs $950 {1st and 2nd, national champ}

Bunch $750 {1st and 2nd}

Catholic Boyz $300

All others click here.

Thanks everyone for playing and it should be interesting next year. If they change the format, I'll put up a poll to decide (one vote per team) how we'll score next year's Calcutta.

Francesa: Monday Night For All Dah Mah-bles

Well this should be interesting. National champion brings home more dough. Win-Docs need a Dukie win to preserve their record book win total. Which, by the way, will stand for eternity if the NCAA moves the tournament to 96 teams (12 team Calcutta - 3 per bracket!).

Good luck to the Bunch of Chieftans and Win-Doctors. May the best squad win.

The Commish.