Better Late Than.......Hopski

This is my “in arrears” pre-Elite 8 update that did not get completed in time, thus, note that all positional and points references are as of Sunday night.  It is a bit hectic at the moment between work, watching games and prepping for Death Valley camping……alas, I will get a pre-Final Four update out tonight or Wednesday as well.

The Hopski Defending Champion – Ryan Fazio and his Timme! entry is making a strong move to do what no previous Hopski Champion has ever accomplished…..DEFEND THE TITLE!!  Back to back has not happened (from memory – Spiders NIT / David Iantosca was close in 2017, finished 4th), as obviously it takes a lot of skill and luck to contend, let alone take the Hopski Title.  

Ryan is threatening to accomplish the seemingly impossible (much like the Zags in going undefeated), having picked 4 of the Elite 8 (spoiler alert – and 2 of the Final Four so far), putting his entry as the likely winner IF Gonzaga can do the unthinkable and win the title as an unbeaten (rooting like hell against them most of us Hoosiers are - #spiritof76).

Chasing Timme! in the standings in 2nd place is Where Are the Blue Devils (Bill LaFever, Rockford, IL area resident and President of the Bill Doran company – if you want flowers – that is where to get them!!!  Bill is a 18 year Hopski participant with a 2nd place in 2010).  Unfortunately, Bill’s title chance disappeared with the Alabama loss to UCLA, but a repeat 2nd place could be in the cards if the Zags win!

Tied for 3rd place (of course) – are the entries from the brothers of another mother entries:  No Suggs in the Champagnie Room (Peter Pell, now in his 4th Hopski with two 2nd place finishes and a 12th – dare we say OMNISCIENT?!) and King Slayer (Kier Novesky Hopski investigators can only tie Kier to GQ......).  Yes, these entries are identical down to the tiebreaker score and possibly destined for a 3rd place coin flip!!

But as in real life, there are STILL GAMES TO BE PLAYED, so as comfortable as those three may be behind Gonzaga, there are a few others rooting on the rest of the Elite 8 and hoping to get onto the Hopski Podium.  To see if you are one of these hopefuls, check your highest possible Hopski finish and click here!

At the other end of the standings spectrum commonly referred to as the TOILET BOWL, we have Big 10-to-da-4 and Glen Gregory still with a rock solid hold on the Toilet Bowl at 45 points and at a record breaking 38% pick % clip!  Glen is down to Michigan in an attempt to climb out of last place, with I’m Picking Texas…..great power grid (Ron South, Illinois State alum now living in Long Island after an expat stint in Espana) and Make Tom Crean Great Again (Mark Iantosca, yes, the former Bad Mark of Warsaw “rising up” to represent the MDs of JP Morgan bank in the Hopski).

Last but not least, the 2nd Chance Dancers……… where we have Biden Let Me Win from the former Bermuda Boy Michael Hoss (now of Houston, TX and a prolific Cubs fan and energy trader – if you win the 2nd chance Mike you need to send me a pic to post of you in your Bermuda work attire!!).

WHO WE HAVE PICKED INTO THE FINAL FOUR 

(you can see the splits for any game using the tournament results report and clicking on the pencil btw!)

A lot on the line tonight for Arby's Reuben Best Sandwich (from Chicagoan Aaron Jackson, rumored to now be a professional dancer - more on this soon!) as the only entry picking USC into the Final Four and also to Izzo 23 In A Row! from Richard Rykhus (Chicagoan and Michigan State alum) for picking UCLA into the final four.  Seems like he tried the Jedi Mind Trick on his Michigan State loyalty there......uh.......nice try!!!

Some quick POOL STATES after 56 games (pre-Elite 8)......

• Average score is 81.6 (that would put you in 58th place);

• Average pick % is 54.6% (you gotta pick the right once though as Bill Lyons’s Beaver Believer with 48% is sitting up in 8th place, but 48% of the favorites can also leave you in 118th like LSU Shaman from former Champion David Oliveaux!) depending upon your entry exceeding the average underdawg points of 24.1, still shy of the 2016 record of 28.2!!!  

• Our worst picker to date is Big 10-to-da-4 from Glen Gregory of Warsaw, who is in last place with a 38% pick rate – even with the all-time worst pick % “record”.  This would be Glen’s 2nd Hopski futility record this year after already picking just 2 of the Sweet 16!

• Average 1st round games correct – 20.4 – the lowest in Hopski History, breaking the 20.6 of 2012.

• The 7.0 Sweet 16 picks did manage to ease past the 2000 cellar of 6.1 (which ironically was the year of the highest 1st round average of 24.7!).

• 2021 Elite 8 average was 3.2, which eases back into middle ground in terms of Hopski History.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL.

I will try and “squeeze out” a pre-final four blog update wednesday before departing for DEATH VALLEY 4X4 CAMPING on Thursday (and being completely offline for the Final Four!).

The Commish