Baseball Toaster: The Griddle : Time to tip off at Staples

Time to tip off at Staples

2007-03-07 17:00

by Bob Timmermann

The contest is closed!

Please tell me if you think I entered something incorrectly. The points total will change as I update it at the end of each day. It probably won't change online very quickly as I'm not all that motivated. The formatting may make it look like I cut off a "St." from "Washington". Examine your choice there closely to make sure I entered it right.

It will be a four-day basketball marathon for me. I'll likely not care who is playing come Saturday. But I'll do it anyway.

Of the 33 entries:
20 picked UCLA
6 picked USC
3 picked Arizona
2 picked Oregon
1 picked Washington State
1 picked Stanford

Comments (107)

Show/Hide Comments 1-50

2007-03-07 17:07:42

1. bhsportsguy

Have a good time, thanks for setting up the contest.

2007-03-07 17:08:24

2. Bob Timmermann

I hope the best picks win.

Although I'm not quite sure if my scoring system ensures that. Nine games is a small sample size.

2007-03-07 17:48:10

3. bhsportsguy

2 Looks good to me, just glancing, the big games, outside ASU winning today, are the USC/Stanford Game and Arizona/Oregon games.

2007-03-07 18:04:28

4. D4P

I have a few qualms with the scoring system. (This list is neither comprehensive nor well thought out).

1. First, it looks like there are a few games (e.g. Oregon-Arizona and OSU-Cal) where the point values are the same for an upset as they are for a non-upset. Seems like the upset should be worth more points, as is the case in other games...

2. If I understand correctly, a win over a worse-seeded team always gets the same point value. In other words, for example, the #1 team would get the same number of points for beating the #10 team as they would the #2 team. I'm not sure that makes sense. Seems like you should get more points for beating #2 than #10, even if you're seeded higher than each. Why should only the underdogs get extra rewards for the quality of the team they beat?

2007-03-07 18:04:54

5. trainwreck

Hope you have fun Bob. Thanks!

What a nice pink folder.

2007-03-07 18:09:14

6. Bob Timmermann

You are looking live at Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles! The Bears and Beavers are warming up before a sparse crowd. Cal fans have a slight edge in fan support.

The program cover has five players on it: Ubaka, Young, Brooks, Low, and Pendergraph.

2007-03-07 18:14:42

7. Bob Timmermann

It's magenta!

Picking 5 over 4 isn't going out on a limb, but you have a point. So... I will alter the scoring.
One point for a win and one extra point for all wins by a lower seeded team. So if OSU wins, that will be two points

All other upsets will get one extra point essentially.

I will adjust it tonight.

2007-03-07 18:16:18

8. trainwreck

lol I am positive we will be able to spot Bob at the game. What are you wearing?

2007-03-07 18:23:50

9. Bob Timmermann

Blue sweatshirt. Green cap. Aside from the band and cheerleaders I count 20 OSU fans.

The majority of the fans are in UCLA colors. USC fans are second.

2007-03-07 18:26:43

10. trainwreck

Why are they starting soccer chants?

2007-03-07 18:28:16

11. D4P

Blue sweatshirt. Green cap.

Scorebook.

2007-03-07 18:28:34

12. Bob Timmermann

Why does the OSU band play the Beer Barrel Polka?

2007-03-07 18:35:34

13. Vishal

i probably won't be able to watch the game, but... go bears!

2007-03-07 18:37:35

14. Bob Timmermann

Ryan Anderson has as many points as OSU

2007-03-07 18:39:11

15. trainwreck

So much for this upset pick.

2007-03-07 18:44:26

16. El Lay Dave

7 Not complaining, and the new rule makes sense to me, but theoretically, for those that were ardently trying to win the contest, perhaps peoples' picks would be different if they were using that rule from the start?

For example, under the old rules, picking the 8/9 and 4/5 games was one point either way, so one merely needed to predict a winner. Under the new rules, one should probably pick #5 unless they think #4 is more than twice as likely to win.

(However, this is mostly an exhibition. This is not that much of a competition. And we aren't wagering.)

2007-03-07 18:45:06

17. Bob Timmermann

Ryan Anderson 20
OSU 15

2007-03-07 18:46:26

18. trainwreck

They're making it rain.

2007-03-07 18:46:30

19. El Lay Dave

12 Because the first Beaver band director had an accordion fetish?

2007-03-07 18:48:08

20. Bob Timmermann

I didn't change the rule as much as I just reinterpreted it. All decisions by me are subject to appeal by the International Tribunal for the Discussion of Basketball Guessing Contests headquartered in Vladivostok.

2007-03-07 18:50:39

21. trainwreck

Josh Shipp told my friend they wanted Cal. They are going to get their wish.

2007-03-07 18:53:34

22. El Lay Dave

20 They don't even understand the concept of Basketball Guessing Contests in Vladivostok. There's no unknown outcome when you can just keep putting three seconds back on the clock and have "do-overs" until the predestined result is accomplished.

2007-03-07 19:35:24

23. Bob Timmermann

Dinner is done. This is the only day I'm eating Staples Center food. It would be expensive AND disgusting to do otherwise.

I may miss the beginning of the UA-UO game tomorrow as I have to wait for a plumber. But I do love an unclogged kitchen sink. And it wasn't clogged by me

There are many Ducks fans here now. I assume they will not be rooting for Washington.

I hear that OSU fans are the besest Oregonians!

This is a very weird game. UCLA should clobber either of these teams.

2007-03-07 19:45:44

24. Bob Timmermann

OK what about this scoring system:

If an underdog wins, the bonus points are just the ratio between the seeds.

So if Arizona beats Oregon it's a victory worth 1.2 points (5/4). If ASU beats UW, it is worth 1.43 points (10/7).

Suggestions? Comments?

2007-03-07 19:48:53

25. trainwreck

I think the extra point thing works for now.

2007-03-07 19:52:30

26. Bob Timmermann

Some have suggested to the folks in Vladivostok that a win by Arizona over Oregon shouldn't twice as much as a win by Oregon over Arizona when the teams are essentially identical.

2007-03-07 20:01:07

27. D4P

when the teams are essentially identical

But that's a judgment call that's not applied to other teams. Stick to the seedings.

2007-03-07 20:02:52

28. El Lay Dave

Some have also suggested that the discussion was merely theoretical! If I were you, Bob, I'd stick with the original rules. That's what every one "bought" into when you set up the contest. And it's nice, simple and straightforward. Or stick with your first alteration. But the ratios are just adding unneeded complexity; after all, this is only the Pac-10 tournament.

Besides, this only came up when someone at the last minute threw his two cents in.

2007-03-07 20:07:01

29. El Lay Dave

Oh, and the ratios get a little out-of-hand at the other end. 8/1 (God forbid) is 8 points, 7/2 is 3.5 points!?

2007-03-07 20:08:06

30. trainwreck

So Oregon State lost three times to the 8th ranked team in the Pac-10. Goodbye Jay John.

2007-03-07 20:09:31

31. Bob Timmermann

There is something to said for my laziness and not refiguring the scores.

Regardless this win for Cal is just one point.

The most popular underdog choices were Stanford and Washington.

So was this the last game for Jay John at OSU?

2007-03-07 20:11:31

32. El Lay Dave

trainwreck is clairvoyant!

2007-03-07 20:12:03

33. Bob Timmermann

I have two votes for the original rules. Two votes for the revision.

Do I have to cast the tiebreaker here?

2007-03-07 20:13:37

34. D4P

Revision!

2007-03-07 20:14:59

35. trainwreck

I will change my vote to original if that helps lol.

2007-03-07 20:16:48

36. El Lay Dave

Since when is the Griddle a democracy? King Bob I should merely state his wishes by decree and we should accept his wise guidance.

2007-03-07 20:18:03

37. Bob Timmermann

The scoring system goes back to the status quo ante.

El Lay Dave and grandsosmo (in an email) convinced me that to preserve the integrity of the original selctions, there will be no bonus points.

2007-03-07 20:18:20

38. D4P

If Arizona and Oregon are treated as equals, shouldn't USC (with an identical 11-7 conference record) be treated the same way?

2007-03-07 20:19:01

39. El Lay Dave

Throw out the seeds and use RPIs instead!

2007-03-07 20:23:17

40. Steve

So Brock, are these "road" games too?

2007-03-07 20:25:49

41. El Lay Dave

All hail wise King Bob I !!!

2007-03-07 20:27:01

42. Bob Timmermann

A tribute to Christian Welp on the video board!

2007-03-07 20:29:57

43. Bob Timmermann

Now a tribute to Eddie House. There are a lot more Washington fans than ASU fans.

All the teams tonight brought bands and cheerleaders.

The program claims that ASU has an enrollment of 63278!

2007-03-07 20:35:54

44. El Lay Dave

4 BTW, point 2 is off. Prognosticators get points, not teams. Under what you suggested, accurately predicting WSU over USC after two rounds might yield more points than accurately predicting WSU over Stanford, depending how the points were weighted.

2007-03-07 20:39:26

45. El Lay Dave

43 There's no spring training in Seattle.

The program has a bug in it.

2007-03-07 20:44:55

46. trainwreck

I really wanted to pick ASU in this game, but I figured Washington would play defense like they did in the UCLA game.

2007-03-07 20:47:00

47. El Lay Dave

I figured that by not going 0 for the conference, ASU had already used up its fluke-win allotment.

2007-03-07 20:48:40

48. trainwreck

ASU plays better as a team than most of the Pac-10. The problem is their roster is full of players that are not Pac-10 level.

2007-03-07 20:50:10

49. trainwreck

This commercial is hilarious. ASU the gold standard? Maybe for drug dealers.

2007-03-07 20:53:09

50. Bob Timmermann

Saint Louis beat Dusquene so my brother gets to spend more time in Atlantic City. He's worried because they blew up the Chicken Man in Philly last night. Blew up his house too.

Show/Hide Comments 51-100

2007-03-07 20:58:29

51. Bob Timmermann

Hey I see an ASU fan!

2007-03-07 20:58:37

52. Bob Timmermann

Hey I see an ASU fan!

2007-03-07 20:59:41

53. D4P

51-52

Two ASU fans...?

2007-03-07 21:00:39

54. Bob Timmermann

No the guy is by himself

2007-03-07 21:06:18

55. trainwreck

There is one attractive woman in red who is really cheering for ASU.

2007-03-07 21:06:52

56. trainwreck

Or Maroon. Whatever color they are.

2007-03-07 21:10:54

57. Bob Timmermann

In one of the luxury suites someone has the new sitcom "Wedding Bells" on instead of the game.

2007-03-07 21:20:56

58. bhsportsguy

Marques Johnson quoting the right show but the wrong Sgt., Sgt. Schultz said "Move it, move it, move it.", Sgt. Carter was the demolitions expert and later a panelist on "The Liars Club."

2007-03-07 21:30:08

59. bhsportsguy

I wonder if Greg Brock is putting together a benefit for his astronaut.

2007-03-07 21:31:20

60. Bob Timmermann

It's going to be a long second half I fear.

2007-03-07 21:35:06

61. Bob Timmermann

In another intra-UC battle, Irvine beat Riverside in the Big West tourney 53-52.

2007-03-07 21:38:19

62. trainwreck

Don't mess with the Anteaters.

2007-03-07 21:40:54

63. D4P

62
Especially if you're an ant

2007-03-07 21:54:00

64. Bob Timmermann

Who was called for the technical in the first half for UW? The PA guy never said.

2007-03-07 22:06:06

65. Ken Arneson

BTW, congrats, Bob, for grabbing another mod 100,000 object ID. You've created object #300,000, #400,000, and now, with this entry, object #600,000. You da man!

2007-03-07 22:07:29

66. Bob Timmermann

Devils shoot the three
Huskies stumble on the court
Odd game forges on

2007-03-07 22:11:05

67. Bob Timmermann

Devils fan cheers team
Wonders where others might be
Gives up and drinks more

2007-03-07 22:13:15

68. D4P

Why is Bob referring to himself as a "Devils fan"...?

2007-03-07 22:14:11

69. trainwreck

Is Bob having more fun watching the ASU fan than the game?

2007-03-07 22:16:07

70. El Lay Dave

50 Down there it's just winners and losers and Duquense got caught on the wrong side of that line.

2007-03-07 22:17:02

71. bhsportsguy

We read The Griddle
For non-Dodger baseball talk
Fried up nice and brown

2007-03-07 22:18:51

72. D4P

Washington Huskies
Are sure getting killed right now
In the second half

2007-03-07 22:19:10

73. El Lay Dave

71 Is a hot Griddle "A place where a man can slow down to a walk and live his life full measure"? Won't he burn his feet, instead?

2007-03-07 22:20:06

74. bhsportsguy

72 Very nice no haiku

2007-03-07 22:20:44

75. Bob Timmermann

U Dub fans sullen
Wonder why team cannot score
Tempe zone drawn tight

2007-03-07 22:22:04

76. bhsportsguy

Bob, what's your best guess for gametime for the UCLA game?

2007-03-07 22:22:42

77. D4P

I speak on behalf
Of Duck fans everywhere:
Yo, Huck the Fuskies!

2007-03-07 22:23:53

78. El Lay Dave

Wash. busts my bracket
Lose three to Devil pickers
With either bonus

2007-03-07 22:24:00

79. Bob Timmermann

The program says 2:50 pm for the battle of the UCs.

2007-03-07 22:25:21

80. El Lay Dave

76 6:20 P.S.T. tipoff.

2007-03-07 22:26:04

81. El Lay Dave

80 Oops, prognosticating ahead to Friday.

2007-03-07 22:27:38

82. El Lay Dave

77
D4P is one
Syllable short for haiku
Needs one more finger

2007-03-07 22:28:03

83. bhsportsguy

79 Thanks

2007-03-07 22:29:16

84. bhsportsguy

Hey, is Vic the Brick in the house?

2007-03-07 22:29:48

85. El Lay Dave

84 Is he feeling you Bob?

2007-03-07 22:30:49

86. D4P

82
E-ver-y-where has
Four syllables in my book,
El Lay Dave. Make sense?

2007-03-07 22:34:46

87. El Lay Dave

86
In war over words
I choose Webster over D
4P everywhere

2007-03-07 22:37:15

88. D4P

Just today alone,
Shakespeare and Webster beat me
In a war of words

2007-03-07 22:38:10

89. Bob Timmermann

Fasten your seat belts!

2007-03-07 22:39:58

90. Bob Timmermann

Corollary to Lawler's Law: team ahead when combined score reaches 100, wins the game!

2007-03-07 22:41:48

91. bhsportsguy

90 That's funny

2007-03-07 22:42:24

92. Steve

Emanuel Lewis?

2007-03-07 22:44:16

93. D4P

92
No, not that Webster,
But rather the one of the
Dictionary fame

2007-03-07 22:46:27

94. Steve

Easy mistake to make

2007-03-07 22:48:02

95. trainwreck

Arizona vs Oregon is at 12:00pm? Do they expect anyone to watch?

2007-03-07 22:55:36

96. trainwreck

That Simpsons preview had nothing funny at all, but I still really want to see the film.

2007-03-07 23:22:19

97. Bob Timmermann

NCAA tournament games start early too. If you've got four games, you have to play early. I wouldn't want the last one starting at 10 pm.

2007-03-07 23:37:18

98. bhsportsguy

If you are a hoops fan, tomorrow is for you especially with a satellite dish and plenty of food and water. Check your local listings

Big East - No. 1 Georgetown vs. No. 9 Villanova (9:00 aam. PST)
Big 10 - Game 1: No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 9 Minnesota (ESPN2, 9:00 a.m PST)
Big East - Game 6: No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Syracuse (*11:00 a.m. PST)
Big 10 - Game 2: No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Northwestern (*ESPN2, 11:30 a.m. PST)
Pac-10 - Game 3: Arizona v. Oregon (Fox Sports, noon PST)
Pac-10 - Game 4: UCLA v. California (*Fox Sports, 2:50 p.m. PST)
ACC - Game 3: No. 7 Duke vs. No. 10 NC State (ESPN2, 4:00 p.m. PST)
Big East - Game 7: No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 7 West Virginia (4 p.m. PST)
Pac-10 - Game 5: USC v. Stanford (Fox Sports, 6:00 p.m. PST)
Big East - Game 8: No. 3 Pittsburgh vs. No. 6 Marquette (*6:00 p.m. PST)
Pac-10 - Game 6: Washington State v. Washington (Fox Sports, *8:30 p.m. PST)

* Approximate starting time

Friday is packed with North Carolina, Texas, Kansas, Texas A&M, Florida, Ohio State and Wisconsin making their conference tournament debuts.

The most compelling games may still be out west where you can have UCLA going for back to back threepeats over Arizona while USC may try to beat Washington State for the
first time this year.

Lots of games left to play and March Madness hasn't officially started yet.

2007-03-07 23:39:34

99. bhsportsguy

98 The Big 12 tournament starts tomorrow too as does the SEC tournament, but none of their games were really compelling, Duke is in there only because its Duke and a loss their could really send them down the bracket.

2007-03-08 00:03:37

100. Eric Enders

I believe my bracket may have been lost in the shuffle somewhere, Bob. I picked Stanford to win but the breakdown up top shows that nobody did.

Show/Hide Comments 101-150

2007-03-08 00:05:54

101. Eric Enders

Ah, I see, you just have me picking Arizona instead of Stanford. I did pick Stanford in the e-mail I sent, though.

2007-03-08 00:48:14

102. Bob Timmermann

Noted and fixed.

2007-03-08 00:51:08

103. Eric Enders

I demand my right to make utterly stupid picks!

2007-03-08 01:10:37

104. Bob Timmermann

I tried to update the picks for the webpage and now they don't work at all.

They still work locally for me.

2007-03-08 06:34:53

105. Daniel Zappala

In hindsight, I should have trusted my intuition that ASU was going to win a game. I just didn't believe myself.

2007-03-08 07:29:44

106. Sam DC

I gather the bracket's down for recalculation?

Can you give me some better picks please?

2007-03-08 08:32:42

107. Daniel Zappala

The comments here led me to believe ASU won. Turns out Washington won after all. Can't trust those crazy blogs.

Andrew Shimmin

Milton Bradley of Texas by Chris Coste of Philadelphia on June 28, 2008