Jon Wallach: Don’t sweat over your March Madness picks
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 20: A general view of a 'March Madness' logo is seen during practice before the First Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 20, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Jon Wallach here and this is a funny time of year. It’s the time when we all pretend we’re experts on a subject matter we know nothing about.
And we throw money at it, too. Some people decide to lose 20, 50, 100 dollars or more trying to pick brackets without knowing anything about college basketball, and then decide to get upset when everything is wrong.
It’s a completely random exercise. It’s no better than placing all of your chips down on one number at a roulette wheel while blindfolded.
I’m as guilty as the next person, by the way, but at least I understand it. I’ve gotten 28 of 32 correct on the first 2 days and not finished in the money and gotten 17 right on Thursday and Friday and cashed in.
DAYTON, OHIO – MARCH 19: A view of the March Madness logo during the second half between the Colorado State Rams and Virginia Cavaliers in the First Four game during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 19, 2024 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Nobody really watches college basketball anyway. If you stumble across it while you are looking for something else you give it a look, or maybe it was on the channel you left on when you were switching back from your streaming service. However, short of gambling a LOT OF MONEY on it, or your name being Dick Vitale or Jay Bilas, you have no idea what you are talking about.
And then you feel the need to tell everyone who you have in the Final 4. Your buddy, who also filled out a bracket in the company office pool, will debate you and tell you that, no, you have it completely wrong. What he or she left out is that he or she also didn’t watch any games and has no idea what he or she is talking about.
We’re all know-it-alls without knowing anything.
I picked my teams this year, based on snap judgements. As a result, I’ve got Grand Canyon winning 2 games, James Madison and Sanford winning 1, and Purdue making it all the way to the Final 4. Why? Because Jay Wright said Sunday night he liked James Madison and Sanford. I’m also not sure Grand Canyon isn’t a virtual university and it would be funny as hell if they won, and Virginia won it all the year after they got embarrassed and lost in the First Round, and that’s what happened to Purdue 12 months ago.
In the end, I’ve got Arizona beating Kentucky to win it all. It’s different than everyone else I’ve spoken to so far, but, keep in mind, I don’t think anyone else knows all that much more than I do, which is nothing at all.
Jon Wallach is a member of the Toucher & Hardy radio program, weekdays 6-10AM on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Follow Wallach on X/Twitter here. Wanna connect with the show? Click the link: linktree.com/toucherandhardy
Toucher & Hardy: 2024 MARCH PLAINNESS - Who made the tournament?
During this morning’s Toucher & Hardy, Fred revealed the contenders in the highly anticipated tournament, March Plainness! Who will Hardy choose?
In the world of sports talk radio, unexpected debates can lead to epic events. This was exemplified when a straightforward question regarding preferences in women ignited Toucher & Hardy’s “March Plainness” tournament, captivating the attention of listeners.
It all began with a casual inquiry posed to Rob “Hardy” Poole during the highly popular, totally original Email segment. A listener asked Hardy to choose between two actresses from the popular TV show “Modern Family”: Sofia Vergara, known for her role as Gloria, and Julie Bowen, who portrays Claire Dunphy. To the surprise of his co-host Fred Toucher, Hardy opted for Julie Bowen over Sofia Vergara, noting a specific clip that’s ingrained in Hardy’s mind.
WATCH HERE:
This seemingly innocuous choice set off a chain reaction. Listeners flooded the show with emails and phone calls, expressing their opinions and suggesting other contenders who fit Hardy’s preferences. Fred took on the challenge of organizing a tournament to determine the ultimate winner in Hardy’s wheelhouse.
And so, “March Plainness” was born. Toucher carefully curated a list of 16 women who aligned with Hardy’s tastes, creating a bracket-style competition akin to the NCAA tournament in March. The matchups were designed to pit fan favorites and Hollywood stars against each other, sparking debates and discussions among listeners.
As anticipation builds for the upcoming tournament on the highly-rated Toucher & Hardy’s radio program, fans are eagerly anticipating each round, ready to cast their votes and share their predictions. The excitement is expected to reach new heights as the field narrows, with potential for unexpected upsets and thrilling showdowns that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats.
The culmination of intense deliberation and competition will ultimately reveal the winner of the tournament. But you may be asking, “Who made the cut? Who’s in this highly anticipated tournament?” Well, you’re in luck! Below are the women who made the tournament, along with their seeding.
You can also fill out your bracket and predict who will Hardy ultimately choose! Scroll to the bottom.
MARCH PLAINNESS CONTENDERS:
Nick Gemelli, the wizard behind the scenes at Toucher & Hardy and a maestro on 985thesportshub.com, kicked off his radio escapade back in 2007 as an intern for Toucher & Rich on WBCN. After navigating through WFNX and the Boston Phoenix, he made a triumphant return to the show in 2016. Hailing from Marshfield but currently holding it down in Tewksbury, Nick’s radio journey is as dynamic as his Twitter feed. Nick writes about what happens on the Toucher & Hardy Show and Boston area lifestyle content.