March Madness!

[bookworm]

March Madness Bracket Contest!

It's almost that time again! Our group is renewed, go join it right now so you're ready to go when the brackets unlock!
ESPN Tournament Challenge Password: thetoo

Even if you don't really follow the games go ahead and do a bracket anyway! Even if you don't follow at all! The more participants there are the more fun it is, it doesn't matter if you actually know what you're doing. I don't!
This doesn't take any commitment after entry, it's a one time thing. You just join the group, fill your bracket, and that's all there is to it! No further involvement is required, or even possible. The brackets lock when the tournament begins, all that's left to do is sit back and watch how it plays out.
If you don't care or don't know anything about the sport that's absolutely fine! Just join to be nice to us who would like a big group playing! It's nothing to you; just advance random teams, it takes less than three minutes, then you can forget all about it. There's no reason not to do one!

This is the ToO's longest running unofficial annual event; we've done a bracket competition for all but the very first year of this community's existence! (2005 doesn't count because the site wasn't opened until April.) This is our 11th straight year! Be a part of this great tradition!

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Expand below for how to join the group if you need help:

You will need an ESPN account. Make one now if you don't have one already, it's very easy and fast.
PM me if you have trouble or concerns making an account and I can make one for you.

• Log in to your ESPN account and go to the page for our group linked above. Click on "Create a Bracket Now"

• Set a name for your bracket (it's nice if it has your ToO username in it somewhere) and enter the group password. Click "Create Bracket"

• If you are doing this after Selection Sunday you may recieve offers from other contests. Just leave them unchecked, unless you want to enter them. Click "Continue"

• It should automatically select ToO Madness as the group to join. Click "Continue"

• Don't need to do anything at the next screen, just click "Continue"

• If the brackets have not unlocked yet this is all you can do right now; log back in when they open to make your picks!

• If you are doing this after Selection Sunday then continue directly from here to filling out your bracket!

Expand below for instructions if you're confused about how to do the bracket:

It can be a little hard to understand what you're doing here at first because the website layout isn't the best, but actually it's really simple. You're predicting (or just randomly choosing) how the tournament's bracket will play out by selecting one team in each game to win and advance until there are only two left and you pick the ultimate winner.

• If you had joined the group while the brackets were locked and are now coming back, log in to your ESPN account and go to the link for our group. Click on the name of your bracket in the list to start filling it out.

• If the brackets were already unlocked when you joined the group you should be taken straight to yours to start filling it.

How to fill out the bracket:
(These pictures are just examples of the process, the teams you see will be different.)

• Start with the outermost layer of games and click on one team in each game. (The one you think will win.) That team will be moved up into the next round.

• Scroll down for the other half.

• When you have picked winners for all the games in that first layer there will now be a second level of new games between the teams you advanced. Repeat the process, clicking one team in each game in this new layer.

• Scroll down for the other half.

• Repeat for the third layer of games that is created.

• Scroll down for the other half.

• And repeat for the fourth layer.

• Scroll down for the other half.

• There are now just four teams left. In the middle of the page choose one on each side to advance into the final game.

• Choose which of the final two teams you think will be the ultimate champion. Then guess how many points each team will score in the final game. (This is used for the contest tiebreaker if one is needed.)

• Uncheck the extra offers, unless you want to enter them, and save your picks!

That's it! You're all set!

PM me if you have problems or questions with anything.

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March Madness Live Chats!

I've also set up a Chatroom channel for live chatting the Tournament!
Join #Madness if you're able to be online while you watch, especially if you are rooting for a team due to fandom or bracket picking! If you are watching but can't chat during the game you can at least come by to check in during commercial breaks!

This was a ton of fun last year! It was great sharing real time reactions as games went final, comparing the effects on our brackets. I really hope people come by this year again! Everyone is welcome to come hang out of course, even if you didn't do a bracket.
I should be in there for Selection Sunday to kick things off, so come by if you're watching that, then once the tournament is underway stop in if you have one of the games on and see if anyone else is there. Or if you don't have a game on but want to follow what's going down.

Schedule of games, dates, times, and channels

[American Eagle]

I'm in.

[bookworm]

There's still time to play! Everyone who reads this please join the group! Don't make me start robocalling people.

If you don't put your username in your bracket name please confirm your participation here so I know who's in, for record keeping.

[Old Brad]

Welp it looks like I'm in..

[bookworm]

It's Selection Sunday! Join #Madness if you're watching the show on CBS, or if you aren't watching but want to hear what happens, then go fill out your bracket when they unlock!

[Old Brad]

Bracket filled, let's go!

[bookworm]

Last day to get in! Any latecomers reading this please join now!

The first post has been updated with a guide to filling the bracket if you need help

[Knight Fisher]

My extremely amazing picking skills have declared Duke over UNC. I expect an Arizona win promptly.

[bookworm]

You shouldn't announce your picks until it starts.

[Knight Fisher]

You shouldn't announce your picks until it starts.

Unless it's a fakeout.

[bookworm]

Let the madness begin!

[Knight Fisher]

And a million brackets cried out in horror.

[Old Brad]

I'm honestly surprised I'm doing as well as I am..

[Parakeet]

'



....... Am I winning?

[bookworm]

My champ went out first!
I knew it was a risk putting Nova all the way because repeats are so rare, but I didn't do it on purpose (I actually don't like repeat champions in sports), I picked each matchup in isolation and they just ended up getting to the end.

I actually wanted to go with the Badgers there personally, but unfortunately I happened to watch them play in their conference championship and thought they looked too lethargic to take down a defending champ. Apparently that was just a down day.

I gambled on Wichita State upsetting Kentucky because I heard from a ton of people 'Don't be fooled by their seed number they should be way higher!' Oh man were they so close to pulling it off! That would have been awesome to have called.

I like when Duke does well, but I just had a feeling something was off this time with them so I didn't put them as far as I otherwise would have, and it turns out it was the right decision.

Michigan's upset wasn't good for me though.

[Old Brad]

I have 5 elite 8 left and 3 final 4 left, not bad for a first time bracket.

[bookworm]

One of my corners is completely over already (due to Nova and Duke supposed to be meeting in the 8) but I also still have 5/8 and three of my Final 4 in.

[Knight Fisher]

My agony is over. I am rather okay with that.

[Woody]

I'm doing much better than I expected to.

[bookworm]

Only 4/8 left after the latest upset, but I still have 3/4 in. Running out of time to make any ground up though, I think the remaining picks probably look pretty similar across most of us at this point.