Every once in a while...

Back in the day, way, way back, I used to watch college ball. A lot. I played middle school and some high school, and a handful of college intramural years (till we were banned as a team) so the sport isn't foreign to me. Both my parents and brother played. In fact, I just shot some hoops with my father-in-law in SD and he just barely beat me in Horse. Back to the heart of the matter: the bracket competition for the 2010 NCAA tourney. I applied some basic "who has a better record" to pick winners. Once I reached the semi-finals I used my random-process-of-most-connected to select Duke as my go-to-team. I mean, I spent half my life in NC, two of my three sibs were born there, I'd like to move there, and really, they are the only basketball I've ever consistently cheered for. (I can hear my mom groaning, she and my dad are sports enthusiasts, and very loyal to UT.) Little did I know that everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, would tell me I was an idiot.

But then the strangest thing happened. I won. I was the only person out of two dozen or so brackets to have Duke in the final four and therefore if they made it, that was it - I would win. (My brother Calen is a self-appointed sports analyst and even he thought I was crazy) I don't win much, if ever, therefore it's really awesome. The last time I won something it was $400 on a casino outside Evansville during college. Before that it was a three-point basket for $329.53 in high school. And once, I won an Indiana Jones VHS three-pack at the local Dogwood Dash. But beyond that, that's all I can remember winning.

How much? $145. Am I going to Disney world? No. Mama needs a new car and will apply that entirely to bills or savings. But I might buy a lottery ticket this Wednesday, it's up to $125 million. As Brian says, you have to play to win!