Bracket futility

For the past couple of years I've set up an online bracket group to enjoy March Madness with my college friends. With basketball being my favorite sport, this is one of my favorite times of year, and I enjoy few things more than the ribbing and trash talking between my close friends about their ill-advised picks.

But fate had different plans for me this year.

After painstakingly researching the match-ups and reading advice from countless experts for hours the night of Selection Sunday, I filled out my bracket. Then shook my head in frustration, erased all my picks and filled it out again. And then again shook my head in frustration, erased my picks and filled it out for a third time.

But there must have been a problem with the website. Or I closed the window before hitting 'submit,' whichever story you find more believable. In any case, my picks were not recorded and I didn't discover the error until I logged into the site during the first game on Thursday when it was too late.

Silver lining: I'll finally know what it feels like to watch the tournament when you don't have any horses in the race.