Junior Bracketology

I run a March Madness pool with a bunch of my friends from college. The rule for all of our kids is that they’re allowed to join, as long as they make their own picks. So last week, Madeline filled out her first bracket.

How’s she doing? After the first weekend of the NCAA tournament, her bracket is what’s referred to in sports lingo as, “100% f’ed.”

You’ve got to hand it to her for her faith in the Midwest, though. Madeline’s Final Four includes KU, K-State and Missouri, with KU winning the championship. She’s also got California in there because she digs the Phantom Planet song — and while that didn’t pan out for her, it’s hardly the worst strategy I’ve heard of for making picks.

She doesn’t know there’s money at stake. Rather than introducing her to the concept of gambling, I spotted her the $5. Madeline sometimes latches onto things obsessively, and I need her to focus on learning my cell phone number — not 1-888-BETS-OFF.

Plus, if Madeline discovered gambling now, by second grade she’d be a bookie. She’s smart like that. Although I guess if that happened, then James could be her enforcer. One look at that little mister’s big blue eyes and deadbeats couldn’t help but let him kneecap them.

Going into the next round of the Big Dance, Madeline’s bracket is in the basement. But there’s still a chance she might not come in dead last — so long as the Jayhawks take it all the way and the guy in next-to-last place misses every single one of his picks. (K-State and Mizzou readers, please keep your comments to yourself. Remember, she had you guys in the Final Four, too.)

In any case, while Madeline would certainly love a Jayhawk victory, the basketball itself hasn’t been her #1 favorite part of March Madness. That was making her sweet bracket folder.  

And I’m absolutely going to save that folder forever.

Did your kids fill out brackets? How did they make their picks?