Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

“It gets late early out there,” Yogi Berra once said. Of course, Yogi was referencing the adverse sun conditions in Yankees Stadium’s left field, but it more than applies to the folks out Bristol, CT way.

With a just over 1/3rd of this year’s NCAA basketball schedule in the books, Joe Lunardi already is engaging in some tournament bracketology. Nothing like talkin’ who’s in and who’s out in December! We haven’t even developed the NFL post-season picture, and Lunardi’s already got the NCAA basketball playoffs in the photo album.

But alas, he’s simply doing his job…and I have to admit curiosity.

This much is true: even with the season just past infancy, half the tournament field is a given. All Lunardi is doing is identifying trends and projecting out. It’s no different than if he simply had ranked the teams 1-65. But something about seeing the nation’s top programs in bracket form implies finality, and finality invites criticism. That’s just the way it is.

But upon examination of Lunardi’s bracket, any inclination I had to critique was overwhelmed by impish delight. Midwest quadrant – Providence site - #14 seed…UWGB! And wait a minute. What’s that I see? A forward slash? Horizon League automatic qualifier? Sweet! CHECK OUT THE BRACKET HERE

It’s early. Scratch that. It’s REALLY early. But no matter how this map unfolds between now and Tuesday, March 9th, right now it’s fun. GB is on the map, and that doesn’t happen very often around here.

Well done Coach K and company. Keep it goin’.