“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.