And then there were four...

The Final Four is finally upon us, and the collective population can be divided into two groups. The first group consists of people who still have some vested interest in the tournament (i.e. their bracket) and are rooting like crazy for a random team they have no business cheering for otherwise. The second group consists of people who could really care less who wins (i.e. their brackets are busted) but if they have a soul, they'll be rooting for Butler.

As for me, I've already won one bracket wager but have one remaining that is very much relying on the outcome of this weekend. So this puts me somewhere in the middle of these two groups. On the one hand, I need specific teams to win and lose in order for me to win the bracket pool, but on the other hand, I really, really want to see Butler win the whole thing. (By the way, I'm not going to tell you exactly what I need to have happen because I'm pretty afraid of jinxing myself. I know, it sounds lame and it's stupid, but screw you -- I'm not going to do it. You'll see an example of why later.)

But let's forget about the Final Four for now. There will be plenty of time later to struggle with my moral dilemma of which team to cheer for. Looking back at this year's tournament, I think everyone can say confidently that this is exactly why March Madness is the most entertaining sporting event ever. Closely contested games? Check. A good number of upsets? Check. Small schools suddenly rising to national prominence? Check. CBS still struggling to effectively cover all the games going on at once? Check.

Here's a quick recap of the tournament to this point...

Most entertaining game: Syracuse-Butler
Lots to choose from, but I give the nod here largely because of the text message exchange I had with my brother during this game (slightly edited for content).

(After Syracuse is down 13-3 early in the first half)
My brother: Syracuse is effing up really badly.

Me: Yeah, they need to relax. Get it together.

My brother: Butler isn't even playing that well. Syracuse just needs to take care of the ball a little bit.

Me: Yeah, I think they'll calm it down and stop turning it over so much.

My brother: Yeah. If they can end the half down by 7, they'll pull through.
(Syracuse goes into halftime down 10)

My brother: Also, Butler's coach looks like he's 25.
(This was funny because I had just said the exact same thing to someone else maybe an hour earlier.)


Syracuse starts the second half on fire and comes back to take a one-point lead with about 13 minutes left.

My brother: Game over.
(Oh no... Please, no...)

Me: Don't jinx it!

With 5:24 left and Syracuse up four, they then decide to not score again until there's 35 SECONDS LEFT IN THE GAME. It's the jinx!!!!

My brother: Wow. Wow. Syracuse is terrible.

(The game is just about over now. Syracuse ends the game with a terrible possession that a high school JV team could have run better.)

Me: Wow what the hell was that...

My brother: I don't know. That fatass Jackson has bricks for hands.

Anyway, you get the picture. It was a wildly entertaining game, mixed with some high emotions and an ultimate jinx from my brother. See? You don't mess around with a jinx, man!

Biggest upset - Northern Iowa over Kansas
There really isn't any other choice here. Top overall seed knocked off by a strong collection of ULWGs (Unathletic-Looking White Guys)? A ridiculously clutch three that went against all basketball logic to seal the game? No brainer. It was like a reverse version of that movie Glory Road, which told the story of the first all-black starting lineup in NCAA history and their eventual national championship. In fact, when a team of all ULWGs wins a national title, Hollywood needs to jump on that bandwagon immediately.

Biggest upset followed by biggest reality check: St. Mary's
The Gaels shocked Villanova, Omar Samhan became an overnight celebrity, and the city of Moraga was rocking until 10pm! But then came Baylor who provided a swift and thorough beatdown. This was the headline in the New York Times recap: "Baylor Celebrates Win, then Plays Another Half."

Speaking of St. Mary's...

Guy you most want on your team, but you really hate if he's not on your team: Omar Samhan.
Is the guy good? Absolutely. Is he a douche? Absolutely. He has that swagger that makes him a guy you'd love to play with, but you'd probably want to punch him in the face otherwise.

Random player who I want to see succeed at the next level: Scottie Reynolds
I recently read an article on Scottie Reynolds in Sports Illustrated and it just showed he's a really good kid who works hard, has a level-head, and strong morals. (When he was in high school, he once left a championship game in the fourth quarter because that night was his Bible study night.) And let's not forget, the dude can play some basketball. He also has one of those names that you have to say both first and last names or else it doesn't sound as cool. Just say it. Scottie Reynolds. It's pretty nice, right?

Anyway, let's just end with Final Four predictions. Honestly, any of these teams could win the tournament. Forget the number seed they are. None of that matters anymore. Now, I know that Duke has been prone to coming up short in recent years, but Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, and Nolan Smith are a solid tandem. Yes, the Blue Devils have had a bit of an easier road, but I'm going to go ahead and pick the Dukies.

But remember, if you're not rooting for Butler, you have no soul.