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| Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball |
Whew! I’m back from the nerdfest that is South By Southwest Interactive down in Austin, Texas, which was quite an enjoyable time. Not least of which because I saw competitive eating legend Takeru Kobayashi eat 13 grilled cheeses in 1 minute.
No, really. I have the video.
Meanwhile, it’s NCAA tournament time and we’re back with the 4th Annual Blog Bracket
Challenge!
Who is the greatest literary bracket picker of them all?
You might be saying: “Wait. I know nothing about basketball.” Well, you’re in luck. You’re absolutely going to win.
All you have to do is pick winners in a tournament field of 64 (er, 65,
er, 68) and you’re probably better off picking based on colors and/or
mascots and/or funny names than anything resembling science.
The winner with the most points at the end of the NCAA tournament will win a query critique and a signed galley of JACOB WONDERBAR FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSE!!
Here’s how to enter:
1. Go to the front page of the ESPN tournament challenge: https://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/frontpage
2. Make your picks.
3. If you have an ESPN username and password you can log in when you
submit your picks, otherwise you may need to create a new user ID and
password. But don’t worry, it’s not onerous and you can decline to
receive updates in case you’re spam conscious.
4. Hover over the link that says “My Groups” and then click “Create or Join a Group”
5. Search for “Bransford Blog Challenge.” Enter the password, which is “rhetorical” and then click Join Group.
Then you’re all set! You can make changes to your bracket by clicking on
it until it locks on Thursday (and yes, there are play-in games before
then, but the bracket still doesn’t lock until Thursday).
Please limit yourself to one entry
All updates/trahstalking will occur in this dedicated thread in the Forums, so make sure to join us there.
Good luck!!
I no longer watch much, if any, regular season college bball… which probably at least doubles my chances of winning from when I watched multiple games a week. 🙂
Choosing by team color isn't half as effective as choosing by hottest men on the team. And the research is twice as fun!
Not a bit of interest in basketball. Or in watching some stranger eat grilled cheese sandwiches. I like writing, though.
Okay, I tried to do this last year, and got hopelessly confused with how you're supposed to pick people.
It's VERY CONFUSING.
There are all these numbers and lines and stuff.
So sad. SO SAD. Once again, I see that ARC sailing away…further and further out of my grasp…….sigh……..and I must wait…….wait…….wait….when can I read that darn sequel?!!
sigh
Oh heck yes. It will only be my third year, but you know I'm down.
If I win, I can give the critique away on my blog. Since my own query is now perfect.
Ahem.
aw MAN! i LOVE this challenge! and although i seriously doubt i'll come even close to winning (never do!) it would be awesome to win. my son is head-over-heels for jacob wonderbar!
I did it. And with very little thought except for that of the team my husband organizes his life around: Mizzou.
I don't watch basketball either, but it'll be fun to see who wins. Good luck, everyone! 🙂
Must. Win. ARC. For. Nephew! 🙂
I don't know much about basketball these days, but I gave my nephew the first Jacob Wonderbar book for his eleventh birthday last November. This weekend, I caught him reading it again. My sis-in-law says he's read it at least twice now.
When I told him there's another Jacob Wonderbar due out later this year, his eyes grew wide. "Really?!"
Thanks, Nathan, for solving my gift-giving problems! 🙂
I played last year and picked pretty much all the wrong teams.
I am sure I got them all wrong again (I am very good at that!), but I'm rooting for Creighton to win. They are my home team 🙂 Go Bluejays!
It's good to see Kobayashi branch out to more than just hot dogs–grilled cheese is way more palatable.
I've come so close in your bracket challenge a few times, but ended up buying your book for my 7-yo when I didn't win it (he loved it, BTW–I caught him reading way past his bedtime!)
Good luck to everyone who enters. 🙂
American Baseball…right. Might as well be the Klingon AllStars for all I know about it. But if those who know least have the best chance, then it appears I'm already the winner. yay! Just send them thar rockin' prizes down the internet to Yours Truly.
Hey, Nathan. Long time no see. I'm in. Now, let's see, basket ball is the one where they throw that oblong thingy at people lined up against the gym wall and they try to hit it with bats, right?
Haven't watched a single game all year, but I'm predicting I'm gonna kick your butts. No logic to it, just mindless confidence.
Fred
p.s. I'm steelerdipwad on ESPN
Done. THIS year I'm going to beat my personal best and score in the top 80th percentile of the group, I just know it.
All signed up! I look forward to this every year. Don't think I'll win, unless those long shots I picked pay off (you never know). Thanks for hosting it again, Nathan!
Couldnt they just solve this by selling hardcovers with a code to access it virtually. That was the first thing that stopped me from buying the nook when if first came out, i want the hardcover. Ive since folded and entirely read on my ipad. I do shop between the three major sellers for the best price…but i still want the hardcopies, ill just buy it cheaper off of amazon…still feeding the beast though
I might enter and try to lose. Because that would be the only way I'd have a chance of winning…