BUT, I really really do not like filling out a bracket. I did it with the other teachers at my school a few years ago. Considering it was an elementary school, there were about 4 men filling out brackets and a bunch of ladies (who probably picked their team based on school colors or mascots). I felt a lot of pressure being a basketball lover and having decent knowledge about what was happening in the NCAA. And the men made sure I felt that pressure! They expected me to do well. The would egg me on, asking who I put to beat so and so and then reacting to my predictions.
As much as the pressure was silly and all in my head, that wasn't the only reason I didn't like predicting who was going to win. So, here is my real problem with the brackets. I obviously fill in the blanks with the teams that I think will win based on their stats and how hard their season was. Then it comes time to watch the game and I am cheering for the underdog - the team that will ruin my bracket if they actually do win! It makes me feel guilty, like I am cheating on someone, and this gives me serious anxiety!
I would rather just watch the game between two teams without feeling any attachment to either one and just enjoy a (hopefully) good game. It keeps me from post-loss depression.
On another note, BYU is in the tournament! Yes, I put my team winning their game. And yes, I will be wearing my cougar gear to school tomorrow (even though most of my students have never heard of BYU (which seems crazy to me!!)).
The real reason I wrote this post, was to tell a story about one of my students.
I have this one social emotional class that is pretty amazing. It consists of three boys who are pretty resistant about discussing their feelings, thoughts, emotions, etc...but we have fun and they really have come a long way since the beginning of the year. Two of these boys are serious sport lovers and I take pride in the fact that because of me, they are now aware of BYU with all my talk about Jimmer, Pitta, and Ziggy and the huge "We are BYU" flag on my wall. This morning, one of them walked in, sat down, and told me that he had filled out a bracket. We started talking about it and then he goes, "BYU plays Oregon."
Me: "YEP! And you put BYU winning right?!"
Hangs his head down and shakes it while saying, "Oregon is going to win it."
He then apologized and we never brought it up again.
I am hoping that I can (ever so nicely) rub a BYU win in his face on Friday!
P.S. - I also don't like filling out a bracket because I am very competitive and don't like losing.
