Category Archives: Shawn Lockner

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Carla, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Frank, Jesse, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nate, Photo of the Day, Robert, Russell, Sara, Shawn Lockner, Tim, Willy

Photo(s) of the Day 0007

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Brandon with his Championship Trophy.
Brandon Kahler – 2014 Roundball Oracles Champion
I apologize for taking so long to reveal the champion of Year 10 of the Roundball Oracles. But I think my post college basketball season depression (or PCBSD as mental health professionals call it) was even greater this year than in years past. You know, something to do with having to play the “What If” game over and over and over again. Cyclone fans know what I’m talking about.

That being said, I’m proud that this is the first time in the storied 10 year history of the Roundball Oracles that somebody that shares my DNA has been able to hoist the unnamed championship trophy.

Past winners have included co-workers, high school locker partners, former roomies, father-in-laws, and once… even a woman!

So I’m excited this year that somebody with Bennett DNA coursing through their veins will be the reigning Roundball Oracles Champ! All is right in the world.

I know that there is a fair chance that you are wondering: “That is great, but I’d really like to know how some of my other favorite Oracles fared this year. I really root for Russell Kennerly. I like underdogs. He is like the Mid-Major of the Roundball Oracles.”*

So without further adieu, I present to you the final ranking of Year 10 of the Roundball Oracles!

Rank    Oracle Score    Correct    Champion Last Year
1. Brandon Kahler 255 40 Florida 18th
2. Michael Augustin 241 42 Florida 31st
3. Paul Golden 235 41 Michigan State DNP
4. Jordan Toot 228 39 Florida 9th
5. Jon DeWaard 224 39 Florida 5th
6. Mark Wolfram 222 38 Florida 8th
7. Lowell Davis 216 40 Florida DNP
8. Andree Jauhari 210 38 Iowa State 28th
9. Derrick Gorshe 208 38 Iowa State 14th
10. Carrie Baier 205 37 Michigan State 19th
11. Robert Henning 205 36 Florida 10th
12. Bill Wentworth 204 38 Florida 15th
13. Nate Miller 203 36 Iowa State DNP
14. Frank Meiners 201 38 Michigan State 11th
14. Jesse Howard 201 37 Kansas 3rd
16. Corey Faust 200 36 Iowa State 7th
17. Humble Narrator 196 36 Iowa State 33rd
18. William Mcalpine 196 38 Florida 1st
19. Angie DeWaard 191 35 Arizona 6th
20. Sean Clubine 189 36 Syracuse 13th
21. Carla Stensland 189 35 Iowa State DNP
22. Ben Baier 188 35 Arizona 32nd
23. Jackson Faust 185 36 Florida 16th
24. Michelle Haupt 181 35 Arizona 26th
25. Elizabeth Nordeen 181 35 Iowa State 21st
26. Russell Kennerly 180 34 Florida 24th
27. Olivia Baier 178 34 Arizona DNP
28. Jason Baier 175 35 Florida 24th
29. Tim Peterson 175 34 Iowa State 22nd
30. Becky Perkovich 175 35 Iowa State 27th
31. Shawn Lockner 173 33 Wisconsin 4th
32. J.J. Baier 164 24 Michigan 29th
33. Ryan Halvorson 163 33 Arizona 18th
34. Dawn Krause 149 32 Arizona 23rd
35. Will Baier 147 23 Iowa State 34th
36. Sara Lockner 143 28 Florida DNP

 

This year might have been the closest year ever. It literally came down to Wisconsin’s last second shot rimming in and out, giving Kentucky the victory in the Final Four. If that shot drops, Micky wins.

But the shot didn’t fall and Micky waits another year, while Brandon’s name is carved onto the List of Immortals!

Roundball Oracles Champions

2014 – Brandon Kahler
2013 – William McAlpine
2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

However, there is 1 more bit of business before I let you go about your merry business. In the pre-tournament post I indicated that I might create a travelling trophy. I am not doing that… at least not yet. I did award a trophy for last place this year. It is an experimental tradition. But I may in the future present a last place trophy to the lowest placing adult that gave full effort to win.

This year’s winner…


Sara with her last place trophy.
Sara Lockner… the Best Loser
I am already pumped for next season. I think the Cyclones will be even better next year and if they can make it through the tourney without an injury, I expect to see them in the Final Four next year. So I’ll be seeing you next year in Indianapolis!

*Inside joke that 3 people will get and 1 of them doesn’t even subscribe to this blog!

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Frank, Jen, Jesse, Logan, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nader, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 10

March Madness is once again upon us. That can mean only 1 thing! It is time for the Roundball Oracles to gather once again and make predictions about the outcome of the NCAA tournament.

I would actually like to start this by quoting the predictions I made about this year’s basketball season at the end of last year’s tournament:

I’m already excited for next years tournament. It is no secret that Iowa State is the rooting team of the grand majority of Oracles, with a few Hawkeye and Kansas fans sprinkled in to mix things up. Plus a few statistical anomalies, (like a UCLA fan) on top for garnish. I anticipate Iowa will actually join the tourney field again next year. Iowa State should have at least a fighting chance to get back to the dance as well. We lose a bunch, but some of the recruits coming in are heralded and I wouldn’t bet against Hoiberg going up against a Big 12 that I expect to be down next year. Plus don’t forget that Michigan will be getting a taste of Hilton Magic next year. 2013-14 should be another great season! Remember the name Monte Morris. I’m guessing you will know it very well next year.
Plus, Steve Alford will be choking at an entirely new school next year! What was UCLA thinking?

I will point out that at the time I wrote that, DeAndre Kane was not yet in the fold.

As always, basketball knowledge is not a prerequisite to participating. Every year when I look at the standings, I think basketball knowledge is actually a hindrance in this competition.

A few things to know that if you want to sign up this year and take a shot at putting your name on the list of the immortals:

1. You do not have to wager any money. The only thing you have to put on the line is pride. And as C.S. Lewis would tell you, pride is the greatest sin.
2. This competition is open to all ages (as long as they can make their own decisions), genders, and fan bases. Unfortunately more than a few of these titles have went home with Hawk fans.
3. There is a trophy for the winner. In fact, this year there might even be a traveling trophy that will go home with the winner for a calendar year. If said traveling trophy does come into existence, it will not be a bust of Kobe Bryant. The Roundball Oracles does not endorse ball-hoggery and low basketball IQs or mediocrity.

Here is a look at last year’s final standings:

Place Competitor Score Correct Champion Last Year
1. William McAlpine 266 39 Louisville 6th
2. Jason Stensland 253 39 Louisville 8th
3. Jesse Howard 251 40 Louisville 10th
4. Shawn Lockner 247 39 Michigan 21st
5. Jon DeWaard 242 38 Louisville 11th
6. Angie DeWaard 236 36 Louisville 4th
7. Corey Faust 234 38 Indiana 2nd
8. Mark Wolfram 231 36 Indiana 7th
9. Jordan Toot 218 36 Louisville 28th
10. Robert Henning 208 36 Indiana 5th
11. Frank Meiners 206 37 Gonzaga DNP
11. Logan Kahler 206 38 Kansas DNP
13. Sean Clubine 201 37 Miami DNP
14. Derrick Gorshe 200 32 Louisville 12th
15. William Wentworth 199 36 Kansas 15th
16. Jackson Faust 197 35 Gonzaga 14th
17. Toby Sebring 193 34 Kansas 26th
18. Brandon Kahler 189 34 Syracuse 27th
19. Carrie Baier 188 34 Michigan State 20th
20. Jen Ensley-Gorshe 178 34 Indiana 18th
21. Elizabeth Nordeen 176 32 Iowa State DNP
22. Tim Peterson 174 33 Miami 16th
23. Dawn Krause 173 33 Duke 9th
24. Jason Baier 171 33 Miami 3rd
24. Russell Kennerly 171 33 Indiana 22nd
26. Michelle Haupt 170 32 Ohio State DNP
27. Becky Perkovich 166 32 Ohio State 29th
28. Andree Jauhari 165 32 Kansas DNP
29. JJ Baier 163 30 Ohio State DNP
29. Nader Parsaei 163 32 UCLA 13th
31. Michael Augustin 157 32 Indiana 19th
32. Ben Baier 156 26 Butler DNP
33. Your Humble Narrator 139 28 Miami 25th
34. Will Baier 121 14 La Salle DNP


And of course, a look at the honor roll of immortals that have claimed the championship in years past:

Roundball Oracles Champions

  • 2013 – William McAlpine
  • 2012 – Lowell Davis
  • 2011 – Carrie Baier
  • 2010 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2009 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2008 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2007 – Tim Peterson
  • 2006 – William McAlpine
  • 2005 – William McAlpine

Sold yet?

You are? Just write me and let me know that you want in (I’m a fairly easy person to contact) and I’ll send you out all the information that you will need to participate with all due haste!

The deadline for entering your bracket is the tip-off of the first game on Thursday morning. So if you suffer from being a Hawkeye fan, you’ll will know whether or not your team made the real tournament by then. Not sure why you would care, but to each their own.

Good luck to all the oracles and GO STATE!!!

Olympic Sports, Sara, Shawn Lockner

Mud Run

On Saturday, I completed a bargain I made with Sara back in February to “compete” in the Mud Run. Well, the way we handled it, it was more like a Mud Stroll and since it isn’t actually a competitive race, we didn’t really compete. However, we didn’t finish even close to last, you know, if it were a competition.

Shawn graciously agreed to be our photographer for the event, so here are some of the images he captured.



Our intrepid photojournalist.


They recommended you triple knot your shoes. My shoes did not come off during the race like the hundred or so we saw littering the course.


Finishing Strong!

I have to confess the course was harder than I expected and my shoes were so suctioned to my feet at the end of the day, I had to cut the shoe laces to get them off of my feet. I’m hoping to draft a few more people for next year’s run. Jesse has already signed on (assuming he can drag himself away from the Little League Park) for next year.

I have also tentatively agreed to do the Turkey Trot with Sara in November.

Andree, Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Jason, Jesse, Logan, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Willy

Sadness Ensues…

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“When I was a child,
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye,
I turned to look but it was gone,
I cannot put my finger on it now,
The child is grown,
The dream is gone,
I… have become comfortably numb”
-Pink Floyd

It is true, one of the saddest days of the year is upon us. The end of the college basketball season. While it is sad that the college version of the greatest game has ended, there are only 12 long days until Iowa State’s Spring Game. That gives me something to look forward to.

The end of college basketball also means that somebody will be crowned the newest King of the Roudnball Oracles. A person that will reign over the prognostication universe for 1 year. Their opinions held in admiration and their words written down and studied for meaning. Then 1 year from now they will be thrown out in the streets to fend for themselves in what is usually a vain attempt to defend their title. Sometimes, the thought of defending their title is too much and defending champions don’t show back up to try and repeat their glory and double their immortality.

That was the case this year. Lowell Davis didn’t return to defend his kingdom, laid down his scepter, and abdicated his thrown. Don’t think for a second that this was because of some type of cowardice on Lowell’s part. The truth is that he was in Tennessee when the brackets were filled out and he was unable to participate since electricity hasn’t been invented in the Volunteer State yet.

The man that stepped up to accept the responsibility of ruling this kingdom for a year:

 

William McAlpine

 

Mr. McAlpine joined Mark Wolfram as the only other man, woman, or child to hoist the Roundball Oracles Championship Trophy a third time. Which can mean only one thing: the rest of you need to pick up your game next year. We can’t have two people dominating this pool! Their reign of terror must be ended. Hopefully without a dull thud and a head falling into a basket.

Without further adieu, I present the final standings for the 2013 Roundball Oracles NCAA Tournament Pool:

Place Competitor Score Correct Champion Last Year
1. William McAlpine 266 39 Louisville 6th
2. Jason Stensland 253 39 Louisville 8th
3. Jesse Howard 251 40 Louisville 10th
4. Shawn Lockner 247 39 Michigan 21st
5. Jon DeWaard 242 38 Louisville 11th
6. Angie DeWaard 236 36 Louisville 4th
7. Corey Faust 234 38 Indiana 2nd
8. Mark Wolfram 231 36 Indiana 7th
9. Jordan Toot 218 36 Louisville 28th
10. Robert Henning 208 36 Indiana 5th
11. Frank Meiners 206 37 Gonzaga DNP
11. Logan Kahler 206 38 Kansas DNP
13. Sean Clubine 201 37 Miami DNP
14. Derrick Gorshe 200 32 Louisville 12th
15. William Wentworth 199 36 Kansas 15th
16. Jackson Faust 197 35 Gonzaga 14th
17. Toby Sebring 193 34 Kansas 26th
18. Brandon Kahler 189 34 Syracuse 27th
19. Carrie Baier 188 34 Michigan State 20th
20. Jen Ensley-Gorshe 178 34 Indiana 18th
21. Elizabeth Nordeen 176 32 Iowa State DNP
22. Tim Peterson 174 33 Miami 16th
23. Dawn Krause 173 33 Duke 9th
24. Jason Baier 171 33 Miami 3rd
24. Russell Kennerly 171 33 Indiana 22nd
26. Michelle Haupt 170 32 Ohio State DNP
27. Becky Perkovich 166 32 Ohio State 29th
28. Andree Jauhari 165 32 Kansas DNP
29. JJ Baier 163 30 Ohio State DNP
29. Nader Parsaei 163 32 UCLA 13th
31. Michael Augustin 157 32 Indiana 19th
32. Ben Baier 156 26 Butler DNP
33. Your Humble Narrator 139 28 Miami 25th
34. Will Baier 121 14 La Salle DNP


Willy (re)-joins the list of immortals:

Roundball Oracles Champions

  • 2013 – William McAlpine
  • 2012 – Lowell Davis
  • 2011 – Carrie Baier
  • 2010 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2009 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2008 – Mark Wolfram
  • 2007 – Tim Peterson
  • 2006 – William McAlpine
  • 2005 – William McAlpine

I’m already excited for next years tournament.  It is no secret that Iowa State is the rooting team of the grand majority of Oracles, with a few Hawkeye and Kansas fans sprinkled in to mix things up.  Plus a few statistical anomalies, (like a UCLA fan) on top for garnish.  I anticipate Iowa will actually join the tourney field again next year.  Iowa State should have at least  a fighting chance to get back to the dance as well.  We lose a bunch, but some of the recruits coming in are heralded and I wouldn’t bet against Hoiberg going up against a Big 12 that I expect to be down next year.  Plus don’t forget that Michigan will be getting a taste of Hilton Magic next year. 2013-14 should be another great season!  Remember the name Monte Morris.  I’m guessing you will know it very well next year.

Plus, Steve Alford will be choking at an entirely new school next year!  What was UCLA thinking?

I guess some of you are expecting me to defend my dreadful performance in this year’s pool.  I won’t.  The slogan for this year’s pool was: Prophecy, Revelation, Augury, Luck?  Quite frankly 32 people got lucky. I know that my silky smooth jumpshot and my vast array of dribble penetration moves don’t translate into prognostication, but next year, I guarantee you I will finish higher than 33rd. Even if that means I have to limit the pool to 32 combatants.

Angie, Baier, Basketball, Becky, Bill, Brandon, Dawn, Derrick, Faust, Jason, Jen, Jesse, Lowell, Mark, Micky, Nader, Robert, Russell, Shawn Lockner, Teresa, Tim, Toby, Willy

Roundball Oracles – Year 9

March Madness is upon us once again. Which means it is that time of year when I call upon all would-be-basketball-prognosticators to compete in an NCAA tourney bracket pool for the chance at everlasting glory, immortality, and a trophy.

As always, the Roundball Oracles is open to all interested parties, and yes to even uninterested parties as well. Regardless of basketball knowledge or basketball ignorance. Heck, I might even let my dog enter this year. After all, there is a tremendous amount of luck involved in this competition, so there is no reason for you to be intimidated by how well versed I am in the motion offense. You should only be intimidated by me on an actual basketball court. Even though I’ve admittedly lost a step, but I’m spending the offseason getting that step back, but that is an entirely different story…

As always, there is no entrance fee, but pride and my research indicates that pride is a low calorie snack, so swallow it and get in the game.

The champion will be given a trophy. I would normally at this time insert a picture of last year’s champion hoisting last year’s trophy, but I admittedly, still owe him a trophy.

Last year we had a record 29 prognosticators (as of this writing, 9 people have already signed up). I don’t think it would be too crazy to hope to break that record this year.

2012 Final Standings

1. Lowell Davis
2. Corey Faust
3. Jason Baier
4. Angie DeWaard
5. Robert Henning
6. William McAlpine
7. Mark Wolfram
8. Jason Stensland
9. Dawn Krause
10. Jesse Howard
11. Jon DeWaard
12. Derrick Gorshe
13. Nader Parsaei
14. Jackson Faust
15. Bill Wentworth
16. Tim Peterson
17. Mike Donner
18. Jen Ensley-Gorshe
19. Michael Augustin
20. Carrie Baier
21. Shawn Lockner
22. Russell Kennerly
23. Shaun Kirsch
24. Teresa Kahler
25. Your Humble Narrator
26. Toby Sebring
27. Brandon Kahler
28. Jordan Toot
29. Becky Perkovich

Lowell was able to chisel his place amongst the other basketball immortals that have managed to hoist the Roundball Oracles Trophy.*

Past Roundball Oracles Champions

2012 – Lowell Davis
2011 – Carrie Baier
2010 – Mark Wolfram
2009 – Mark Wolfram
2008 – Mark Wolfram
2007 – Tim Peterson
2006 – William McAlpine
2005 – William McAlpine

So the metaphorical ball is now in your court. There are no guidelines for participation. This contest is open to all competitors: men, women, small children and the elderly.

If you are interested and I need the information, you know how to contact me!

Oh… the deadline for filling out your bracket is tip-off of the first game on Thursday morning.

*Technically he has yet to hoist the trophy.