Meditations on the Madness

I love college basketball. There is no greater sport in America. I enjoy the exciting pre-season match-ups. I delight in conference play. The conference tournaments are like cheesecake after a steak dinner. And nothing in sports compares to March Madness.
I believe that the "analysts" at ESPN don't know squat. Digger Phelps said Syracuse would beat Duke because Boeheim is a great tournament coach. What?!! What happened to Coach K? Since when did he become a second-class tourney coach? Syracuse is a great team, and they could very well defeat Duke if they meet in the Sweet-16. Syracuse first needs to get passed Vermont, which will not be easy. Duke's 3-point shooting will do a number on the dreaded 2-3 zone. My pick is Duke. I do have them loosing to Kentucky in the Regional Final, and match-up I am really wanting to see. That will be a great game.
I have not heard any analysts talk about Eddie Sutton. This is probably his last legitimate chance to win the National Title. He will retire in a year or two. Ok. State is loosing 7 quality players, all of whom were in the Final Four last year. They are my pick to win it all. I think they are stronger and tougher than the great Illinois team. Ill is strong, but I don't think they can match the Pokes.
I am picking Gonzaga to go to the Final Four. They will get past Wake Forest. WF is good, but they struggle on defense, and the Zags have a great, powerful offense. WF is smooth, but I think the Zags will out-power them.
I had picked UNC to win it all, but after watching them many times this season, I don't think they will. They are too immature. They get too frustrated too easily. They are too dependent on the play of their guards. If they meet UConn in the Regional Final, which I think they will, they will not outlast them this time. Incidentally, the "analysts" at ESPN have been talking recently on how well the Huskies (UConn) have been playing. Then they say they will loose because they don't have a back-up point guard. Marcus Williams is leading the country in assists. I believe he can take the Huskies to their second consecutive Final Four without a back-up. I still would like to see a UNC-Kansas match-up in the Regional Final. KU needs Keith Langford healthy, though. Even still, I don't know if they can get past UConn.
I think Louisville will do well. I think they can beat Washington (a very good team), but I don't think they will get by Gonzaga.
Let me summarize my picks:
Elite-8: Illinois, Oklahoma State, Louisville, Gonzaga, UNC, UConn, Duke, and Ketucky.
Final-4: Ok.St., Gonzaga, UConn, and Kentucky
Championship: Ok.St. and Kent.
National Champions: Oklahoma State
Tourney MVP: John Lucas.
Not too far from my picks in January.