Messages

Congratulations to the UCLA Women's Basketball Team who dominated in the championship game to win the National Championship on Sunday. Glad to have the Bruins help the Big-10 become the new Conference of Champions.

The good thing about having UCLA join the Big-10 is that I get to see more games. I got to see both the UCLA Women and Men's team in person this year. Below is my video at the UCLA vs Northwestern game in January this year. I would have given the team a high-five but those pesky nine year old girls would not get out of the way.

There’s always next year.

Are you a fan of Sixteen Candles and Long Duck Dong?  

I don't encourage the use of fake names in the pool, mostly because it is hard to match the name from the Venmo entry fee to the name on the bracket. And, with kids and parents in the pool, I also don't encourage any names too controversial, but I did secretly giggle when I saw that Long Duck's cousin entered.

My other favorite entrant is Viktor Gyokeres.  I am a huge Arsenal fan and am thrilled to have this Gunner in the pool.  Sorry Sheehan. The Spurs are getting relegated this year. 

This is the first year I made a two word secret code: Grateful Red

Tim Sheehan instantly knew it was for UCLA big man Bill Walton. But, his daughter Meghan is a student at Wisconsin and thought it was a reference to the Badger Students who go to Wisconsin Basketball games wearing tie-dye "grateful red" t-shirts. I will claim that I was smart enough to make that basketball double entendre.

Sadly, Bill Walton passed away in May 2024. When I made the secret code, I thought we lost Bill within the last year. Wow, time flies? Because he graduated from UCLA long ago in 1974, many of you only know him as the crazy basketball announcer with over-the-top love for UCLA and the PAC12 Conference of Champions. Many loved him. Many were not fans of his style. But, you do have to admire his zest for life. He is a person that would "live deep and suck out all the marrow of life". 

And he was a huge Grateful Dead fan. Below is Bill with another person we sadly lost recently, Bob Wier.

Now back to Tim. Below is a picture of Tim wearing his grateful red shirt at a Dead & Company show at the Las Vegas Sphere with Meghan.  

Since Badgers lost today, we will let Meghan believe it was for the Badgers. 

But, Tim knows the truth.

There is a road, no simple highway
Between the dawn and the dark of night
And if you go, no one may follow
That path is for your steps alone
-- Ripple

Mark, any chance you are in Greenville for this 1st illini game?

Hi Scott, hope all is well. I’m entering my bracket from New Zealand. Have you ever had an entry from here?