| Round 1 | 2 pt |
| Round 2 | 3 pts |
| Round 3 | 5 pts |
| Final Four | 7 pts |
| Championship Game | 9 pts |
| National Champion | 12 pts |
Click here for last year's Final Standings -- it'll give you a pretty good idea of the
imformation contained in my daily updates.
Q. I don't have Microsoft Excel installed on my computer. Can I still receive updates?
No problem! The standings are posted on the Web site as well and can be accessed from the "Current standings" link on the home page,
or by clicking here. Therefore, you can access the standings
on any computer with Internet access! However, there is one caveat -- you'll only be able to see the standings and the Final Four
selections for each contestant, i.e., you won't be able to review or print each contestant's bracket like you can with the
Excel updates.
Q. A lot of the tournament games are on the weekend. Can I receive updates at home?
Sure. Before you hit the "Submit" button on the online entry form, there will be a place for you to specify
any email addresses where you would like to have the updates sent. And again if you have Internet access at
home, just go to the Web site http://www.choboy.com
for the latest standings.
Q. When is the deadline for submitting my entry?
A. The games begin Thursday, March 19th at noon. Therefore, all entries must be received by tipoff on this date.
Q. Can I still submit a paper entry?
A. Preferably not, but I do make exceptions. Email me at bob@choboy.com to inquire about faxing.
Q. When can I start filling out my Online Tournament Bracket?
Tournament bids are awarded on Sunday, March 13th. By 8:00AM the following morning I will have the online tournament
bracket updated with this year's pairings and ready for you to start filling it out.
Q. OK, I'm ready to start filling out my bracket. What can I expect?
When you click on "Fill out a tournament bracket" from the March Madness Home Page,
you'll be taken to the Online Tournament Bracket which begins with the first Regional. Select the winners
of each and every game, right up to the Regional Champion. When you're ready to move on to the next region, click the "Next Region->" button located at the bottom of the
page. This will take you to the next Region. Complete this bracket in the same manner, then click "Next Region->" to
move on to the next and then ultimately the final Region. When you hit the "Next Region->" button on the final region, you'll
be taken to the Final Four bracket where you will be required to select the Championship Game participants and finally
your pick for National Champion. Also on the Final Four page you'll be asked to enter your name, any comments, and any
email addresses where you'd like updates to be sent. Once everything is filled out, click the "Review and Submit->" button.
Here you will be given a chance to review and print your complete entry. When you're satisfied that everythings OK, click
"Submit". Your entry will then be on its way to the Pool Commissioner (that'd be me!).
Q. I've started filling out my bracket, but I don't have time to finish it right now. When I come back to finish
it later, will everything I've already done been saved, or will I have to start over?
Everything should still be there assumming you're using the same computer you started with. I store a "cookie" on
your computer that saves all your picks, giving you the capability to come back later with your Online Tournament Bracket intact.
In order to take advantage of this feature however, your browser must be configured to accept cookies (it usually does by default,
so you should be OK).
Q. When I hit the "Next Region ->" button, I get a message stating "You must select a winner for all games before
proceeding to the next region!" What's up with that?
You must select a winner for all games up to and including the Regional Champion before moving on to the next region.
Q. I've got other questions you haven't covered. Can I send you Email?
Fine. Drop me a note at my Email address, bob@choboy.com.
Q. How do you handle the the "play in games", i.e., the expansion of the tournament from 64 to 68 teams?
A. As was the case last year, a total of 68 teams will enter the tournament. The Selection Committee will rank the entire field from 1 to 68. The last four at-large
teams selected and the four lowest ranked automatic qualifiers will play in a "First Four". The four winners of those games advance to the main draw of the
tournament to play a higher seed. The four lowest ranked teams of the 68 will play against each other in a pair of First Four games, with winners advancing
to play #1 seeds. The last four at-large teams will play in the other two First Four games, with the winners moving on to likely face either #4 or #5 seeds.
These "First Four games" will be played on the Thursday prior to the tournament tip-off on Friday.
You do not have to pick the winners of the First Four games -- what you'll see in the 16 seed slot for two of the Regionals and the 12 or 13 seed slot for
the other two regionals is BOTH potential play-in teams. For example, if Valparaiso is playing Jackson St. in one of those First Four games, you'll see "Val/Jax St."
in the 16 slot in one of the regional brackets. If you select the "Val/Jax St." entry to advance to the next round, you'll get credit no matter which
team actually won the First Four game!
.