Chieftans grab lead, defending champs eliminated

 

AMHERST – The Chieftans secured the top spot in the 2025 Calcutta heading to the Sweet Sixteen with three second round wins to edge ahead of first-round co-leaders, the Catholic Boyz and the Win-Docs.

The defending champion Elder Statesman exited quietly as 3-Iowa State and mid-seeds 7-Saint Mary’s and 9-Baylor took the pipe on Sunday. They’ll now settle down and wait for the groundhog to see if he sees his shadow (i.e., disorientation has set in).

The Slayers sit two back at six wins, but also advanced three teams to the Sweet Sixteen and the morning line favorites are lurking down the backstretch awaiting to make their vaunted move on the leaders.

Let’s take a team-by-team capsule look into the weekend festivities:

Chieftans secure lead, sitting pretty in the catbird seat

The Chief called and is already asking for a jacket fitting after the weekend display the Bunch delivered. With a 1-Florida and 2-Alabama buoying their title chances, big upsets by a dangerous looking Raz
orback squad faces a winnable game against 3-Texas Tech. They’ll hope for a Florida-Arkansas Elite Eight matchup and a guaranteed finalist.

Catholic Boyz steady in second round

The Catholic Boyz were trying to bring the tournament to its knees after 1-Houston and 4-Arizona won hard fought matchups to forge onward to the Sweet Sixteen. The waters get deeper here with matchups against 4-Purdue in Indianapolis and 1-Duke in Newark. Buckle up, father as the Boyz sit one behind the leader.

Win-Docs go 2-for-5 in Round two

The Win=Docs took a bad beat when 3-Wisconsin went out with a whimper and midnight struck for both 11-seeds McNeese and Drake. They have a solid 2-Michigan State and 3-Texas Tech remaining but will likely be underdogs in both Elite Eight matchups should they advance. Still in the mix to challenge and not exactly time to call for a Code Red, but it could be coming.

Counselors two back, but reeling from Johnnies loss

When your best seed (2-St. John’s) goes out in the Round of 32, the hopes dimmed for the Counselors. With 4-Maryland and 6-BYU (looking like a nice $18 purchase now) carrying the torch for the law boys, they find themselves facing 1-Florida and 2-Alabama in the Sweet Sixteen. Here comes the judge.

Slayers looming large, lurking in shadows waiting to pounce

The morning line favorites sit two back, but in a solid position to hit the board and potentially challenge. They face two top seeds in the next round, but both 5-Michigan and 4-Purdue are playing B1G time ball heading into their big games. 3-Kentucky rolls and faces league nemesis 2-Tennessee in a must-win game for the Slayers. Their four-peat hopes for a national champ is on the ropes this weekend.

Commish in survive and advance mode, part deux

The Commish needed a big win out of 5-Oregon in Seattle last night and didn’t get it. Up 14 early the Flighty Ducks couldn’t make a late charge and 4-Arizona advanced and kept the Win-Docs knocking on the Chieftans door. Will need to run the table with 1-Auburn and 2-Tennessee to have a chance at the top spot.

The Amigos hanging tough

The Amigos, like the Commish, sit three back with two teams remaining in 1-Duke and 6-Ole Miss. Both teams are hooping out but will need some big wins out of the Rebels to make any noise in this year’s big dance. Can’t count them out as the Dookies will likely keep them in the hunt for a piece if they run the table.

The results will be posted over the next few days in the google sheet link in the top right corner as usual. Sweet Sixteen report - Saturday morning. 

Good luck everyone!

 

Elders increase lead through Round Two

Elders strut to lead in 24 Calcutta

AMHERST -- The Elders, buoyed by their record-tying seven first round wins, have opened up a 3-win margin over a trio of challengers in the 2024 edition of the Buffalo Calcutta.

Utilizing the early-bird strategy of mid-round selections to perfection, the seniors dined and dashed through the first two rounds like Fred Astaire in Shall We Dance in 1937 (only the Elders will remember this flick).

With two 4-seeds and a five paving the way, the waters get deeper in the Sweet Sixteen as all three squads will face a top seed in the Molly Ringwald round.

Amigos in striking distance

The Amigos sit tied in second with the Counselors and Chieftans, three back of the old guys but with two 3-seeeds (Iowa State and Tennessee) and an 11 in NC State hoping their championship hopes are alive. They'll go into the Sweet Sixteen favored in two of the three matchups to try and make up some ground on the Elders. Draft strategy aside, no one thought the boys South of the Border (tough Dos a Cero loss last night) would be contending at this spot. Good work so far.

Counselors object to thoughts of their demise

The barristers had a steady weekend feast of ACC magic as they kept themselves closer to the leaders with the 6-Clemson upset of 3-Baylor, but the Grizzlies run was ended by the Amigos to square things off for the second-place tie. They still have some firepower with top seed UNC and the Tigers look like they're on a heater, so watch out for a late motion by the Counselors in the Sixteen.

"That's what's up" ~Brad Hall, Head Chef (not a typo)

The Bunch of Chieftans always make the Calcutta just a little more interesting. Top dog 1-Houston survived an upset bid by the Commish & Associate's Aggies and can put a nail in their coffin with a Gonzaga win over Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen. They go head-to-head with the Elders in the other matchuup which is HUGE. It's not exactly Notre Dame-Miami in football, but Houston-Duke has a bit of an edge to it and the Chiefs have the marker on this one. The race could tighten up quickly and the natives are ready for the task.

Team Commish hangin' round

Team Commish is hanging around in a fifth-place tie with the Slayers with Final Four hopes for their remaining squads. Max wins are 12 with a title matchup (odds 1 billion to 1) between opposite-bracketed Purdue and Illinois (how's that for draft strategy). A damaging loss by a game A&M squad who couldn't propel the regulation buzzer beater into an OT win....will likely end up being a costly loss. Purdue looking good, but it only gets tougher here on out.

There is no gambling at Bushwood, sir

The defending champs are wondering what it takes to get a mention in the morning blog and are using the "disrespect" card with some locker room bulletin board material after Saturday's omission. The Slayers, too, will ride two horses into the Sweet Sixteen albeit on the same side of the ledger, so max wins top out at 11.

They have the lowest ASR remaining with a 1-UConn and 2-Arizona and can start clearing the way with wins over the Elders and Counselors in their Sweet Sixteen matchups. They needed a Grand Canyon upset to boost their hopes, but they can still catch a piece and possibly win it all with some luck.

Can Bon Jovi save the Boyz?

They're not exactly half way there, as the Boyz can only max out with 10 wins with another same-side bracket issue (SSBI). The Big East commanded respect and the Catholic Boyz gave it to them, but unfortunately, the marbles-basket theory proved to be their downfall. Praying for a miracle at this point.

It was nice while it lasted....

From morning line favorites to Sayonara. It's been real, Win-Docs, hope you enjoyed the pizza.  The Win-Docs came into the Calcutta with visions of past glory only to get completely obliterated and without a win after opening day. Calling hours will be announced soon.

On to the Sweet Sixteen y'all.

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....

Second Round ends - It's Anybody's Ballgame

Elder Statesmen, Counselors lead Calcutta into weekend

As one of my favorite broadcasters from my childhood used to say...."It's anybody's ballgame."

If you were a fan of Saturday afternoon's Game of the Week, you'll know what I'm talking about and this Calcutta is there for the taking. The New Guy is obviously muttering to himself. "Who's Joe Gar....?" He's also savoring his final selection of 14th-seeded Mercer who pulled the biggest upset of the second round (I really hate calling it that...you all know it's the opening round). If you think I'm not a fan of the First Four, check out Gregg Doyel's take.

So let's take a spin around each Calcutta squad with a capsulized look at the twists and turns of the first two meaningful days of this year's tournament that each franchise experienced.

Who doesn't love a golden Coach K Face?

The Commishioners. Wait, what? We're not out after the first day? Duke lost a first round game for the second time that they have been part of Commish Central. Two strikes and you're out, Dook.

Despite the loss of a major 3-seed the Commishioners (like our new name?) still pulled out four first round wins highlighted by 2-Kansas and 3-Creighton, both who had their hands full with lesser seeded opponents. A solid win by 7-Oregon and upset win by 10-Stanford propels the usual basement-dweller into contention. A guaranteed win in the Kansas-Stanford game on Sunday means this team will live to see another day.  Oh yeah...one more Dook picture.

Ain't that the truth?

The Win-Doctors. So Artie had the wheel of Team Win-Docs on Tuesday night, and the bus is still rolling down Highway 4 (seed). Both Louisville and Michigan State advanced on Thursday amid upset hopes by Manhattan and Delaware. Tough beats by higher seeded 5-Oklahoma and 8-Colorado have reduced the Docs chances to pick up valuable points. With a split on the line on Friday night after 11-Providence gagged the Carolina game, 8-Kentucky was just too much to handle for 9-Kansas State, so the Win-Docs are limping into round three with exactly that many survivors...

They call him Dr. Love.

Catholic Boyz. Three wins on Thursday and a big ole goose egg on Friday for the Boyz. When I saw the Villanova priest head up the tunnel before their game on Thursday night I thought it might be a good omen for the Catholics. Then again, it was right after 6th-seeded Ohio State coughed up a win against in-state rival Dayton (check out the headline in the Dayton Daily News). Will the Catholic Boyz take the collar over the weekend?

Dos Amigos. And a one, and a two and a.....five that barely escaped. The defending champs didn't have the best opening two days, but with Duke out of the picture in the Midwest, Michigan's chances to reach the Elite Eight got a big push. Sitting tight with Zona still rambling towards Anaheim, it's way too early to even think about wishing this team those dreaded two words.

Slow and steady wins the.....

Elder Statesmen. You know what they say about the ole tortoise when he takes on the hare. It brings straight to one's mind the strategerie of the Elders when it comes to the Calcutta. Their top two seeds 3-Texas and 3-Iowa State both held serve and impressive wins by 6-Baylor and 9-Pittsburgh have them hunting wabbit. The icing on the cake was the mesmerizing upset by Stephen F. Austin over VCU late Friday night. While pocketing a Calcutta leading SIX wins over the first two days of the tourney has them right in the thick of things going into the weekend. Slow and steady, bros.

Bunch of Chieftans. The Chieftans became lifelong Mercer fans on Friday pulling off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NCAAs and looked damn good doing it. Call it beginner's luck, call it new blood, call it anything you want, but the Bunch is threatening again in the Calcutta. They've won or shared a record five Calcutta victories in their storied past and looking to add one more to the mantle. In the next round however, they'll be the underdog in all but the Florida game.  Stay tuned.

By the way. BEST. VIDEOBOMB. EVER.



The Tax Men. They would have sat atop the Calcutta with five wins over the first two days but for a crazy VCU meltdown in the final moments. A valuable point slipped away and knowing that wins over the opening weekend are so important when it comes down to the nitty gritty of the Calcutta. Strong performances by 1-Wichita State, 3-Syracuse and late game heroics by 6-North Carolina and 12-North Dakota State (Geno sleeper pick) still has the IRS helpline all abuzz. Was looking like the team to beat heading into the weekend....  You've heard of bracket busters.....

Who ya gunna call for a 4-point play?

The Counselors. Anyone notice the Counselors on Tuesday night, not sparring as usual. Messrs. Seashells and Balloons. I don't get it. They always argue. Sometimes bad words are uttered. The morning line favorites had a brief scare from the Miami Dolph...I mean Coastal Chanticleers who held a lead into the second half in an auto-win game versus 1-Virginia.  Routine wins by 2-Wisconsin, 4-UCLA and 8-Gonzaga has the Counselors approaching the bar with confidence. They held serve and sit alone in second on the leader board with five wins and three higher seeds favored to win over the weekend.

Sleeper Central. The Commish's sleeper predictions in the morning line column went 5-3 with wins by 10-Stanford, 11-Tennessee, 12-Harvard, 12-Stephen F. Austin, and 12-North Dakota State. Not too shabby.

Next update after the third round on Monday. Will try to keep the standings up to date in the meantime. Good luck!

Quick Update: Amigos in Catbird Seat

 Le Tres Amigos gutted out two big wins today, and have 5 remaining teams, with 3 playing on Sunday to sit atop the Calcutta with 8 wins. It looks like the 12 year drought may be lifted, their last title coming in 2001. The results have been updated and uploaded, you can always check them at the top of the right sidebar.

The 4-1 Tax Men shocked the Calcutta by mowing down a #1 seed and added a late night win from the Cuse in unfriendly confines to secure second place temporarily.

The Elders have a big day on Sunday, with four teams looking to advance to the Sweet Sixteen and their title hopes will ride on the Ohio State University, who now has a bracket that has been blown wide open.

Received a late night text from Artie stating he won't be missing next year's draft. GONE-zaga. The Win-Docs sent reeling and could be down to Michigan State by tomorrow night.

The Bunch of Chieftans grabbed an upset win from Oregon and have three going on Sunday, with two #1 seeds lurking, the favorites are poised to make a run at the Amigos.

The Catholic Boyz settled right where I thought they would and are the first squad to be eliminated. Thanks for playing.

The defending champs still have #1 Louisville to slap the competition around and Miami goes tomorrow. The  Counselors could still make a run, but are the Amigos too far in front?

The Commish still sits temporarily in the basement, avoids all-time futility by snaking a third win and an Iowa State upset in the most wide open bracket in the tourney isn't altogether unthinkable...

Full update after the games tomorrow....

The Curse of the Biebs

The Curse of the Biebs took hold on Sunday (h/t Hoya Suxa twitter feed) afternoon in Columbus.  What can I say, North Carolina State is a fine University. See ya, Georgetown, thanks for coming.

The Sweet Sixteen is set and the Sunday results have been posted and the Catholic Boyz early lead has slimmed as the Counselors had a tremendous second round winning four of five contests, earning a mention on the 'Record Books' sidebar link, tying for the second best round two ever.

The Catholic Boyz went 2-5 over the weekend, with 2-the Ohio State University and 10-Xavier still rowing the boat ashore for Elijah. This after setting a blazing pace with seven first round wins.

The Counselors roared on Sunday winning key tilts with 7-Florida, 6-Cincinnati and 2-Kansas all coming away victorious. The Counselors's fortunes could not have been better with the Gators playing a Norfolk State team that was easily overmatched and still hung over from their epic win over Missouri on Friday night. Kansas and Cincinnati won close games in the late going and now it's mano y mano in the Sweet Sixteen, with the biggest matchup looking like a OSU-Cincinnati state of Ohio championship game and a key matchup with the Boyz.

After a strong first round, the Bunch took it on the chin on Saturday, but fought back with two key wins on Sunday with 1-Michigan State and 13-Ohio to finish the weekend 2-3. They sit alone in third with seven W's, just two games back of the Boyz and one behind the Counselors.

The 'ole Commish is making Sweet Sixteen noise for the first time since anyone can remember behind the upset ramblings of 11-NC State and their two top seeds, 1-Cuse and 1-North Carolina. The Commish & Crew sit in fourth with six wins. But don't pop that champagne bottle too quickly, as soon as the North Carolina game ended it was announced that talented PG Kendall Marshall had suffered a fractured right wrist and could be out for the remainder of the tourney. Go figure.

The Amigos remained alive with two squads and sit tied in fifth with five wins with the Tax Men. The Amigos' fate will be determined in the next round as 3-Baylor has a favorable matchup with 10-Xavier (Boyz), with Kentucky looming; and 4-Wisconsin takes on the top seeded Orange.

The Tax Men are down to their final team, the 4-Louisville Cardinals, who will face top seeded Sparty in the next round. It looks like their Calcutta will be extended for another game, but we could be seeing the last of the Tax Men until next March.

With only four available wins left for the Win-Doctors (1-Kentucky) and the Elders (4-Indiana), we know they have both been mathematically eliminated from earning the Chalise (sic) in 2012. In addition, it appears one of the two will be the first team out as they will face each other in Atlanta on Friday evening, unless Louisville loses on Thursday night, then the Tax Men will take the walk of shame honors.

Good luck and Elite Eight report on Saturday morning.

The Commish

Quick Hitter: Sunday Games - Are You So Money?

The Saturday results have been updated and we have a full post slated for tomorrow to review second round results. Yeah, I refuse to call it the third round, that's just nonsense.

I hope everyone had as joyous a St. Patty's Day as those wearing Orange. Survival is the name of the game in the annual Calcutta.

Here are some quick hitters from yesterday's results.

 - Seeds held all day on Saturday, no lower-seeded team beat a higher seeded team. It was a good day to wear white, or hi-liter yellow in the case of Baylor.

- The 2012 Calcutta is as tight as you can get with four teams sitting three points behind the Catholic Boyz with the other three teams only one back of that group.  Now that's parity.

- Today will be the day when the contenders separate from the pretenders. The Catholic Boyz had a rough day going 1-4, and need a win to advance two teams to the Sweet Sixteen.

- Every team won on Saturday, except for the Bunch who send out their three remaining teams today. The Amigos clawed back into this thing as the only team to garner two wins on Super Saturday.

So how money will you be today?