NCAA TOURNAMENT
Del Olaleye: Bracket guy, you are the worst
Del Olaleye
Mar 14, 2018, 5:44 am
The NCAA bracket brings out the worst in people. NCAA.com
We’re a day away from the start of the NCAA Tournament. Save your First Four arguments. The tournament starts on Thursday. Semantics aside, this time of year brings out a March menace, “Bracket Guy.” I’m well aware women fill out brackets too, but “Bracket Person” sounds terrible. Because it is March everyone has an opinion on teams they have never watched play. All of sudden people know how good South Dakota State is and why they have a real shot to beat Ohio State. Stop. You’re being ridiculous. You don’t know and frankly I don’t care if you actually do. Keep it to yourself and the same for your bracket.
As a kid I loved when my dad would bring home the Monday paper after Selection Sunday. It had a two-page pull-out of the bracket. I’d keep that pull-out but I didn’t fill it out. It was fun to see the matchups and the regions. Who was going to the West Region? Was Kentucky the No. 1 seed in the South or the East? This was before the somewhat recent change to pods. Now you can be in the East Region but start out in San Diego if you’re a West Coast team. Confusing, but not the reason bracket season bothers me so much. It must be the eagerness and fervor that people approach March Madness with. Emails about bracket contests. Questions about who you like in game that starts at 2:10 in Dallas. Stop it. You don’t really care what I think. You’re just looking to find a reason to put Michigan into the Elite 8.
If I could I use the remote that Adam Sandler had in that movie Click (What up, Kate Beckinsale) my life would be complete. If you haven’t seen the movie, Adam Sandler gets a remote that allows him to fast forward through life’s moments that don’t interest him. Oh the joy of knowing the next time someone wants to discuss their bracket I could hit a button and not remember the mind-numbing conversation that took place 10 minutes prior. Of course a movie like that has to have a message. Adam Sandler’s character realizes he’s been a spectator during his life and has missed all of the important moments. He gets a do-over. I don’t want a do-over. I’d gladly miss all the bracket talk moments. It would be sports nirvana. Just give me the games.
By the time this piece is published you and other likes you may have filled out multiple brackets. I hope the games in Dayton on Tuesday night destroy your bracket. It would be just what you deserve if you pretended at any point to have any real insight on Radford or LIU-Brooklyn. You didn’t watch them play at all. I’d have more respect for you if you picked one of those teams based on their uniforms or the name of the mascot. My co-host on the Raheel and Del show has a young daughter. She’s almost three. She has Georgia State and Lipscomb in the Final Four only because she likes how their names sound. I respect her selections more than yours, Bracket Guy.
There are so many of you that it should be easy to find others like yourself. I’m not a part of your cult. I don’t care if one of your Final Four teams is knocked out during the opening weekend. No one really does. Before you approach anyone about your bracket just take a breath and think to yourself, “If someone tried to draw me into a conversation about how they did in fantasy football this week would I care?” If the answer is no, realize you’re no different than that fantasy player. If the answer is yes and you would care, there is no helping you.
March and early April are for upsets, buzzer beaters, One Shining Moment and Charles Barkley awkwardly analyzing college teams that he’s barely watched.
Beat it, Bracket Guy.
The NFL playoffs are finally here, and the Texans will kick off the postseason by hosting the LA Chargers this Saturday at NRG.
And while the Texans are only 3 point underdogs, the national media is making it seem like Houston has no chance against Justin Herbert and company.
ESPN's Rex Ryan has gone as far as calling the Texans a "bye" week for the Chargers, giving the team no chance to win despite playing at home.
However, the Texans are no stranger to this situation, as they were given little chance to win against the Browns in last year's Wild Card game. And we know how that ended, with the Texans thrashing the Browns 45-14.
It's certainly fair to predict the Chargers will come away with a win this Saturday, they have been playing much better football than Houston in recent weeks.
But it's important to remember that home underdogs have performed well in the Wild Card round. In fact, home underdogs are 16-14 all-time in the Wild Card playoffs, and both home underdogs won last year (Texans, Buccaneers).
Speaking of last year, many credit the Texans defense for securing the win over Cleveland, with two pick sixes in the second half helping to seal the deal.
But the real reason Houston won the game was because of CJ Stroud and the offense. Stroud threw 3 touchdowns before halftime and the team was leading 24-14 with six minutes left in the third quarter. That's when the defense tacked on two interceptions for touchdowns and put the game out of reach. Stroud and the offense also went on to score another TD on a Devin Singletary run.
If Stroud and the offense didn't put so much pressure on Joe Flacco and the Cleveland offense to score, he may not have forced those passes that were picked off.
Now, many will point to the Chargers having the best defense (points allowed) this season, but it's worth noting the Browns had the number one defense (yards allowed) last year as well.
Bulls on Parade
Houston's defense will have its hands full against a strong rushing attack led by JK Dobbins. And Justin Herbert has been terrific this season, spreading the ball around to his top two targets, Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.
Fortunately for the Texans, they are extremely healthy on defense this week. While Jimmy Ward and Jalen Pitre are out for the year, we'll finally get to see linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Christian Harris play together for the first time this season.
The defensive line is expected to be at full strength as well, keep in mind Jonathan Greenard was injured and unable to play against the Browns last year.
Outlook on offense
We should see the best possible version of the offensive line this Saturday. We're all aware how many hits Stroud has taken due to poor o-line play. But with Tytus Howard and left guard and Juice Scruggs at right guard, Stroud should have more time to get the passing game going, featuring Nico Collins.
Speaking of the receivers, it's pretty amazing that this receiver group is almost identical to last year's in the Wild Card round. Stroud didn't have Stefon Diggs (on the Bills) or Tank Dell (injured) to throw to last year, either. But he does have one big addition in Joe Mixon this year. Hopefully, they can get Mixon involved in the passing game, and the shuffling of the o-line provides Mixon with some holes to run through.
X-factor
At least there's a possibility newly acquired receiver Diontae Johnson could provide a spark to the offense. Last year John Metchie and Robert Woods were the main targets besides Collins and Dalton Schultz.
What does Vegas think?
The Chargers are favored by 3 and the total is set at 42.5 points
Don't miss the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap previews this week's big game!