Joe Lunardi was a perfect 68 for 68 this year
I've always wondered, is it really necessary for ESPN to employ one guy whose only job is to predict the NCAA Tournament field? Besides, Bracketology can't be a real thing. It's just a contrived, made-for-television-and-internet-consumption buzzword that tricks you into thinking someone, anywhere, can actually be an expert at these types of things.
Turns out, you can be an expert.
ESPN's resident Bracketologist Joe Lunardi proved his worth with a Nate Silveresque performance this year, correctly predicting all 68 teams in this year's tournament, as well as nailing the #1 and #2 seeds and the last 4 at large bids.
Bracketology 101 at its finest. @espnlunardi went 68 for 68 including correctly predicting all 1 & 2 seeds and the Last 4 In. #MarchMadness
— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) March 18, 2013
As far as prognostications go, Lunardi's 2013 bracket is quite the accomplishment. In an era where talking heads are more prevalent than ever, it's reassuring to know there are guys out there who do prove their expertise from time to time.
Your move, Brad Edwards.
According to Jason Lisk (who was also 68 for 68): "I really went 2 for 2, correctly having La Salle and Middle Tennessee in my field, instead of Tennessee, or Kentucky, or Virginia, or Maryland. As I noted last year, a monkey throwing darts could be trained to get 65 of 68 right, since you are given the answer on 31 of them." http://bit.ly/16FisRV
As far as prognostications go, really not much of an accomplishment.
It is nice to see that ESPN still has a few people who know what they are talking about and don't need to yell at the top of their lungs to say it.
http://bracketmatrix.com/ had it perfect as well and had four more teams within one seed line... this bracketing thing is not that hard to do. You can get very close every year and sometimes you do better than others. Lunardi definitely made the idea what it is now but these days it's far better to just look at many predictions than just his.
@JonGreen Meh. It's still possible to goof it up. CBS' Jerry Palm had Tennessee in the First Four in his final projection. Oops.
@crippenstation Yea but considering of the brackets tracked by BracketMatrix 33% of them had it right... this probably equivalent to an analyst picking the Super Bowl winner right before the playoffs... not really worth of any individual attention.
They made up a word and this guy has a seasonal job, but he's making major cash. Must be nice...
These guys did it too, and they're not sports professionals.
http://www.unf.edu/~jcoleman/dance.htm @Mike DuMond @Allen Lynch
