It's Championship Week!

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As far as sports go this is one of my favorite times of the year, March Madness! This month and the beginning of Football season. A run to the National Championship starts this week. No matter what your record is if you win your conference tournament you get in the NCAA Tournament, win six games and you're National Champions. It's decided on the court, as long as you keep winning you keep playing no matter who you are, Duke or Indiana State University. The small school has the same opportunity as the blue blooded programs. Soon one of these small schools are going to win the National Championship, it's almost happened a couple times with George Mason making the Final Four and last year Butler was one shot away from winning the National Championship.

This year the Bearcats are back in the tournament where they belong. It's sucked the past five years watching the selections show early Sunday evening and knowing that you're favorite team isn't going to get into the tourney. There was the one year under Andy Kennedy they were on the bubble and got screwed and didn't get in. Now I can't wait until selection Sunday to see not if, but who and where the University of Cincinnati plays.

Right now Joe Lunardi has the Bearcats in as a 7th seed playing 10th seeded Washington in Charlotte. I wouldn't mind that match up as Washington has been an underachieving team that would have to fly across country to play the Bearcats. That being said I think the Bearcats are better than a seven seed. Right now if I was doing the seeding I would have them as a 5th seed. They are playing great basketball right now and are definitely one of the top 20 teams in the country. He has Xavier as a 5th seed and while I respect Xavier and they have been on a roll, UC crushed them by over 20 points. UC would be on just as good of a roll if they played in the Atlantic 10. Xavier wouldn't be on such a roll had they played in the Big East. Cincinnati is a better team, that beat Xavier, and is playing better basketball than Xavier right now. Also Georgetown is a 6th seed and UC just blew them out of the gym to complete a two game season sweep of Georgetown, how can he seed them higher?

Oh well, I would have UC as a 5 seed playing Belmont in the 1st round. Maybe that's being a little biased, but teams that the Bearcats finished ahead of are seeded higher than they are and I don't get that. I also believe if they make a run to at least the Semis they should be a lock for a 5 seed. IF they make the Finals of the Big East Tourney put them as a 4th and if they somehow win it a 3rd seed. That's right a 3rd seed! They have won 5 of their last 6 and 4 of those games were against teams that are in the NCAA Tournament. If you add that to winning the Big East Tournament how could you not give them a 3rd seed. That's the top 12 teams in the nation right now and if they do everything I just said they will be playing like a top 12 team in the country.

This March is going to be one of the maddest Marches in a long time I'm predicting. There is no clear cut favorite and all the top teams are vulnerable and could make an early exit. This could be a year a 4th seed or lower wins it all. Also a year no one in your office pool or your brackets with your friends picks the correct National Champion. Also I'm predicting at least five teams that are tenth seed or lower will advance past the first round inluding that twelve vs five matchup which happens every year it seems. Not only that but one 14th seed is going to upset a 3rd seed. So get ready for a fun, crazy, NCAA Tournament.