NCAA Pool

This is one of my favorite times of the year. The NCAA basketball tournament is the biggest sports spectacle in the world. Well maybe not the world. I guess that would be either the Olympics or the World Cup. But as far as the United States goes, the tournament is the biggest spectacle. The only thing that could eclipse it, is if NCAA football ever got around to having a tournament even if it was only 8 teams. Plus this little tournament is a bridge that gets us through to opening day.

I also like to do my share of gambling. And this is gambling.

Another reason is that I get to post my favorite basketball picture to accompany this posting. Check this guy out. That was a long time ago. Those were my college years. If I had only applied myself better and actually took care of my body instead of taking it for granted. Why lament? But still check out that vertical. Now most of you know that I get a pool together for the tournament. I used to keep track of all the sheets, but thanks to the internet, I can do it all on the computer and there isn't much work for me to do other than collect the money. And that is the topic of this post.

Every year the same thing happens. Someone doesn't get their money into me before the tournament starts. They always tell me that they are "good for it". But the first day of the tournament comes and goes, then the next. Then the weekend is over and people are too busy or I wasn't around for them to get me their money. Then they take look at their sheet and realize they have no chance of winning so they decide not to pay at all. Then the tournament is over and the person who wins demands their winnings. These deadbeats still haven't paid and I end up forking out more money to cover this person who is "good for it". Do you know why? Because I am a nice guy. I know there are some people out there who are still going to say that won't happen. Well you know what those people are? They are deadbeats.

But this year is going to be different. I sent out invitations two weeks ago. Certainly that should be plenty of time for any responsible non-deadbeat to get me their money. But you know what, it won't be. And this year I am deleting sheets. The nice guy, he doesn't live here any more. Not only do I not care if your sheet gets deleted, but I will be doing it with a smile on my face. Sure this decision will come back to haunt me. Not a doubt in my mind, someone is going to throw this back in my face, when I need to ask them for a favor.

I have already started to hear the excuses:

My wife deleted the email. Maybe it is time to get your own email account.


I have been really busy with the wife, the kids and the job. So? I didn't tell you to get married, in fact I probably tried to talk you out of it. And I didn't tell you what career path to take. Although I probably told you not to be an engineer.


I put it in the mail Monday so you should have it by Thursday. Hey that is great. If you had put it in the mail last Monday then you wouldn't have to worry about it. If I get it late, I will send it back to you. Don't believe me? I will happily pay $0.41 to make a point. I have spent more to make smaller points.


I am really tired from working all day, can you come over and pick the money up? Are you kidding me? I know my life is sad and depressing, but it isn't so sad that I need to drive to your house to pick up your money.

Let me ask you something. Do you pay your other bills on time? Oh sure, I think you could be late with a credit card payment once, maybe twice before they start tacking on late fees. I have been claiming for years that I will delete sheets. Consider those last couple years your warning.


Everyone enjoys participating in a poll on my blog. I have 16 people registered so far for my pool. But at press time I have only received payment from 8 of them. According to my sources the first tournament game starts at 11:25 a.m. (Central Time), if you are one of those who hasn't paid yet, I invite you to log onto the site at that time and watch your sheet get deleted.

How many sheets will I be deleting Thursday morning at 11:25 a.m.?
	Zero, You are too nice of a guy to do something like that.
	1, Only The General
	2, But they will have really good excuses
	3, They didn't have your address even though they come to your party every year
	4, Because after all it is the Final Four.
	5, They thought the post office was closed on the 3rd Thursday of the month
	6, One for each new window on your ground floor that will get a rock thrown through if you delete their sheets
	7, Only The General gets his in, because if he can drive 1.25 hours to work, the 1 hour to your house is a snap
	8, They are all deadbeats
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