2 March Loves Driving Pitt fans to Madness

Way back in November in one of my first blog posts, I predicted Pitt would make the Final Four based on the that Pitt had the following: 1. a veteran PG, 2. top freshman that were ready to make impacts, 3. Plenty of depth off the bench and 4. a coach that knows how to win.  Looking back I was pretty accurate cause Tray Woodall was Tray Woodall in a good way, Steven Adams was not quite lottery level but James Robinson was better than even I imagined, Pitt plays 10 deep although Trey Zeigler hasn't been who I thought he'd be and Dixon is Dixon in a Dixon way.  And contrary to what the seeding says, Pitt had a really good regular season.  All the advanced metrics such as KenPom.com and teamrankings.com have Pitt as a top team in the nation.  Stats such as offensive and defensive deficiency may seem stupid to some, but these new stats do a great job at predicting success come tournament time and I really like Pitt's chances in the tournament.  Shocking right?

However, if you talk to most Pitt "fans," you'll hear a bunch of doom and gloom and how Pitt will be lucky to even beat Wichita St. on Thursday.  Do you realize the last time Pitt lost to a team as bad as Wichita St. was on January 5th at Rutgers.  Since then here are Pitt's losses, Marquette in OT, at Louisville, at Marquette and Syracuse in the Big East Tournament (I'm not counting the ND game because Pitt hasn't played ND well in the last 5 games making ND games enigmas that I have blocked out in my mind).  In 3 of those 4 losses, including on the road against the number one overall seed Louisville, if Pitt shoots half-way decent from the line they win.  Pitt is basically a few made free throws away from being on a 15-2 tear to end the season.  Mind you, I realize free throws are a part of the game and are important, but the point I'm making is that Pitt is a really good team that can beat any team in the nation.  Thinking that Pitt would be lucky to beat Wichita St., runs contrary to Pitt's actual performance.  I think this all relates back to many Pitt fans thinking Jamie Dixon isn't that great of a coach.  I cannot tell you how many times I have read on Pitt blogs (yes, I'm really lame and I read Pitt blogs and post on Pitt blogs) about how Dixon can't coach and he should be replaced by Sean Miller.  Really, I think all of this talk is beyond ridiculous.  The lack of tournament success sucks.  Nonetheless, Jamie Dixon wins 20 games every year and essentially makes the tournament every year.  Besides, I'd rather have really good regular seasons and heartbreaking tournament losses with players I've watched grow from SMH 24-7 to straight baller (i.e., Brad Wannamaker), than a Final Four with a bunch of 1 and done players.  I could go on forever and forever with this rant.  Basically, Pitt is a really good team with a really good coach.  This Pitt team can beat any team in the nation.  Haters keep on hating, cause that's what you do.

So here's my eternally optimistic Pitt fan bracket:

March has Clearly Driven Me to Madness

Some highlights in my imaginary world where Pitt wins titles year after year:

1. On Pitt's road to the title, they cruise back Wichita state, upset Gonzaga a team who hasn't played anyone good since January with brute force, vanquish a similar K-State team, beat hometown hero Sean Miller, redeem the close loss at Louisville and finally get revenge against Tom Crean after the heartbreaking tournament loss against Marquette in 2003 in a game that featured Dwayne Wade becoming Dwayne Wade and Donatas Zavackas. 
2. VCU goes on a tear in the tournament as always and makes the Final Four because Shaka Smart is such a big time coach.
3.  Butler and Indiana have an epic showdown for the hearts and minds of their state in the Elite 8.
4. Karma catches up to the biggest bro of them all, Marshall Henderson from Ole Miss, and they don't even win a game.  Really I just wanted an excuse to show this awesome GIF...

 

Am I constantly blinded by my Pitt love?  Yes.  Are chances high that I will see another tough loss this March? Yes.  Is it more likely than not that my bracket is going to be completely horrible? Yes.  Do I care at all? No.  I'm a Pitt fan, I bleed blue and gold and no matter what I'm always going to pick them to win it all.  And when Pitt finally does break through it will be all the sweeter because I was with them the entire time through all the ups and downs, the great wins and the bad losses, the many missed free throws, the big shots and the big misses and the inexplicable fouls.  That's why we are fans of sports and that's why March always has Madness. 

Hail to Pitt!