Make Your Picks

My extended family loves the game of basketball.  We've had lots of good players go through the ranks in the cousin category, my oldest bro. was a smooth shooter for BYU back in the day, my older bro. was a D2 college coach for several years, my Dad was ... well, it's in the blood anyway.
Several years ago we started having a end of season NCAA bracket challenge within the Kelly Klan. Brought to you by one of the cousins inviting us to all join in the fun, it has evolved into a yearly fun time that most of us look forward too. The oldest bro and sis-in-law as well as the original parentals haven't been dragged in to participate, but nearly everyone else and spouses has a great time of it.

You should try it. It keeps us in close contact for the next few weeks, watching the games, brackets and jibing comments from the group. A lot of bantering back and forth on the ESPN web site. In the end a neato-jet prize is sent to the current winner for safe keeping until the next years winner is "Crowned". (I wonder if I can find that cool prize back in my photo catalog) (anybody else find it?)
 Go here to create your own bracket and invite others to join your challenge. (I hope that doesn't put you into my signed in entry) You do nothing to add the points up, just watch and see who wins and looses. ESPN does the rest. You also can see how the rest of the country is doing on their picks.

In addition to the extended family bracket, we also in our immediate family, make a bracket challenge.
First we print up as many brackets as there are participants, then fill them all out.
We pick different winners in this game, because we get more points for the lower seed winners. If a 16 seed beats a 1 seed in the first round, the winner gets 16 points. If a 4 seed beats a 1 seed in the 3rd round the 4 is multiplied by 3 (third round) for 12 points. It makes you choose the winners differently, but it is obviously more of a gamble that way. I think it makes it kinda fun.
The Hubby gives a monetary prize to the winner in the end. What if The Hubby wins? He gets to take us all to dinner.
teehee - lucky him.