March Madness Brackets Invade The Workplace
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - The brackets are set, and now they'll be played. Millions of people will fill out NCAA basketball brackets again this year in hopes of winning a combination of money and bragging rights.
When March rolls around, Adam Postelnek has an extra job at Magnet 360.
"The more people that are involved, the less chance I have of winning it. But it makes it more fun," Postelnek said.
Magnet 360 is a marketing firm where brackets aren't just allowed - they're encouraged.
"Maybe that's because all the managers are involved. But who knows," he said.
He runs the pool, handles the money - but has never won it.
"I'm awful at this. So as much joy as I get from running it and getting people involved, I have never won. So hopefully this is the year," he said.
Corey Andrews won last year's brackets, which earned him $300 and a year's worth of bragging rights. He picks teams right away.
"Go on your instincts and don't let the three to four days of analysis that you hear persuade you," Andrews said.
Tom Elko won his company pool in 2011. He picked UConn and worked backwards.
"If you can pick the winner you're probably more likely to win," Elko said. "I kind of started with the winner and worked backwards."
Mark Snyder tries to identify a couple of solid Cinderella teams.
"There's no tricks to it. You get lucky some years," Snyder said.
Actually, Snyder has won twice over the years. He wears a Gophers sweatshirt, but won't go with them.
"I'm happy they got in, but I'm not expecting them to go very far," he said.
But who will win? Our experts differ.
Corey has Louisville beating Indiana.
Tom is going with Duke because he says "they win a lot."
And Mark Snyder is sure of one thing.
"I know I won't pick Duke, because I hate them," he said.
Before you fill out your brackets, here are some numbers to consider: there are 9.2 quintillion combinations of picks.
Only three number-11 seeds, like the Gophers, have ever reached the Final Four.
