Fade This Episode 16 NCAA Tournament 1st Round

Welcome everybody.

It is episode sixteen of The Fade this podcast. We are actually coming to you sponsored by DraftKings Live, well not live, it's actually on tape, but kind of live like it's live for us here at the NCAA tournament. It is the day before the first round in Pittsburgh and we are here. Kentucky is out on the floor right now doing their practice. Before this podcast is over, NC State will be out doing their practice, and then maybe even Texas Tech depending on how long we go. So, Drew,

I don't think so.

No, this is uh no, it's not you don't know. All right, Well you'll throughout that. Oh wait, this is trevs Scott. Yes, it's continuing. Okay, well good. It feels like a very long song. I feel like it's been on for he performing here. It feels like fifteen minutes. So you all in the podcast, you're gonna hear that in the background.

Just stack like it's the musical accompaniment to your favorite sports gambling podcast. Drew, we got to Pittsburgh last night and today we are going to pick all thirty two first round games.

Against the spread. Are you excited about that?

I could not be more excited. We did our morning show and I came straight here. I watched South Carolina's entire practice. Sitting with South Carolina people, I realize I'm kind of wearing their colors. I think they adopted me. They thought you were. I don't want to be with them anymore, but I did have a good hour as a game cock earlier. This is by far the fewest Kentucky fans I've ever seen in one of these Oh not even close. I mean, why do you think that is? Like?

The Oakland had I counted six people here. You would think if you're Oakland, you don't get to come a lot. Maybe people just don't want to go somewhere on the Wednesday, like maybe they're all on their way now and they'll be here tomorrow. But there were more South Carolina fans than there were Kentucky fans here.

That's probably it being the Thursday Saturday, it cuts more into your work week, where a Friday Sunday game you can go get to Thursday practices and you're not missing as Maybe, but I expect to be much better tomorrow.

Remember when we did our show on the road on our tour, Pittsburgh was our smallest crowd. Maybe just do Kentucky fans just like they don't live in Pittsburgh. No Kentucky fan lives here? Is that possible?

That? Or it's such a blue collar town literally just working, like.

Do people always like I feel like that's required when you talk about Pittsburgh, everybody's just like it's blue collar. I mean, are there cities where people don't work?

I know what you're saying, but it kind of does feel that way, like if you were if I went to the nicest restaurant in Pittsburgh Michelin Star or whatever. Okay, I feel like someone could walk into a hoodie and hard hat and they would just see them like everyone else. But if you did that in another city, I just feel like you think.

I mean, like, I get it, like it was a steel town, and when it was a steel town, I get.

It it was, but it was all that. But like all I see are I still I see the.

Same paneras here. I see what's in Oh yeah, they're all just eating gravel.

I don't mean this to be disrespectful, but everyone I've passed on the street, I assume smoked cigarettes. Okay, I just I just feel like everyone is grit. That's the worst, all right, PARADOGM.

I mean cal Perry I think said the word blue collar sixty five times. He's during his thing. So anyway, we're gonna pick the games. We are in the Pittsburgh Penguins Arena. There you see the uh retired jerseys of Mario Lemieux and Yahmir Yager, two blue collar guys, and it's nice they they've won lots of things.

MVPs.

You got Lemieux, Yager, Sidney Crosby at Malcoln, so.

All kinds of big stars. I've had a very eventful PPG Arena experience so far, not just being a South Carolina fan. I caught my pants on a metal partition checking in and they ripped, and I had to ask a stranger if my rear ends showing, because I thought I was gonna to uber home and change pants.

How do you ask a stranger if you're rear it?

Well? Is the guy right next to me? And I felt it rip and I put my hand back there and it's ripped, and I kind of had to be like, hey man, am I good or is this I need to go home situation? You're good, It's just the pocket. But that was five minutes after walking in the door.

I do need to ask Pittsburgh.

I'm gonna make a motion you moved the airport somewhat closer to the city.

It's billy six and.

A half hours from here to the airport, Like it is so far outside of town that what you feel like you're in a.

Different city, I mean northern attack.

The Cincinnati airport is closer to Cincinnati, and it's in a different state than this airport is.

How's your situation today.

It's looking good. I have black ones on today, so they're not I'm saving. I'm saving the really white ones that I bought in Bowlie Green.

I'm saving those for the game tomorrow.

It was a game day. Well, you know, you bought them for a long Nashville and we didn't get that. I'm hoping we get a long steel city here. Yeah.

You know, I wore my bad buddy white shoes in Nashville. They didn't stay white. That was a bad decision. It was it was its time in the rotation and it was it's you know, Broadway is now just so filthy. Yeah, like it's impossible to keep anything clean.

I had some casualties on Broadway. I had a nice pair of sunglasses. And I'm sitting at a bar, like bellied up in a chair with friends with my glasses, just sitting there mining their own business, and someone singing on the bar just runs and stomps them in there a thousand pieces and then runs on stage. And the bartender is like, well you should tell him, and I'm like, you want me to just go tap him on the shoulder right now, So that was just those are gone.

Yeah, way is becoming like the purge for sorority girls. Like they're they're falling down and and I'll see group of groups of girls walking and if one falls, they just keep moving. They're like, you know, you know what, see you later. We have to get to Jason al Dean's you're just gone. You're just gonna have to lay in the street for a while.

Well, it's because they're the bachelor parties have those like ropes that you do, like kindergarten field trips, throw all together so if one falls, it's a it's a group group. Faull. Let me ask you a question. Do you like pedal bikes? I enjoyed the day we did it in Lexington, doing this show. If I'm in Nashville, no, I don't want to be. I mean because everybody everyone in Nashville has the same like Nashville ain't ready for us, and like

I'm going to go in the order that these games will be on television starting Thursday. So hopefully you listen to this on Wednesday night. If not, these games will have already happened, then you'll know how we did. But before we do that, Conference tournament week is over. Thirty two tournaments. There were a lot of upsets. All we did was pick the winner. So, Billy, how many winners did I get? How many winners did Drew get?

Well, the first edition you had four, Matt and Drew had one, and we did the final sixteen. Matt you picked two correctly, Yukon in the Big East and Grand Canyon in the whack. Oh yeah, and Drew got one. It was our Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.

Up came, so Drew got two out of thirty two. Well, I maintained that first one. You told me to pick sleepers, so I did four seeds in the lower I I was running up pill from the over from the beginning. You took away my totals, so I tell me I got it very good, though I mean to be fair. I got five out of thirty two and you got two. That's not very good.

Six, Matt, I got six.

Hell, then I'm good. I got six. That's really good. That's like like eighteen percent. That's pretty good.

It's fine. I feel like starting the real march madness is now.

We're gonna be good. Okay, so good at picking.

Whole tournaments, we're good at picking games.

So I'm gonna give you the game and then where it is, and then Billy is going to give you the spread.

Are you ready to get started?

I'm ready. Are we starting with the playing games?

No? The playing games? Want?

Two of them are over and we're not picking the one tonight We're gonna start tomorrow and we have in Charlotte, North Carolina. First game kicks off the tournament at twelve fifteen. You turn on your TV. You get excited, turn on CBS. Michigan State, Mississippi State. I feel like Michigan State plays the noon game on Thursday every year because I'm always like, yes, tournament, no tom Misso this is boring.

But what's the spread.

Michigan State is a one point favorite.

I like Mississippi State. I think they're very good. I think they're tough, They're they're gritty. I think they do what Michigan State does, but this year they do it better than Michigan State does it. I'm hedging on the Big Ten the whole tournament. I think the Big Ten is was bad. This year is overrated. I actually think amongst the power conferences, it might have been the fourth or fifth best conference. So give me Mississippi State to beat the Spartans. I love Mississippi State here.

As soon as the bracket came out, I saw that matchup and thought they're winning that one. Izzo's a hot tournament name. Heck, they probably shouldn't even be in the field if his name isn't tom Izzo. I think Missisipi State wins that one, and I think they'll give North Carolina a game. I think they're a sleeper team to watch. They got the freshman guard Josh Hubbard that played so well at Kentucky fans. It's a big guy. He always ss ssmith smith. You got the Dennis Chris Jans defense.

Okay, Well we'll let you know who makes it.

Second game, Well, it is Ducaine byu Ducaine, by the way, is the host of this of this regional and their media team.

I heard this.

Their media team has never hosted a regional or been to the NCAA tournament and they have to do it on the same day, which is a lot for the Ducaine media team. So shout out Ducaine media Relations. What is the spread?

Yeah?

Nevertheless, b Yu as a nine and a half point favorite in this game.

This is a six to eleven matchup.

There are a couple eleven seeds that are favored over the six and yet this one they're nine and a half point zero underdog, which seems like a lot.

In my goodness. I think that was Grant Darbyshire that just made the three. He banked it in from half court to uh to get it all right? So nine and a half? What do you got, Drek?

Oh, I thought that was gonna be a little lower. I'm gonna go b What I like. B Yu is another Darling I'm watching. I think they're gonna play well. As a Kentucky guy, you got the Mark Pope connection. Uh. He picked Taylor Swift as his favorite music. She had a pretty good run through the NFL season. So I will take the Cougars here.

Yeah, I'm gonna take BYU as well. I think Duquane's media team being distracted is gonna hurt. It is because you know, you rely on your media team to help you with the with the interviews, you know all that, and like half of them are here.

I'm very confused by that. Normally you would take everyone with you with your team, like everybody's going to the stop. Who did they have to like fight to who start?

They said there are people, They said that the basketball people are running this.

It was like the gymnastics sids.

And I'm sure those are good people, but are they ready for the spotlight of Omaha, Nebraska and all the Mormons.

I don't think they are.

I'm ready, and you know, you know my affinity for Mormons against the Spread.

We're a Mormon podcast.

Last year it's a Mormon against the Spread. I'm taking a Mormon now. The only thing is it's at twelve forty, which in BYU time is gonna be nine to forty in the morning.

Do you think that's gonna be an issue?

They're gonna be sleepy. I don't know that, but I get up early. What do you know about Mormon sleeping habits? Nothing? Absolutely nothing. But if I were picking sleep in or get up early, I would think they're early risers. I got it.

So, yeah, if you were talking about go to church, So let's rank when religions wake up. Okay, I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say Homish people wake up the earliest.

Would you agree with you?

Oh, they're definitely up because they don't have electricity, so they got it.

Follow this up, Yeah, there are.

So I'm gonna say Homage people wake up the earliest. I'm going to say Catholics wake up the latest because they've been drinking. I don't know that. Again, I love all. Really, this is not this is not meant to be hurtful South real quick. This is we're gonna do all Protestants since we're Protestants. I think it's just safer to only do I don't know, Hindu sleeping habit. Yeah, so we'll do all Protestants and Catholics. We'll throw them in there too.

They're turing. That's me I tried to tell you. Yeah, but our early church service three people, second service can't find a seat on my Presbyterians.

So I'm going Amish and then I think presb Episcopals, and Presbyterians.

The next latest, I think Baptist.

Get up early because uh, you know, I got a Trump rally to go to. I threw my families are my family's Baptist. I'm allowed to say that. I think.

So I'm gonna go Amish, then Baptist, no Amish, then Church of Christ, then Baptist, then Methodist. Presbyterians, Episcopals, and Catholics are last. Do you have anything you would like to change?

It's a great ranking. As much as I'd like to add more and really stretch this out, I will add my Presbyterians. I remember times where Kentucky had like a or not excuse me, been an NFL. But the pastor is very aware of a game about to start and would let the crowd know that congregation know that we're leaving. Because in the eighties Kentucky would play one game a year at noon. That must be what I'm thinking of.

CBS and the churches in Lexington would would would meet an hour early so they could all get done and go and Kentucky would play. They played Syracuse Saint John's Navy. It was always like a gen. It was usually Super Bowl Sunday. They would usually play that game Houston.

I think they played one time with a chem O Lodge one sollance.

Anyway, that gets you ready for the game. So BYU. We're gonna take BYU to cover what's next?

Akron and Creighton. Creighton is a twelve and a half point favorite.

This game is here, it's in Pittsburgh. I'm gonna say Akron covers only twelve twelve. Listen, twelve and a half points. Acron's not far away. You know a thing about across blue collar It is just like Pittsburgh Craighton. Again, back to media distractions. Creighton is the host of the of the.

One in Omaha, so half their media department had to stay in Omaha. Akron will cover the twelve and a half just Vegas. Find out all the media situations before Sudneys. Is it factored in?

This is the edge we have is that we we've we've thought about these.

Things in March madness. I pick underdogs usually, but I'm doing favorites. I'm going Craton here again over the twelve and a half. Yeah, I think Creighton's gonna put together a run. I haven't done my final four completely yet, but they're in the conversation in that region is my final four pick. And then Akron, of course shouldn't even be here because of the foul in their conference. Guy I did, and I've seen the internet saying he's shaving points and then I mean, we saw that kid's face.

Meanst I stayed in first because he has to go to Kent State, So start with that.

And then if you're gonna go to Kent State, then you have a chance to go to the tournament. And you foul for people who didn't see fouled intentionally because he thought they were behind and they were up one four seconds. So but but the thing is Akron, you know to who much is given much as expected, They were given a trip to the tournament.

I expect him to cover. It's not crazy. For so many times we see a team going a run when they were split second from being out, So it's not not impossible. But I think Creighton might actually be a year where they go far all right.

Next in Salt Lake City, Utah, Long Beach State with Dan Monson, who was fired last week but allowed to finish the season and took his team to the tournament. They have They have not won a tournament game since the eighties. They play Arizona.

Uh, what's the spread, Billy, Arizona's a twenty and a half point favorite.

Long Beach State is definitely covered half right, Yeah.

I mean you have the story of him getting fired going on that run. You also have the story he hired Arizona's coach to be his grad assistant in Gonzaga, Tommy Lloyd at Arizona was his first job was under this man, So he can't run him out of the gym in the tournament appearance as a twenty point favorite, well, they're at least covering that they're not winning, but they will keep it close for that connection. I just realized, by the way, BYU, No, BYU's in.

Provo, right, it's not it's all Lake Yeah, okay, yeah, Long Beach State. I like them. I like this one and.

A lot.

Arizona has been upset a lot in the tournament over the years by lower seed teams. I don't think they're gonna get upset here, but at Long Beach State we'll do it.

I've been to Long Beach State's campus, amongst the most tanned people on a campus in America. Tan, I guess, well, they're just you know, Long Beach is like the beach, it's in the sun, and they just walked. I just remember thinking, everybody, I'm a lot paler than everybody here, and it made.

Me very self conscious. Also, only campus i've been to without a campus bookstore.

I'm guessing you're trying to get a hoodie, trying to get a hoodie and did not have a campus bookstore?

And I asked, I was like, this was many years ago. I said, where's the campus bookstore? And they go, it's off campus. It's well, I mean, on campus, what are you supposed to do? And they go, well, the students are told they have to go off campus.

See what doesn't make sense. I know, like a bookstore, that's your back. You had to have books, you know, Now it wasn't It's not like everything was online. So I think that's gonna affect them.

Where's their media team though, it's a good question.

Uh.

Next we get to the afternoon games. You have Wagner against North Carolina. This game is in Charlotte Billy.

What's the spread twenty five North Carolina.

Well, first, I would never bet a twenty five point spread in the NCAA tournament. But if I were going to I'd probably pick North Carolina because Wagner had to go to Dayton and then to Charlotte, and they sto have to play during the day. And what I'm gonna, I'm gonna and it's in Charlotte, so it's gonna be full of Carolina fans.

I'll take Carolina. Yeah, wager was already an underdog, won that one straight up to get here. You just got to wonder how much fight they have left when they look up and see the number one seed in Charlotte. So even though that's a huge number, I will also take the Tar Hills, as I continue to only take the votes. Rob Dillinghan.

By the way, but the Kentucky basketball team ended their practice ten minutes early, and Jordan Burks is shooting trying to make a three before he leaves, and he is still out here.

How long do you think this is gonna take before he makes one? At some point he should just leave.

I respect this, though, I won't leave a court without making one, and there is allright, he gets to leave, so we're taking Carolina, all right. Next we have here in Omaha. Wait a minute, I'm not in Omaha. I'm in Pittsburgh. You've been traveling a lot.

To be fair, that's true, Morehead State and Illinois. Preston's Bradland before he heads to Illinois a different part of it for a job. He has to do this first. And what's the spread?

Bill Illinois is eleven and a half point favorite.

I love Preston, but I think his heart is in Suluki Country. I'm kidding, not really, but I'm taking Illinois to cover this. I don't think Morehead I pick them on national radio, but I'm now flipping in same Illinois covers.

I'll be rooted for Morehead, but Illinois's got one of the best players in the tournament, and they ended the regular season pretty hot, did well in the conference tournament. I thought that numer would actually a little higher, and I was gonna take Morehead. I was prepared to say Morehead crazy BYU is only a nine and is a nine and a half point favorite against eleven seeded Duquine. Illinois is a three fourteen and it's only two points more. Yeah, I need a little more points there if I'm gonna

Steve Lapis is on the call.

We're gonna have to listen to Steve Lapis all day here in Pittsburgh. Steve Lapis, guy.

It's fine. I mean, I don't you know, I don't have a strong feeling anyway. I saw Evan Washburn earlier. He'll be on the call. Great hair. Here's the thing about Steve Lapis, I like, and I think you would appreciate this. There's two men with large ears. Not that we're not as big as Steve's. He's got me, dude, I got a pretty good set here. You do have big ears, but Steve's are protruding. Okay, mine. I feel like over time are slowly coming back in At a

Who has the biggest ears of any famous person?

I don't want to say his name, but there's a man out there covering sports on national television that is fighting the good fight for us.

No, you're talking about the guy in the NFL New Yeah, Andrew Cecilia.

I wasn't gonna call him out. If you look his name on Twitter, they're only talking about.

His He has the biggest but it's again, it's more protruding than it is big.

They're out more. But I've intentionally searched his name before, and that's all people are talking about. And that man sits in front of the camera the next day and just keeps covering football.

I can't even credit for who else would be in the big ear Dave Baker local national him, Yeah, nationally, I mean Andrew.

Billy.

While we're doing this, first of all, give me the spread, and then why don't you look up celebrities of big Ross parou that.

See when I was like it was broady elementary, those jokes got real old, you know, I was like the Ross mean people called you all the time. I mean, he was running for president and I'm seven frequently that Dumbo. Oh my gosh, I'm just trying to swing and learn long division. I realize I have big ears? Can I just get through?

You would know that children would know who Ross was?

I have ross Paro trauma. What year did he run? It lines right up with me being picked on? I know that much. He ran in ninety two, seven years old, getting all the ross Paros? Who knew you were at the ross Paro trumps? All right?

So what is the spread of Oregon?

South Carrol?

South Carolina is a one and a half point favorite, and quickly a couple of celebrities with big ears, Adam Driver and all cocks.

Chanting Tatum does have big ears, but like that's a good proof if you if you're in like good enough shape, it doesn't matter what your ears.

Like.

He does have big ears, I've.

Noticed, but he when he walks by, no one's like, look at those ears. It's look at magic Mike. You know, when the rest was walking by, it's like, look at those ears. You're telling me I should get my.

App I was gonna say, if we were cut like Chanting Tatum, maybe it wouldn't matter.

I'll go home and practice dancing to my pony, Courtney.

Cox, that's on this list. Yes, and Jennifer Gardner.

I met Courtney Cox. I didn't remember having an ear thought about her.

Women though, they can cover it up with their hair like they can like they can make it to where it's not a big deal. I'm gonna take Oregon. I think South Carolina is we even do that. I think South Carolina is kind of fraudulent. I know they listen, they had a great year. But of course I once said South Carolina was the worst three seed in history, and they made the first seven seed in history, and they made the Final four. But I'm gonna take Oregon to win right here in Pittsburgh.

Uh, this was tough. I thought Oregon was gonna be a team to watch, but also had a lot of fun with my new South Carolina friends earlier and watching that whole practice. You know, I'm a big being loose playing free guy, just noticing when teams have a little pressure. They were having lots of fun and they're ready to rock. So I will go with South Carolina. There's Joel Justice talking to former Choel Justice is here, Hello, Joel. Just all right?

Next, the last game of the afternoon in Salt Lake, Nevada and Date, a game that will certainly be one I'll skip.

What's the spread.

Nevada is minus one and a half.

So Nevada is the ten seed and is favored. Interesting, Well, I'm gonna take them anyway. I'm big on the Mountain West in this tournament. They're already one to zero. I think they'll win to Night. Poisey State will beat Colorado.

I'm gonna take Nevada to beat Dayton, who kind of floundered a little bit down the stretch and got in lost in their conference tournament. Give me Nevada. They lost to Dukane, but I'll remind you that's when Dukane had their full media team available. So I'm expecting Dayton to play a lot better in the NCAA tournament. This will be another close game. I'm gonna go ahead and call it. I'm gonna pick Dayton, but I mean gonna say this one comes down to the last shot. It will be.

I told you that Dayton's media team is stuck at the first four and was not able to make the trip to Salt Lake City for the game because they're doing the first four.

Well they do that every year. They're used today. Oh, they're used to it.

I mean that's that's just on the family calendar. Eye they got the first four. You know who the head of media is at Dayton, I don't.

Shane White for a former Delta Sigma Phive fraternity member at Transylvania University.

He went to school with me, And you thought I knew that when I was in school Shane White, I didn't even know he had watched a sport.

Ever, he never talked about it. I thought he was in opera and drama. And one year I went to the first four. I walk in and Shane White's working at the desk and I looked at him and I said, I.

Thought you were in opera, Like how did you become? And He's like the sid for Dayton just goes to show.

You never know what people are gonna do.

And maybe all those times you didn't think he was watching sports, he was writing up notes.

Over there on the side. He wasn't watching it. He was information direct there you go, all right, we go to the night games, Colorado State versus Texas in Charlotte.

What's the sprit Texas minus two and a half.

Texas minus two and a half. So here's the thing. One team from the first four always wins their next game, and I'd like it. You know what, Colorado State going to cover and I think could win the game.

What's our travel situation here? I think they just played Dayton Date. Okay, so true, that's right. Uh, now they're fine. Then I'm going to Colorado State to win. They got some confidence by playing a horrible Virginia team that shouldn't have been there. I always think about that big fat mascot kid and the Rams outfit from the tournament like ten years ago. His magic is still lingering around going. So they went outright against Texas. That was from the first four. They're moving on.

When when that happened? No, it was actually Lexington. It was against Louisville. It was here Louisville won the title. They were they played Colorado State in the second round. All right, Oakland in Kentucky. That is obviously our Kentucky Wildcats playing here in Pittsburgh.

What's the spread?

It's now thirteen and a half for the last lot.

It opened at what eleven maybe something like that.

I didn't see the opening.

This is tough because I either think Kentucky wins by thirty or wins by six. I'm gonna go ahead and say we covered because I think, well, I think they're gonna have a hard time Guardeness with the zone they play, so I'm gonna take Kentucky to cover.

I will also take Kentucky to cover just because if Kentucky is playing well and they flip that switch, it will be a blowout. I feel like the numbers should be a little bit higher. Yeah, I do too.

I mean, I think there's a chance they I mean because you know, the Oakland coach said, look if we catch them on and off night, they don't and that's all true, but you play, I mean, nobody has played zone against its Kentucky team.

They just shoot too well. I don't know how you can do that right. Yeah, And I watched Oakland's practice. They just they don't have much size. I knew that going into it, but seeing them out there after watching all the other teams, and I know Kentucky's not a team that's gonna really take advantage of you inside. But they just don't look like they'll match up. But then again, on Friday, we could be on our way home saying that Oakland team is good. U.

We will now go to the twelve seeded McNeese State versus Gonzaga. Will Wade said in an interview today, I like being the bad boy of college basketball. You shouldn't call yourself a bad boy when you're like a middle aged white guy, like you shouldn't say I'm a bad boy.

And wasn't his wife paying players? Like That's not that wasn't it like their family bank account that got him caught in my dream saying he's like a bad sugar baby. Well, I'm just saying, not a bad boy if like your wife is literally paying the bills for your basketball team, because when they got caught off, if I'm not mistaken their personal checks or something involved. So I don't know. I mean, you're bad enough that you cheated and got fired.

I think he said he was a bad boy, and you.

Know, he is a good basketball coach.

He is.

Unfortuately, I wish he wasn't, but I think he is. What's the spread.

Uh good, Zaga minus six and a half.

Oh my goodness. TJ. Burns is so big. He just went court into end. He started on the BYU game and he just like, I'm just kidding, but no, he just went into end for a layoff. That was just crazy to watch. He's got one of the biggest chests. I mean, like, look how broad his chest is.

All right, what were we talking about? Mcneque State and Gonzaga. Six and a half's not a lot. I'm gonna actually take Gonzaga. I think this is one of those things where so many people are picking McNeese a lot of times in this five twelve matchups, those happen that I actually think they go too far, and I think that's what's happened here, and I'm gonna take Gonzaga.

I've got Gonzaga beating McNeese because they're a popular pick, and then I have Gonzaga beating Kansas, so Gonzaga will be in my sweet sixteen.

All right, you got gonzag. You got Gonzaga to cover.

Yep. I think that they're playing well and gonna do well in this tournament. All right. Back to Omaha, South Dakota State and Iowa State a battle of the Midwest, I believe it. You know, here's what I think these two states. I think they border. I actually think South Dakota State, if I'm correct, is not that far Iowa like it's like in the south well Hens, well no, I mean, I guess it could be in the north of South Dakota, but I think it's in the south of South Dakota.

Anyway, what's the spread Iowa State minus sixteen?

Oh south. I like South Dakota State to cover that. This game will stay closed for a great part of it.

I love Iowa State, but now with that many points, I think I still haven't finalized my bracket, but I might have Iowa State instead of Yukon in my final four. That's how much I like them. But they're not covering that in round one. That's a lot sixteen and a half, you know. Yeah, and I think every defensive team might be a little more lower.

Sometimes when these teams win conference tournaments, people just act like, you know, they forget that this is a different thing, right They got to kind.

Of restart, and some teams just want to win this game and get out and be done with it. Some teams they're fine winning by eight and moving on to the next one. That doesn't necessarily need to be a blowout. So I'll take I'll go against Billy South Dakota State. South Dakota State, I believe is the is the jack Ratbbits.

That's correct.

Do you know what the difference is between a rabbit and a jack rabbit?

The name of the rabbit maybe a longer tail.

I mean, are you which one are you going with?

I'm gonna go longer tail.

Are you looking that out?

Okay? Do you know? No? I was asking you. I have one and it's actually fitting. Okay. According to Google, jack rabbits have longer ears.

So we're talking about Andrew Siciliano, Courtney Cox, Channing Tatum and jack rabbits.

Those are our biggest ears, says. They're also more of a hair than a rabbit. What's the difference between a rabbit and the hair? Sounds like something else and you type in Google. I could do this all day, just keep moving.

I've never thought about the fact that hares and rabbits because you always see it.

Hear about the tortoise and the hair.

Why was the turtle in the rabbit?

Hairs? Have not been domesticated, while rabbits are often kept as house pets.

The good point about the the sort of the tortoise in the hair.

We call things turtles and rabbits, Yet for this children's like story they used tortoise in the hair.

Do you think that was to sound more professional or because they weren't house animals. Oh, they're out in the wild, so they're racing each other.

This is the part, you know, You know, when DraftKings ask you to take a clip to put on all the other podcasts, you should use this clip right here on this talk.

Yeah, no, I don't, but I think this would be the.

Instead of uh, getting Rick Warren? Why don't we get? Was it in the Fables? Sorry? Bill? Okay, you're Rick? Why you call? And we'll get to the box.

Can you remember any other Aesop fable?

I feel like I had a like a VHS full of Esop cartoons, But no, I can't know. They're coming to mind right now. I was really cool about I get done with my Ross Broo jokes and saw. Uh No, I can't think of any other ones though.

Okay, so the most famous one is the Tortoise and the hair.

Uh huh?

How about that one. Let's see here, here are a list of them. The frogs and the ox.

I remember some frogs, but I don't think that it must have been a different frog.

The town mouse and the country mouse.

Does he just like pick two animals and put them to know that these are all the here's one the hair in his ears? I think I had that one. Wow, look how many there are? Look at that? Did you know there were that many? So? What's another famous one? I keep seeing all these? I don't remember the line the ass and the fox. Do you remember that one? No? Uh, I don't remember it.

The milk Maide and her pail.

I have the full list of the bear and the beaten None of these sound from I don't recognize any of these. So did the tortoise?

And the hair?

Basically carry the water for all of these side fables? The boy who cried Wolf? Is that? Okay? That one? Yeah? Here we go to this. This is a very informative another fade. This the wolf culture we bring to people. We had Jim Varney a few weeks ago in the Ernest Movies.

Amazing how many of them he has to have wolf in it? The wolf and the skinny dog like this one, the ass carrying his image?

What does that mean? I don't know, Billy.

What I would like you to do is for next week's show, I want you to give us your favorite reading from the ass carrying his image.

I'll do that after I watch Ernest goes to Camp.

Did you didn't watch any of that we told you to?

Did you?

All right?

I have no idea which what we're on? Okay, Saint Peter's in Tennessee. Saint Peter's of course beat Kentucky is a fifteen seed. Now they get another SEC team.

Uh?

What what is the.

Spring Tennessee twenty one and a half?

What do you think? Uh? While I'm thinking on it, I'll add a little storyline here that's interesting. You know. Is this guy Ziegler Tennessee's Point Garden. We're familiar with him. Yeah, Saint Peter's best player is Armani Ziegler, his younger brother. And when he when they asked if he is gonna guard him, he said no, he's six or five. Vscobe can guard him. So we at least have a little

Yeah, I'm at twenty one and a half.

It's a lot. Tennessee feels like the team, though Kinneck will get going and they'll try to win by forty and he'll get.

So you're gonna take Tennessee to cover that, I think. So I'm gonna take Saint Peters to keep it within twenty one and a half. I feel like, uh, I don't think they'll win by any means. I actually don't think it'll be close, but I think they'll cover that number. They'll give me Saint Peter's. Can I just read you the ass carrying his image? It's a short it's a short face. Sure, I'm okay.

Then I love this.

I would have to turn the music down.

What you when I read this? I want you to give me what you think it means. Okay, So I want you both to focus. Try to tune out. La Traviscott or Kendrick Lamar, a sacred image was being carried to the temple. It was mounted on an ass adorned with garlands and gorgeous trappings, and a grand procession of priests and pages followed.

It through the streets.

As the ass walked along, the people bowed their heads reverently and fell on their knees, and the ass thought the honor was being paid to himself. With his head full of this foolish idea, he became so puffed up with pride and vanity that he halted and started to bray loudly. But in the midst of his song, his driver guessed what the ass had gotten into his head and began to beat the ass unmercifully with a stick.

The inspirational tortoise in the hair, this man beating his donkey. I didn't really catch a point to that story.

Well, it tells you at the end what the what the thing is, do not try to take the credit for yourself that is due to others.

I didn't get that out of that message. I did not get that at all. I just so, did you watch a videover man just beating I don't think. I don't think I got to that part. No, I don't think. I think. I think I stuck with the tortoise in the hill, and then I would put it in the VHS rewinder and go back to the beginning and watch. You know, this is one. I don't know if back then they had editors, but this is one. If I was a editor, I would have gone, let's just cut

Tell you what, just cut that one. You don't need to include that in the book you've got. These others have so many fables you can leave a few out. You could leave this one out. N C State and Texas Tech. Right now, n C State is practicing in front of us.

This is like some insider trading here, Billy, what's the spread?

Texas Tech minus five?

So I want DJ Burns to win.

I like him. I like his hair the way it like sprouts up right there. And he's obviously huge, which is fun. But this is the kind of thing that always happens. A team like n C State makes a run, they become like a darling, and then they go get crushed in the tournament. So give me Texas Tech. I think this is a coin flip. When I was messed with the bracket earlier. I couldn't pick one side either way.

This game, all right, So we're split on this? Are you four in C State? You know, when I was in law school, I sort of at Duke. I sort of adopted n C State because I felt sorry for him. You know, North Carolina and Duke are both there, they win all the time, and then there's poor in C State who has a lot of fans.

I mean, I will bet you there'll be.

A lot of inn Z State people here tomorrow, and yet I don't think they get thought of like Carolina and Duke. I wonder if Russell Wilson will be here. He's dude to Pittsburgh. That's his alma mater, right, he can.

One of them.

Did me finish at Wisconsin?

Yeah, but he did a lap around in C State. I'm not necessarily rooting for them. I mean I would, but I don't really love the Joel Justice Cali Perry thing, not that there's anything there. I just don't want any drama at any stage of this tournament when we don't need it. I don't want you could get col versus. That's just unnecessary. Not that cal should worry about Joel Justice,

You know, from up here, it looks like Joel Justice kind of looks like Joey Vado.

I don't where is that? Don't know.

He's right there in the black sweatsuit or there at the free throw line. Okay, yeah, then he looked like Joey Votto for me.

Yes, not striking out, but otherwise he wears the shaved head.

Well, yeah he does. It's hard. It's hard for a white guy to have shaved head and look good, and he does. Most people look like a thumb with like with a and he he actually he looks good. All right, what's that we have Samford and Kansas Kansas without their leading score David mccullor.

What's the spread Kansas minus seven?

All right, so I picked Sandford to win before he got hurt. This is the kind of time now I want to go the opposite way because everybody's gonna be on Sandford. I'm gonna take Sandford because I picked him to win in my bracket, but I feel less confident about it now that that guy's playing not playing than I did before.

I'll still take Sanford because they can. They can lose and cover that spread. They are the most popular pick by far with heck, just the Kansas logo in general. Everybody wants to begins that. But then you throw in self, maybe holding that injuryimation till after selection Sunday. So I will join America and cheer for Sanford. Yeah, all right. Last one on Thursday, Drake versus Washington State. Drake.

I'll go ahead and tell you, I don't care what you say.

The spread is.

I'm taking Drake because I have them going to the Elite eight.

But what is this? You're gonna love the spread?

It's minus one and a half Drake.

Oh, then I'm definite. I mean I'm taking Drake easy like that's that. They are definitely. Uh, they're winning this game. Drake is good. People are gonna be shocked how good Drake is when they see them late on Thursday day. I agree, and it's gonna set up a Drake Iowa State second round matchup that I think people are already looking forward to. I know, Drake being the ten. You think they might be an underdog against Washington State, but it just shows how good they are.

And Drake is in Omaha. No, where is Drake.

It's in that general area. To me, that's all one thing.

It's in des Moines, Iowa.

There you go, Moines. It's in des Moines. So it's in the same city as uh no, wait a minute, I was in Iowa City and then des Moines. Actually we went to Drake's campus. That's where we watched that game. Been to Iowa State and Ames. Yeah, and we've.

Used the Drake media department before because they did the de Win regency.

All comes to the media bump here.

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Can we do that? Can we can you look into if we could do that?

Well, we already got yelled at for speeding them up and slowing them down.

So but there was I'm telling you, I listened to it.

He was on SmartLess, you know, the thing with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett and Seth Meyer.

But that's not his name. Sean Hayes, the guy from Will and Grace, and they said he was doing to read and it said see the disclaimers on our web page. He probably got an email. He probably didn't have it. He's like, you just go to the website. And then after the show they were like, yeah, I'll do that again. I mean that.

Do you ever listen to that podcast? But I'm familiar with it.

I like Jason Bateman, That's what I was gonna say.

Jason Bateman very like boy. Sean Hayes is fine. Will Arnett talks way too much, and I like Will Arnett.

He seems like he would fit right in with it.

It's just he wants to make a joke. Every time, and they're trying, like with John Oliver and people, and it's like you don't have to like make a joke every time.

You know, Yeah, he's just trying to hit home runs too much. Sometimes the singles, all right, Sometimes you just get a slap bunt and you run down and let the next person come up and let the next person go. But all right, who's up next? We've got Friday.

We start in Brooklyn, Northwestern and Florida Atlantic.

Billy, what do you guys, Fau minus two and a half.

I'm going to Northwestern.

The whole world once thinks about Florida Atlantic because they made the Final four last year. They were kind of lucky to get out of the first round. This year, they don't get out of the first round. Even though I'm anti Big ten in this tournament, I will take Northwestern in this game.

This is another one. When I was looking at the bracket, I had no feeling whatsoever. Fau got pretty lucky last year, so I'll just go against him. Northwestern here. Northwestern, Yeah, they ran out of magic with their run last season. It'll be a quick exit, all right.

Next we go to Memphis with Jim Spinarkle I've become convinced over the years, Jim Spinarkle is not a real person. He is a machine that they have plugged in that every year at the NCAA tournament they.

Unplug him and put him on my television.

Because I don't think Jim Spinarkle exists out of the outside of this week March. Can you you have any proof of jim' Spinarkle's existence outside of the first week of March.

I don't, and I'm with you. I could see maybe at the bottom of CBS's headquarters as a basement. Now March first, they're like, here's the code. Someone go down there and get Jim, bring him up, and we gotta we gotta get him out to Salt Lake City, so it's March Town. And then April, you freak the five reason.

Back they faced to Jim's spinacle and then they go get Steve Lappas they have to charge him double with the years.

And then they unplug them and they just put them on television.

For a week. Evan Washburn, who I was down there with with the great hair, that's another one. I don't they do it. They do a great job.

I just this is you know where Jim Spinarkle went to college.

I didn't think he did anything. But Mark Tennis, No, I don't, I don't. I think I think he went to Wait, yeah, he did go to Duke. I mean didn't. Yeah, I think he went to Duke. It's Colgate and Baylor. Uh, Billy, what do you? What do you have?

Baylor minus fourteen?

Who? It's a good spring. I'm gonna take Baylor. I think Baylor's better than people think Colgate. I don't know anything about him since the Donald Foyle, So give me, give me Baylor. Uh. Mark Titus made a good take the other day that I'm gonna use. He said everyone picks Colgate when they're in seal the tournament just because the name, and you're like upset, but they've never really done anything. Everyone gets excited. I've done it fifteen times myself.

I would not pick it right, but there's something about I mean, Crest, you wouldn't do Armin Hammer but it's like Colgate makes us happy.

And we all when we get our bracket, we're picking that underdog because we want to say we have it, and you get to Colgate coc Yeah, okay, that's the one. But then they get killed.

I think at the SEC tournament we looked up how Colgate got its name.

Do you know about this?

Remind me if the college was about to close, it was called something else and they didn't know what to do, and so they went to the guy who started the Colgate Toothpaste and they said, hey, will you give us some money? And he said only if you change the name of the school to Colgate, and they did.

They were like.

Really hurting, damn bad.

I mean they were just like, okay to be like UK going all right with Craft. Now I have my diploma framed at home. I have to take it out and change it to Craft. Yeah. I mean, but that's how they became Colgate. Is the is the Colgate Toothpaste guy was like, if you want my money, the school's name is now Colgate. Now I DoD You know his other demands? What did they know? What God to know that he wanted? If anything? Or or was that the deal horrible negotiating to just give away the school. Some

These days, s you is gonna be called musk and you're gonna know why.

It's because Lincoln Bio. If I'm a bitcoin.

Dude, that stuff. We've joked about it a couple of times out here, but Seve blank in Bio is now on every post that And I have.

Seen so many people die on Twitter when I'm just trying to get sports scores like the four like awful videos. Yeah, like I didn't come up, and they're on there as soon as I open it, and I'm like, I'm just here to check scores. I don't need to see this car rec or.

Just like the other day, I was searching for Jim Varney. I just put in well because we had talked about him on here, and I just put in Jim Varney into Twitter, and a massive erection popped up on my thing on your Twitter.

You love Jim Barney that much. It was on my Twitter. Okay, I didn't know what photo popped up of Jim Varney. Oh, I thought you meant on my That's what I mean. You really like that photo of Jim Varney.

Anyway, I'm just saying you would think there would be some content settings, So if you want to search for Jim Varney and you can see what I'm talking about.

All right, we're gonna move.

To Spokane watching Baylor or is he going with you?

Going with Baylor? Oh no, I'm anti.

I'm going all right, We're gonna go out to Spokane where Lisa Bidington, Steve Smith, Robbie Hummel, and Lauren Shahati are all there. They got a lot of people out there. UA B and San Diego State. What's the spress?

San Diego State minus seven?

Here?

I think who did Andy Kennedy say was his favorite music artist? It was somebody weird? Was it like Dave Matthews Band or something.

I don't remember that one.

Okay, you said seven, Yes, that was seven.

I'm gonna take you a B. I don't think I think San Diego State's having the exact same issue that we had with Florida Atlantic. I think they win the game, but I think it comes down to the buzzer. So give me UA B to cover the seven I like U A b here, got a little nice twelve five. San Diego State will be a popular pick because of last season, but you know that that was a bit of a bit of a good run. This is the

All right? Marquette is a fourteen and a half point favorite.

I like Western to cover. They're playing well.

You know, Marquette Marquet can score a lot on you, but they also can go cold. They nearly lost to to Paul this year. So I'm gonna say Western Kentucky keeps it close. I'm gonna go Western Kentucky to cover the fourteen of that.

I will take the Hilltoppers here too. I don't know that anyone chokes more in March Madness than Shaka Smart. He had the VCU run and he's a huge name for that. But named the last time Shaka Smart in the tournament when it mattered, Maybe there was one and I've forgotten it, but I don't have one coming to mind. Yeah, and I expect that again, So I'll take Western Zucket to cover here. They turned the music up, I think

I'm gonna count the amount of fans in the crowd five six, seven, nine, eleven, thirteen, eighteen, twenty, twenty five, twenty eight.

Thirty three. There are thirty eight people here, so I'm gona probably media too. I mean there's thirty eight people, Billy like, why are we doing this? Oh?

You gotta get the tunes up, you know, I gotta get everybody playing me.

There are more people on the court than there are in the crowd. Why why are we doing this? Why are we here? For fade this? Why are we here? I haven't eaten lunch or breakfast? No, I had breakfast. You got talking breakfast? All right?

Stetson Yukon.

Billy, Oh twenty six and a half for Yukon here.

Yeah, I'm gonna take him the time, they're still gonna cover that. I asked the Yukon player, Tristan Newton was on My bracket show on ESPN, and I said, you know, what do you ask? And he was he didn't say much, and we had five minutes to phill, so finally I asked him you you're playing Stetson. Have you ever had a stetson hat? So good question and he said what is that?

And I said it's like a cowboy hat and he went, no, I don't like cowboys.

And then, thank goodness, byron knew his cousin. No, yron knew his cousin. His cousin is Aaron Jones that plays football or played for Green Bay, and he was like, I know your cousin Aaron Jones, and that got him really excited. Otherwise I had more stetson hat questions than I don't think we're going any where because of all that I'm saying, Yukon covers.

I think Yukon covers. I have a fun stets In fact, for our uk audience. Their star player is Jalen Blackman at twenty points per games. That James Kidd, the son of James Huh so James Blackman's other son is in the league. Were in the tournament playing against Yukon.

That's very cool.

Good, that's uh. That's see.

Do you know what state, Billy, Florida or.

Florida.

Correct, that's a hard game.

I say what state Stetson's in.

I'm gonna stump him, Billy. Have you ever worn a Stetson hat? No?

Never?

Okay, see five more minutes. You can finish the interview, which is the Newton what's uh?

Next?

We have New Mexico against Clemson. This is eleven seed in New Mexico. I believe, Billy, they're favored against.

Clemson New Mexico.

Yeah, well they should be. I'm taking New Mexico. I think the ACC stunk and the Mountain West was good. I think the Mountain West I'm gonna go so far as to say it was the.

Fourth best conference. I think it was better than the Big Ten, better than the Big Ten. Wow, I think it was SEC, Big twelve, Big East. Okay, I'll put the Big Ten for it. I'd say it's fifth. It was. I think it was better than the PAC twelve and the a SEC this year. I can't go against that. And I don't like Clemson, so I'll roll in New Mexico. I've also noticed I wasn't gonna take many favorites. I'm batting. I'm about eighty percent on favorites on Yeah. That's unfortunately.

Next Yale, which is what I do when I screwed, screamed Yale and Auburn.

Auburn that is thirteen here.

By the way, two schools that have never had applicants to their undergrad have to choose between each of them.

Down to Yale and Auburn.

That's never been I saw that one of Harvard's players was thinking about transferring and on his list was Mississippi State. And when I was thinking is I wanted to look at that kid and go, I don't care how much you like basketball, you could get a Harvard degree. Do not go to Mississippi State. Do not spend three years at Harvard to get your degree from Mississippi State. Come on, man, the adult in the room, some adult needs to go. You ain't playing in the NBA. Just get your degree from Harvard.

Dude, what did you say?

The spread winds uh thirteen.

I'll take Auburn. I think Yales.

I don't know what they are, but I'll take Auburn.

I say, Yale covers this, Auburn has a little bit of a scare and then goes on a run. So a little bit of slipping out of the SEC tournament here in this first game, yo will be in it, but Auburn will advance. And I'm not sleeping on Auburn not getting out of that region. They could. I think you're right, I'm trying to find my way to get Yukon out. It just no team wins every game by thirteen or more last year and then runs the table again.

I mean that's I don't I don't understand this. Oh, Yukon got screwed. They've got the hardest reason. I just don't believe that. First of all, they only have to play they only play every team in the region. They just have to play the couple that get in their way.

I'm not necessarly saying they're screwed. I just a lot of people are just acting like Yukon has already won this tournament and I'm trying to find wearing this bracket. They're gonna slip up because I think they will.

Yeah, right, So the.

Next game is the winner of Colorado and Boise State, who play tonight versus Florida. I mean, I don't really know how Like, they don't have a spread for that, right.

I have two different spreads for either if Boise State wins or Colorado wins.

If you want that, all right, what are they?

If Boise State wins, Florida is a three and a half point favorite, and if Colorado wins, Florida is a one point favorite.

In both all right, So if Boise State wins, I'm taking Boise State. If Colorado wins, I'm taking Florida.

I know you think that sounds crazy, but I'm kind of the same way because I really like Boise I might think Boise but eight in the NCAA tournament never won a game. Yeah, but did you see the video of Boise's basketball coach today. Go over to the band and take the drumsticks and just start playing the drums with the band. I'm a big, being loose guy. Boys is ready to go. So I will take Boise It's a very good point. They're having fun.

Yeah, nevertheless, I'm gonna take Boise. If Boise wins Florida, if Colorado wins, let's go to just Boise.

Whatever happens, I'm rolling with them even if they're not in the game. Yep, I'll go sit with them at home. Texas A and M and Nebraska. Nebraska's never won.

Nebraska is the only Power five school to never have won an NCAA tournament game.

What's the spread?

Nebraska is favored by one.

Get out here.

You know what records are meant to be broken here.

Buzz Williams can grow hair, but he can't grow NCAA tournament victories. I'm gonna take the corn Huskers to end their streak and make for a beautiful day in lovely Lincoln.

Give me Nebraska to win. I will take Texas A and M. Obviously they just almost won the SEC Tournament. I don't know what it is with Buzz and coaching, but it'll look like A and M is dead and then out of nowhere at the end of the year. He hasn't ready to play. He's got to start this earlier or whatever he does in the end of the season. Is there ever a season? Texas A and M is not on the bubble buzz Williams bubble buzz. Williams came out of the womb on the bubble. When he was

He is a human bubble and he is going to uh, but he's losing. I think in this one Vermont and Duke hippies everywhere rejoice with this game.

What's the spread Duke minus twelve.

I'm saying Vermont covers. They can shoot.

Duke's very athletic, but they like to shoot from the outside. I want to take the Oakland coach who says that keeps it close. Give me Vermont to cover but lose. Keep agreeing with you. But this is another Underwood doog I like, and I think Duke goes out early. Maybe it's this one, maybe it's the next one. But this sport cannot reward Kyle Philipowski and.

Duke for what happened in the regular season.

I was thinking about I was thinking about this when I was on the Lehigh campus yesterday. I stopped in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and went to the Lehigh campus, and I was thinking about There very few times that a non Kentucky ANCA tournament game has made me happier than when CJ. McCullum and Lehigh beat Duke in the tournament that one year. That was the best.

That's why when I got here yesterday and you're wearing a Lehigh shirt, I thought you were just living up that memory. Do you remember the other high seated team that beat Duke in the first round the tournament? A little little NCAA tournament test for no it was it was a two fifteen, maybe a three to fourteen. I'm not suh mercer. That was such a fun joke for so long. I can't believe I let it expire. I got to bring that back.

Yeah.

Also, and I you know a lot of people know this, but it's still my favorite. When JJ Reddick was on that he was on that team that lost to Lehigh and somebody uh made a sign that said JJ as Reddick Radicluless Lee good, and the guy in the stands came and hid behind him and made it look billy like it said JJ is ridiculous, Lee high, And it's still to me one of the great pranks of all time. The duke guy doesn't realize he's doing it. He covers up the good and makes it look like it's high.

It Isn't that amazing? Is Yeah? I remember? I think that it was or a screenshot or someone got up like the perfect picture of it too.

Yeah, no, you know, it said JJ is ridiculous, and then he covers it up and makes it say Lee Hi.

There you go, which is brilliant. Still the best, maybe the best thing I've seen that somebody do with the sign ever, So shout out to that kid. However, many years ago, that was Grambling in Montana State against Purdue.

Do they have alternate lines for that one?

They do? If Montana State wins, it's Purdue minus twenty two and a half, and if Grambling wins, it's twenty four and a half.

Montana State and Grambling will both cover. Purdue will win, but it'll be under twenty what was that number.

Again, twenty two and a half. If Montana State wins twenty four and a half. If Grambling wins.

I will take whichever underdoc so you're gonna get the same as me. We'll take it whoever it is. Got you, uh last one back to Spokane College and now we got four five more. College of Charleston versus Alabama. I don't care what you say. The spread is, Billy, I'm taking Charleston because I think they win this game.

But what is the it's minus nine and a half Alabama.

Give me Charleston. I love Charleston.

Here.

Put your parents' retirement fund if if you have me. First of all, well, actually don't do that.

Don't take their retirement fund because that's probably illegal.

But bet something on Charleston.

Also, if you're in a position to gamble your parents' retirement fund, you should sit down with them and tell them to fix that.

Well, unless you might be put in charge of them.

Oh you much older, yes, of course. Oh yeah, don't do don't do that. Don't do that at all.

Yeah, take I take that back, but I'm still taking Charleston.

I'll go Alabama to be different and really emphasize you shouldn't do that.

In this nice NC State is taking a picture Billy. They're taking a team picture together at mid court with their arms around each other. Isn't that sweet?

That's nice. I hope they have the wide Lunes.

Cream on the inside, cream on the outside, stuff like that. They're not a mid major, but the this is what's so good about Mark's anxiety. It's just so happy to be here. Tomorrow they'll be a nervous wreck. A lot of them will lose by a million points. But today everyone is just happy to be a part of that. That's very nice. I like that.

Go in Sea State, all right, we have four more. These are the late games on Friday night. Let's do Longwood versus Houston.

Houston is a twenty four point favorite.

They cover longwood sticks. God, these these twenty five point spreads are the worst because even in a blowout, it could come in and I'll take Houston. You wanted to take Longwood, didn't you. I started to say it, but when you said they stunk, the battlesto needs a statement after getting blown out forty two points while I'm taking.

Them, uh, the Battle of pardon my take. James Madison versus Wisconsin. I love that they put these two together because it'll be you know, I think that's kind of cool. That'll be something I'm sure that will make all the part of my take fans happy.

So what's the spread?

Wisconsin minus five.

Wisconsin covers.

I think James Madison is one of those teams that everybody likes because it's cool to like them. But because of that, they'll come out and lay an egg. Give me Wisconsin by nine. I'll take the Badgers.

I'll take James Madison just because it's destiny for that shot to come down to the end with those two watching together. I don't know who will win it, but it will come down to the last play. So I will take James Madison and I like that. TCU Utah State again, I'm all Mountain West all the time.

I don't even care what the spread is. Give me Utah State.

But what is it TCU minus four.

Get I'm getting four with Utah State.

Yeah, that's right, dude.

That's about Bet of the Day.

Oh, write it down, Bet of the Day. We're actually right down.

I don't penn time writing it down.

You write it down Bet of the Day.

The Utah State Aggies, I'm money lining them to beat TCU. Well with your enthusiasm. I would be an idiot to go against it since I don't have any strong feelings, So take them. They're good. I'm gonna put my parents' retirement on it. Don't do that, please don't.

And then finally, I actually don't have what the last game is, Billy, what is it?

It's Grand Canyon and Saint Mary's and Saint Mary's a five and a half point favorite.

I'm gonna take Saint Mary's to cover.

I feel like this is another one where everybody's like, oh, it's gonna be Grand Canyon, and that's usually when it doesn't happen.

So give me Saint Mary's.

I think Saint Mary's might be a team to watch here in this tournament. I know they kind of stole agains Zaga Sean way out West this season, and I think they'll make it a little bit of a run here. I think they might even take down some Alabama may see a little Sweet sixteen, so they'll certainly cover this first round.

All right, I like it? Well, thank you all very much. Texas Texas Tech is about to come on to practice, and I need to really focus on watching them and getting all the thing to those of you that have been searching Jim Varney videos on Twitter.

Enjoy and true. It's been nice hanging out with you.

It has it. Uh, it's been fun being a part of the NCAA tournament again. Hopefully it's a long run. Cat bar your hat, my hat? Why do you want my hat? I have to do it.

I just realize that to do a video for DraftKings, I can't have on any logos. Well, sure if you do that, well, and I need to shower, so I'll use your hat to do the videos.

Okay, I'm gonna do some videos too, So we'll all be wearing the same hat. All right, Two guys wear hat. It's what we do, Billy. We just go one to roam, wear each other's clothes. It's just what we do. It's what happens. I've paid this. Uh. We will be back for the Sweet sixteen next week, probably from Dallas. I swhere.

We'll be for that. That'll be exciting.

That's right.

Well we better be hopefully, or else we'll be in the studio and I'll be going to Opening Day for baseball. So uh, thank you all for listening. Tell your friends and your family, and uh, don't.

Forget the faith to se