While not Hopski Pool related, let's start off with UConn Gene's bad behavior during and after last night's National Women's Semi-Final loss to South Carolina. As he reminded everyone about 15 times during his at times unhinged post-game press conference, he has led Uconn Women's Team to 25 Final Fours and 12 Championships - I would not argue that he is one of the greatest NCAA basketball coaches of all-time. No doubt.
But....... as an old white man coaching women's basketball myself, he did not do any favors for any of us OWM in the women's sporting world a favor last night. Aside from distracting everyone from what was an AMAZING performance by the Gamecock women's team last night (executing to perfection an excellent game plan by Dawn Staley and her staff btw), Gene acted out the stereotypical dominant and demonstrative (aka The General) white male coaching style of the 80s and 90s and thereafter (at least in his presser) refused to acknowledge his mistake. Today - he apologized in a published statement, but it was clear therein that he did not apologize to Dawn Staley (SC's head coach) but merely to the SC staff and players. Hopski HQ believes he could and should have gone the full mile with a clear public apology to Dawn.
Here's to rooting for another championship Sunday for a great coach - Dawn Staley!
Now - on to the HOPSKI!!!
Wish I Was in Sitges (2012 Hopski Champion Jay Baum of SF) is making a strong run at a wire to wire victory, as he had led at each stop to date, though he'll need the Illini to knock off UConn to have a shot as only 2 entries have picked the Illini to the final.
Making a strong move into 2nd place is Claude's Mo-Ney Picks (Glen Gregory, a long-time Warsaw, Poland expat who is now in Mexico City with a Polish based company - so maintaining his expat status!). Here is a 1997 pic and he is the only one with a tie - might even have been the last time he wore one! Glen's cracked the top 10 a couple of times and won the 2nd Chance Dance back in 2011, but this is his 1st serious attempt at a place on the Hopski Podium!
Moving 5 spots up to 3rd place is It's Simple, Google Me, I Win! One of 2 Commish entries this year and have to say that it has been a long, long, long time since I had an entry contend past the Sweet 16! Unfortunately this entry only has legs for a best finish of 2nd place - but hey - I'm A Contendah!!!! Speaking of old photos - here is shot from 2002 of me cleaning snow off of my Satellite in Warsaw at about 1am in the morning during the 1st round of the tournament as the blizzard was messing up the signal for Kyle Bowers and I!! Keep in mind there was a slope that you cannot see from Kyle's photo angle up there. One of those "for any of you kids out there, don't try this at home" moments. Gotta LOVE the Madness!!
At the end of this blog I will include the entire standings in "Hopski" format (not so big of a fan of the online auto leaderboard). To the left of places, you can see the +/- move up or down the leaderboard from the Sweet 16 standings.
On that note - a shout out for a 66 spot move up the leaderboard to 5th place for SendHelp!!! (Brad Miller - I believe one of Steve Miller's sons and based in Bloomington - but I cannot swear by that as no time to verify and I am already 30 minutes of real time late to watch the Illini/UConn semi). Brad picked 7 of the Elite 8 teams to lead the pool (unfortunately missing his Champion Florida) - the only entry this year to do so.
OK - my alarm just went off for the LA28 ticket lottery slot that my daughter Natalia has secured for me to order Olympic Tickets!! We'll see how this works out - but it is a small side benefit of her going to USC and living in an apartment in LA!!!
Not to be overlooked is the Battle for the Toilet Bowl - as dbar (Deb Baratz) and 2 time defending Toilet Bowl Champion Niparoo10 (Amy Kenney) are tied and the tiebreaker for the "winner" will be the points total on Monday night. Amy Kenney - oh my - I was impressed with Ryan's back to back Hopski Championships - but 3 Toilet Bowls in a row could top that!!
Enjoy the Final Four!!
The Commish
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