It's Tourney Time!!!

It's that time of year. The time where your cousin's alma mater becomes your new favorite team. The time when five dollar bills fly out of your pocket faster than Derrick Rose dribbling down the court. The time when the sight of your boss's 8 year-old daughter handing in her bracket strikes fear into your heart.

It's March Madness baby.

By now you've heard enough of the "expert's" picks and analysis. I guess I could consider myself an expert; because I have won an NCAA pool or two in my day, but no other sporting event is truly the guessing game that the Tournament is. And that's why this time of year is so much fun.

So here's my take on this year's NCAA Tournament:

UNC has the toughest road to the Final Four: For being the overall #1 team in this tournament, the Tar Heels sure got screwed over. They possibly have a very talented (and if inspired, an extremely dangerous) #8 seed Indiana in Round 2; a match up with Luke Harangody and #5 Notre Dame in the Sweet 16, and either Louisville (the best #3) or Tennessee (the best #2) in the Elite Eight. Who wants to face any of those teams? In my opinion, if Indiana is inspired to play, they're better than most of the #4 seeds in the tournament. I can't see UNC making it all the way to the Final Four, even though they play exclusively in the state of North Carolina for the entire region. I've got Tennessee coming out of the East, but if UNC should make it past all those road blocks, they'll win it all.

UCLA has the easiest road to the Final Four: Both Memphis and Kansas will face some stiff competition on their roads, but UCLA's region has a weak #2 seed in Duke, a #3 seed in Xavier that I have being upset by #6 Purdue, and a #4 (UConn) and #5 (Drake) that can't match up with the Bruins. UCLA should cruise to San Antonio.

The team that could destroy your bracket: Last year I had a couple upset specials...I proudly chose UNLV to make the Sweet 16, and also called the VCU over Duke upset. This year I think the top seeds are a little more dominant, but there still are a couple of teams out there that can screw things up. Gonzaga is one. Everyone and their mother (not my mom, but maybe yours) is picking Davidson over the Zags. It makes sense, with Gonzaga traveling to Raleigh to play a strong Davidson team that is basically a home game for them. Then the Zags would meet Georgetown in Round 2. Looks like an fairly early exit for the Tournament darlings from Spokane. But it's this line of thinking that can destroy a bracket. A Gonzaga over Georgetown would ruin the majority of the brackets out there, including mine.

The player you've heard a lot about and then get a chance to see and realize that yes, he is really good: Long title, I know, but how else do you explain it? I remember hearing all about Wally Szczerbiak back in the day when he played for Miami of OH. Then he single-handily took the Red Hawks to the Sweet 16. This year you've heard a ton about Michael Beasley. He probably could be the #1 overall pick in the NBA draft. But more than likely, you've just seen the highlights on Sportscenter, and not truly realized the effect Beasley has on the game. You'll get a chance to watch him lead an otherwise mediocre K-State team past Wisconsin into the Sweet 16.

Sweet 16 Surprises: Kansas St, Marquette, and Drake

My Final Four: Memphis, Tennessee, UCLA, and Georgetown. Not exciting, but not stupid either.

My Champ: UCLA. Only G-town can match the Bruins inside, but I think the Vols will take them down. Kevin Love provides the inside presence, Mbah a Moute is a tough cover, Russell Westbrook could be this year's Ron Lewis (of OSU last year), and the Bruins have the easiest road to San Antonio. I just like them. Though I'll never hear the end of it from my friends on the West Coast. Especially since I only see one Big 10 team in the Sweet 16. And that could be a stretch.

So get your brackets ready kids, cause all of this becomes obsolete around Noon today.