Final 5 headed for a playoff!!

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!!

This is Coach K. He is a loser, and nobody likes his face.

In a dramatic regional final this afternoon, the Kansas Jayhawks put an end to Duke's season (ahh, poor Duke...) and gave us a 5-way tie heading to the Final Four next week. As it stands, Ganza co-founder and 1990 champ Michael S, 94-year old Flo W, and 2001 champ Prune all chose Michigan and Kansas for a total of 2.5 points, while 2013 champ Charlie F and 2008 champ Phillip P both chose Michigan and Villanova, also for 2.5 points. 

After discussions going late into the evening, executives at the Extravaganza offices realized that after 29 years, they still tend to forget and mess up the playoff every time it happens. So, our playoff next week will begin with the Villanova-Kansas game. Those contestants who chose the winner will move on to another tie-breaker in the final. Those who chose the loser will be out. That will leave us with either a 2 or 3 person tie going into the final. Those remaining contestants will then choose the winner, and the points in the final. 

This is Flo W. She is the only 2018 finalist to have never won the Extravaganza.

Flo W has been participating in the Ganza for a very long time. She is also the oldest entrant in Extravaganza history at 94 years old. When reached for comment while strolling in the desert after that overtime thriller, she had this to say, "I haven't felt this kind of energy and excitement since I was 93. This is awesome!" We here at the Extravaganza would like to thank Flo W for her continued support and enthusiasm through the years, and wish her good luck next week. 

We have some LOSERS.

Natalie/Hannah, Goose, Andrew C, Seth E, Pappy, and Dawn F join Ellen D & Trevor G on BIGGEST LOSER list

This is Gillian M.. She will be working with our newly anointed losers

After another exciting two nights of basketball, most Ganzans are still technically in the running. Only those losers with no teams left (listed above), along with Josh G and reigning champ Daskull are out. Josh G and Daskull can't win despite still having #3 Michigan left, because other people have both Michigan/Kansas and Michigan/Duke. Sorry losers. That said, if Michigan wins tomorrow, the field will be drastically cut down to 5 people; Michael S, Charlie F, Flo W, Prune, and Phillip P. Everyone else will be out. If Michigan loses, we will have a big mess on our hands.

Donald Trump and John Bolton

They are an even bigger mess on our hands.

Mayhem Reigns! Trevor G. Goes Down!

Ain't this fun? What a tournament!

But the fun is over for 2-time Ganza winner, Trevor G. The thing that makes the 'Ganza unique is that it is easy to stay technically alive, as long as the presence in the tournament of unpicked teams  remain. This year, there are many, many such underdogs.

Which is why people like Darrell C., Ryder G. and Michael F. retain some semblance of hope, even though they've been reduced to cheering for 1 low-value #1 seed. Yes, they've chosen poorly and should feel ashamed and humiliated. But they have not chosen as poorly as Trevor G.

Trevor G., attempting to explain his poor showing.

 In a tournament strewn with upsets it takes some truly terrible picking to actually be eliminated and Trevor G. has achieved the near-impossible, losing all 4 teams and following Ellen D. out the door to ignominy.

But don't shed a tear for the good Mr. G. As a 2-time 'Ganza winner, he's had his share of glory.

Better luck next year, Trevor!

Retraction Issued!!

Breaking News: Extravaganza corporate offices issue statement:

"We regret we made a mistake in our last post. Providence lost to Texas A&M. Ellen D. lost all four of her teams in record setting fashion. It was not our intention to make Ellen D. look bad. In fact, quite the opposite. Regardless, after a relentless beating from the right wing, we felt it urgent and necessary to issue this apology and retraction. Sorry, Ellen D.. Loser."

Please stay tuned for further developments, and see below for some of the undue media attention this fiasco has caused this great institution.

 

 

Divine Providence Strikes Twice!...Huh?

Historic!

#16 UMBC knocks off #1 UVA

For the first time in NCAA history, a #16 seed knocked off a #1 seed. #1's were previously 135-0 against #16 seeds, but that all came crashing down tonight as Tony Bennett and top ranked Virginia just couldn't handle the UMBC Retrievers. In fact, they got smoked by 20 points. Not only that, this reporter would be willing to bet not one of you had ever even heard of UMBC before this match up, or knew what it stood for. Well, we all know now. Congratulations University of Maryland Baltimore County!!

Divine... Providence?

In other news, 14 people lost a team when Arizona went down, 10 more when Virginia lost,  and a random few others. But in a strange twist to this year's proceedings, long time contestant Ellen D. went public with claims of being on the verge of wrapping up a third Extravaganza title (adding to her 1992 and 2016 victories). Her son, co-founder Michael S., had this to say, "At first glance, everyone laughed at her picks and thought she was insane. Now, despite already losing three teams (including a #1, #5, and #10 seed), she claims to be on the brink of laughing all the way to the bank. I don't know what's going on with her." According to Ellen D., the key is that she's still got #10 Providence in her corner. When reached for comment earlier tonight, she said, "Earlier on Wednesday I had gone to mass, looked up at the stained glass windows, and just had a premonition. I am convinced this is it. Providence is going all the way this year. And since nobody else has anything close to a #10 seed, I will soon be blowing the rest of the field out of the water. Hawaii, here I come! YEAH!!!!" 

Well, uh, ok, Ellen D.. Good luck with that.

NEVERMIND!

Shelby is in!

Duke 

North Carolina 

Michigan State 

Villanova

Best of luck to him.

May the 29th Annual Final Four Extravaganza Commence!

It's with a heavy heart that we start the 29th Annual Final Four Extravaganza. This pool started in 1990 as a fun activity for 3 friends, Corey W., Shelby W. and Michael S.

Some of you have participated now for many, many years but only the 3 of us have been a part of this for every previous 'Ganza. We've gotten older and had families of our own. And this past year one of us suffered a serious health issue.

So Shelby W. will not be participating this year. But we have high hopes that he will be back with us next season.

Shelby, we dedicate this 29th Final Four Extravaganza to you!

Welcome Back My Friends...

                                                     ...To The Show That Never Ends!

This is Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir. After a beyond successful run hosting the Winter Olympics figure skating events in Pyeongchang on NBC, they have accepted an offer to host the 29th Annual Final Four Extravaganza on some obscure cable channel. Wait, huh? Anyway, when contacted for comment about this exciting news, Johnny Weir had this to say, "Tara and I just feel so incredibly grateful to the Extravaganza Organizing Committee for this chance to really expand our audience and further our careers on the world stage." Later, Extravaganza co-founders Michael S. and Corey W. described the crazy scene that broke out at the Extravaganza home office when the news of Weir and Lipinski joining the team was officially confirmed. "We couldn't believe it. Some of you may remember long time participant Jon T... Well, he was visiting us at the time, and practically before the words finished coming out of our mouths, he was running around the office in a leotard excitedly screeching, "Oh my god, this is so exciting! And they're still trying to get Adam Rippon too, which would really give us the trifecta. This is just a dream come true!" When then asked if this Adam Rippon rumor was true, they both then responded simultaneously with, "No comment."

                                                             This is Zoe.
After hearing about last year's incredible run of the table by Daskull the cat, Lucy & Anabelle's cat Zoe expressed interest in getting in on some of that action. When asked what she would do with the money if she were fortunate enough to extend the current feline winning streak, young Zoe jumped into a box. We can only assume this means she would buy more boxes.
Oh yeah, and get your picks in by 9:00pm Wednesday night March 14 or immediately following the last play-in game, whichever is later. Good luck to all!