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I'm Bart Winkler. It is Wednesday the 18th. We are joined today once again by Ryan Holt. Horvat, the NCAA tournament is coming up.
Well, it's already started. You could say. The um Texas game last night. in which they played NC State? Yeah, thank you.
First of all, regarding that, Wow.
Sorry for Brian Anderson. His voice was shot. And that is the worst situation that you could be in. As a broadcaster. And when I've had a bad voice like that, so he did the broadcast on True TV with Dick Vital.
And Charles Barkley, which is all right. I mean, If there's ever a broadcast that you want those two to like ramble and talk, it's when your play-by-play guy cannot speak. But As somebody who's been in that position way too many times. Normally, when I broadcast like that, my voice sounds like shit. You talk through it a little bit.
But then by the end, you are fucking cooked. And that's what happened to BA.
So, I don't know when he has to call another game again. It can't be tonight. I hope it's not. I hope they get him out of Dayton. But credit to him for pulling through.
And Texas got the dub, as did Howard. Over UMBC. Thank God, because I'm tired of that Twitter account trolling. And then they were trying to be the tougher man last night. Whatever.
I'm glad they're done. Texas moving on. We've got two games tonight. I don't know. Oh, Miami of Ohio.
So the tournament's underway, Horvat. How are you? Doing good. I would be doing a lot better if NC State would have won that game like that. Ah, already?
Yeah, I hit NC State and the worst part about it, man, is So I fell asleep. And I woke up and I saw the result. It's just like these games, and I'm going to be up for the tournament, like the tournament tournament. Once we get to Thursday, I'll be up until Sunday, but. I'm old and these games on the East Coast don't tip off until 9:35, 9:40.
And then, you know, I gotta be up. Like, we got to be up. We got like things to do. Even though I don't have a job, I still do have a family.
So it's just, it's hard, man. Like, I prioritize my sleep these days. I want to at least get seven hours. I've realized. That if I don't sleep at least like six hours, I'm miserable the next day.
I feel almost as if I'm hungover. If I eat junk. You just said that, Sean McVay. Didn't McVay say that? Wasn't he something like, nobody understands the power of sleep.
You know, I thought as a young kid, I just thought I need to be in there. And the more I'm awake more in the office, the better we'll be. But there is something to getting your eight hours of sleep. The body needs its natural rest. And so I'm not going to be one.
And my playbook calls for eight hours of sleep each and every night. I think, yeah, I mean, the NBA, even there's no such thing. I don't think any teams do shoot arounds. I think they all know the study behind sleep. I fell asleep because I was like, it's going to be a long weekend.
NC State screws me. It wasn't a huge bet, but it would have been better to start off with a win, man. I feel like. You know, it's kind of like an omen that maybe I should just stay away from some of these games. I've already bet, I think, five.
No, four. I've bet four games already. We'll talk about them. I'm excited for the tournament. I also bet Duke to win the tournament.
I don't hate anything around like nine to one on Purdue to make it to the national title game. I think that's their price. I kind of like this Purdue team. I think like Purdue, Michigan, Arizona have the easiest paths. I think Duke, and I know, like, if you look at the numbers, the Ken Pom stuff, Michigan's the greatest team of all time.
Some of these teams are obviously dealing with some injuries. We'll see how big of a deal it is. I like Duke to win it all. I thought that they should have won it all last year, but they blew that game in the last, what, like the final 15 seconds. Even though they don't have Cooper Flag and Knipple, who are both awesome already in the NBA, I think this team's just as good.
I think Cam Boozer is an absolute stud. They defend. God, what if they had those guys, though? Dude, I know, man. Oh, they would be unstoppable with Boozer.
Boozer's awesome, and I love. I love seeing Carlo's boozer up in the stands 'cause it reminds me as a Bulls fan. I'll never forget the free agency period, the summer where I was like. Man. Might get LeBron and Wade because Wade's a Chicago kid wants to come up.
Or no, I'm sorry. No, no, Wade was never really in the picture. I was like, could get Bosch. Or LeBron. In fact, we were all at the bar and we were taking LeBons because we thought that there was an outside shot.
In like two weeks, the Bulls would be getting LeBron. And then the Bulls have the worst pitch of all time. The can you fill Michael Jordan's shoes? Can you feel the Jordans pitch? Um, and instead they get Carlos Boozer.
And that team was awesome because of Derek Rose, but I just remember Carlos Boozer being so fucking worthless, man. He would only play in, like, the first and the third quarter because Tibbs hated him.
So he would go with Taj Gibson down the stretch Tib Tibbs isn't gonna play you if you don't play defense. And all Boozer would do. But like I hated him, but I also loved his game because his game reminded me of like what I would do with the LA Fitness or the YMCA. Just 18 footers, baby. Mid-range, still a thing, but it's, I get a kick out of seeing him, and I also feel really old.
You know, like, for example, Jeremiah Fears, who's the starting point guard of Michigan State. I went to high school with his dad, dude. Same age as me. Played football with us. Yeah, played basketball.
He was awesome. He ended up going to Ohio. And then he ended up playing in Turkey or overseas. But yeah, he's my age. Had two kids.
One's already in the league, obviously. And he's the younger one, right? The younger one's in the league. He's the younger one. I don't.
I don't know, you know, Fears, I think he's a really good, like, traditional point guard. Um but they're both awesome. He did a really good job rating like, but I feel old as shit, man. Really? Hold on.
Are you I know you've ragged on the product before, but I've been playing a lot of draft kings on NBA DraftKings and just losing my ass. I still bet the props, yeah. Dude, no one is fucking playing in these games. They're terrible. No one is playing in these games.
It is, it is. Nobody is playing. And then there were two games last night. And I think, like, the Spurs went up 30 by the halftime, and the Nuggets were up, like, 75 points. It's just shit.
The Bucks obviously are without Giannis and They pretended to care until they lost last night.
So, you know what? I want to say, like, because I've always hated the guy that rags on the NBA, because I've always been a fan. And I'll be there playoff time. And it isn't even just because like You know, I like the cheer for you guys, and I feel like I could do that. Baseball season, obviously, I can't, and everybody hates each other, but like the Bulls are so irrelevant, man.
And I'm a big Giannis scout. I haven't like lost love for Rhiannis. But I just feel like he's not the same like Oh, it's so cute and wholesome. You know, he just came over and he's just always grabbing water bottles and he's playing with the kids after the game. I feel like, you know, he's a rich guy.
Uh, you know, like everybody like he's just he's he, you know, not saying he's the enemy, but He's not really relatable anymore. And I feel like that's the MB. Like, I was thinking about this. Why do I not like the NBA anymore? I don't really like have a.
I don't know who my favorite player would be. I'm Slovenian, so I should love Luca. I fucking hate him. He all he does is cry and bitch. And fight with the coaches.
I'm not saying, like, I don't think Nico's as crazy as everybody makes him out to be because I think Luca is just a pain in the ass. And I know that they went to the finals. He might not be a winning player, dude. Maybe in Slavine, like overseas, but I don't know, man. If Nico really couldn't handle Luca, that's fine.
Like, if he. If he said no, But they got nothing back. Like, literally. Andy Davis. Yeah.
Yeah. You don't want Brooklyn. But some guy was trying to always call in and say, Oh, you don't, you don't, don't undersell Max Christie. I'm like, I absolutely will fucking undersell Max Christie. But I'm just thinking like Who's your favorite player?
I like KD. I'm a KD guy. I get a kick out of the Twitter stuff. I think he's just a really, he's a hoops junkie. I do like Kevin Durant, but I do understand why people want it.
I'm not a LeBron guy. I think he's corny. I understand why people would like LeBron, but a lot of these new guys, like I see a lot of these videos of SGA. I kind of hate them. I don't know, man.
Like, back in the day, I liked a lot of the players. You know, I was like, oh, Iverson's a badass, or Damon's, even like players that weren't on the Bulls, you know?
Now, I don't really think there's a whole lot of like marketable, likable players. I I think there was like a really good run and now I think it's calmed down. The teams I watch like Detroit. I don't know anything about Cade Cunningham. Other than he's awesome.
There's no Jordan, there's no Kobe. LeBron most people hate. Like, you know Jokic is the best player in the league and it's like, oh, he doesn't care and he just wants to go home and race his horses. I'm bored of that. Fuck that.
Jokic probably cares more than anybody in the league. But he pretends like he doesn't. That's bullshit. I'm calling him. Donnis doesn't want to be the bad guy, so he's stuck in Milwaukee.
Right. Um Giannis wants to, Giannis has been married for 10 years, and all he wants to do is fuck all of his friends' wives. Kyrie's always hurt. James Harden's a terrible product to watch. Not literally.
Giannis, that's not, I mean, in the context of Giannis is playing somewhere. Would like to know what it's like. But ultimately has committed He's not leaving. He won't leave. He won't leave, but he wants to, but he doesn't actually want to.
Yep.
So, this is going to be the end of the tenure, just half-assed Giannis. It just reminds me he like it's like a 90s situation where he should just fucking leave dude. Just like Ewing should have left. Right, like nobody was getting past Jordan, they all should have formed a super team to beat Jordan. Honestly, like the Rockets tried to do that.
But way too late. Like with Elijah on Drexler and Barkley. At that point, it was, you know, it was too late, man. You your prime is really over in the NBA. It's different, I got 32, 33.
But yeah, Jordan, Jordan's like, oh, Jordan's like, oh, Jordan's, you gotta do it. Credit to Michael Jordan. What a genius! Because he essentially had a super team. He had Scotty Pippen.
I'm glad you said that really quick, because some dickhead was trying to argue about this with me in the sauna the other day. They didn't have a super team, though. Jordan was the best player. Pippin, they got lucky with, and he signed a terrible contract for like life, so he never got to leave. And then nobody wanted Rodman because he was in a fucking head case.
He was in a truck with a shotgun, threatening to blow his brains out. And the bulls called him up. Sure. But on the court, on the court, they never knew if he was coming over. And then it's Luke Longley, Ron Harper, 10 years.
But those are the role players you need. Jason Kathy.
So it wasn't really a super team, though. They didn't go out and buy the team. I'll say this: they didn't go out and buy the team. Right, right. But they had.
For lack of a better Comparison. They had their Steph, their Clay, and their Draymond. You know? They had their one, their two, and their muscle. They had that.
And Rodman coming over, you're right, nobody wanted him. He's crazy, but he's also insanely good. The first time I ever heard the story where. People were taking shots and someone's like, Why aren't you taking shots? He's like I'm watching how the shots miss, so I know how to get their rebounds.
Everybody shoots differently. Genius. But then Jordan, because it was all like. Because of the way it was formed, Scotty's here. Nobody wants Rodman.
He essentially had a super team. And everyone else is like, well, we can't have a fucking super team. Jordan doesn't, but he did. He just didn't build one. Yeah.
He had his Pippin and he had his Rodman. And that's what people are always looking for. They're always looking for their Pippin and Rodman. And that's a super team. Yeah, it was.
Anyway though, NBA sucks. The 2026 NCAA March Madness Men's Tournament is back, and it's guaranteed to keep you dancing every night. The biggest event in college sports is finally here, and TNT Sports has you covered from the opening tip to the final buzzer and everything in between. Keep up with all the heart-pumping, show-stopping craziness of March Madness across TBS, CBS, TNT, True TV, and the March Madness Live app as we march all the way to Indianapolis. And this year, the men's final four returns to TBS on April 4th and 6th.
Catch all the clutch shots, big-time plays, upsets, Cinderellas, Blue Bloods, and more that keep you on the edge of your seat. You're not going to want to miss a second of the action, so tune in to the NCAA men's first four tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern on True TV and in the March Madness Live app. Today's show is sponsored by Strawberry.me. Let me ask you something.
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Strawberry dot me because pros don't guess, they get coached to win. College basketball. I still like college basketball. I just don't get into it like I used to and it I don't know if it's the tr I think it's just like that I'm so into college football and now it's year-round with a transfer portal. I feel like it's really hard to be into both.
And if. And if you claim to be, then you're a liar. Like, I love this time of the year, man, where everybody's a brachatologist and everybody's like. I think Fordham is going to get it. You know, they're all throwing out these crazy-ass teams.
Oh, Pennsy beaten Illinois for sure, dude. For sure. What I've stopped doing is dicking around with the upsets. Sure, there's gonna be a couple, but. If you stop dicking around with the upsets, like...
Like, God bless it, man.
Now, my son's at the age where he wants to be in all the brackets, and they're all like 25, 50 bucks. And he's got like Iowa in the championship. And I'm like, no, dude.
Well, all right, my kid, and Justin says this: Justin on Facebook says it's funny, ESPN is the final four, is either one or two seeds. I want to see a Cinderella story, but this is probably the way we're going. Is the best teams, it's going to be more it was chalky last year, four ones. It's probably going to be chalky. This year, when my son was filling out his bracket.
And we're very excited. He's very excited because he's got the next two days off. for conferences or some shit. But he's got off and we're going to watch the tournament. And I think he's very excited, but it's going to be where he's very excited and then it starts and he's like, This, I want to do something else.
Like, I want to watch YouTube. But for now, it happens to me. Yeah, yeah, I know. It's like, but he filled out his bracket and he kept wanting to see. Like what the public was taking.
And so he's very chalky. He does have Duke. Winning it all? And then I filled out. I have I took Houston.
Yeah. Yeah, just because I feel like there's going to be a gymnast storyline. That's the only reason. Gymnance is why I took Houston. Otherwise.
In Dan Shane, Dan Shaney's got a pool.
So, guys. Dan Shady Insurance. This is my insurance guy. All right. He's got a pool where he's no entry fee.
And he's giving away like $500 in gift cards to the top six people or whatever.
So, in that one, I tried to do what I think Dan Shaney's customers won't do. And if it's based around Wisconsin, I took all the big 10 teams to win that aren't Wisconsin. I took. Perdue to win the championship. Look at me, Purdone.
Did you? You gotta be clever with it. But mainly. Duke will probably win. But in brackets I'm taking uh Houston.
So I bet Duke. Think you could still get them plus 350, not a great price, but that's who I like. Uh I also took, like I said, Purdue to make the championship game. I bet that plus 950. I think that's still 9-1.
Tonight, I took SMU at six and a half. Not big. Pizza money. I'm just going to fade Miami, Ohio, because I feel like everybody's going to love Miami, Ohio. Last night.
Like you said, I also didn't get to that part. I felt for BA as well. He's become one of my favorite, if not my favorite, play-by-play guys. I felt bad because The whole Dickie V and Charles Barkley thing, man. Like.
I dicky V. I used to get a kick out of him when I was a kid with the PTP and the diaper dandies.
Now, all he does, though, is a talk show. About college basketball. Yeah, but if there's ever a night, I mean, BA had no, if I ever had no voice, I would love. Charles Barkley and Dick Vital to carry the show. And then Barkley's like the WWE.
He's like the Bella Twins, where I kind of like I love Barkley, but like him calling college basketball, he doesn't watch the product all year. And then he just he's like the guy that he's like Goldberg. He's gone for 11 months or Roman Reigns and then he shows up for WrestleMania. I don't know. Like give me somebody that actually there's a bunch of people that are really good that cover the product I know Barkley's funny.
But, like, then let him do a separate broadcast. But a lot of people want to actually watch the game and maybe learn something about the kids. And we're sitting there, I'm telling you, baby. And then Dickie V, you know what he does though? He shits on the pr like on everybody except for h the good old boys like his You know, Duke can never do wrong.
You know, Izzo can never do wrong. Calipari can never do wrong. But then, you know. God forbid, Florida. has some one and dones or is paying players or NIL, so whatever.
I wanted to put my head in the wall listening to the broadcast. I bet Iowa, speaking of Iowa, against Clemson. I bet Utah State against Villanova. Jordan Love. I bet um Santa Clara against Kentucky.
I think they're going to beat Kentucky. I think Kentucky's no good, and I don't think Mark Pope's a very good coach. And then I'm gonna fade uh. I'm going to take North Dakota State NDSU against Michigan State plus 16.5. I bet those games.
Party Izzo in March. They're gonna win, but I just feel like 17 points. Like, if you watch this, oh, okay. I did Michigan State to beat UConn, I think, because fuck Dan Hurley. There's nobody on this world.
Well, there is. But in sports. God, I just, I cannot stand anything about Dan Hurley. Anything. I like 'em.
He should be the Lakers coach right now. Ooh. I wouldn't want to be the Lakers coach right now. I'd rather stay in college, man.
So you can get punked by f some fucking Florida Photographer in the tunnel? I just feel like 20 years ago, I'd want to be a coach in the NBA because that's where the money was, but now it's changed. And if I'm gonna make money, like he's a college legend. And we don't know that that translates to the next level. It's different being a teacher and a coacher of college kids rather than go and put up with Lucas shit and have them throwing towels in your face.
I would rather. You don't like something that's going on at your university, you can just punt the kid off the team. You can't punt Luca off the team. Fuck that dude. I would rather be at UConn.
I like him because I don't think it's, I think, like all these guys. I think if they're just characters. Yeah, I'm really telling you, though, and you've seen Doug Gottlieb, who you could hear on the fan every single day. Why do I get an email every morning that Doug Gottlieb's on 1250, by the way? Like.
Do you get that? I don't. I I think no, I don't. Hear Doug Gottley at 9 a.m. Like, oh, that'll get me out of bed.
Go on, though.
Sorry. I didn't realize they were sending out emails. About Doug Gottley. Yeah. That's what I love.
I thought Gottley was all focused on the coaching, but now I feel like he's just doing a show. He gave up radio to come on the fans' morning show every fucking day. He's still getting his swings in. He's just. I also love how, and they did improve obviously this year, but I saw a couple articles pop up, and it's like.
Even with um you know, even though he's being Pursued by other schools, Gottlieb shows loyalty sticking around. It's like, well. Yeah, who leaked that? Who leaked that report? Who's the school yeah, who's the school looking for him?
University of St. Francis? Unrelated, I got like seven job offers this morning, but I'm going to stick with the podcast, unrelated to Doug Gotland News. I'm going to stick with the podcast and turn down all the job offers. I thought I got a job offer like two weeks ago, and then the guy hasn't called me back.
I was like, I was like applying for like jobs, you know, like, man, what the f. What could I even do? I've done radio for 20 years now. And then I got a call and I was like. It was like the Undertaker hand coming up.
So then I like blew off all these potential jobs, and now they haven't called me back.
So I'm like, oh no. I'm gonna be selling plasma here soon. Let's hope that we hit every single bet and maybe we'll win all the brackets.
Well, that's kind of like been my strategy: I need a big draft kings win or a big bracket win to keep this thing afloat. Should we just fill out a bracket right now and just hope that it hits?
Well, I wanted to look at a bracket, or at least the bracket with you. Let's do it. We're not going to necessarily fill one out. But I'll go through each of the Different regions, yeah. Let's do that because I want to uh shit on the Vikings too before we get out of here.
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. We are brought to you by Happy Place M. Promo code is Bart 25 off each and every order. Uh I had some happy place hemp last night. In the form of the seltzer.
And I was very emotional. Um when Venezuela beat USA. Just because of how happy they were. And I saw the videos around Venezuela. About, like, people gathering around the smallest TVs and communities getting together to root on their country and then I saw in the USA, it's just everybody in sports radio being.
Thank God this fucking shit is over. What the fuck? Where's our country pride? US baseball sucks. I want to watch the fucking Mets.
Come on. Anyway. Heavy promo code BART. 25% off. Here's the East region.
We don't need to say every bracket here, but if you want to look at it. Uh and share some thoughts on the top half. I do do a bracket every year, a free one where I always take Kansas. Even though they suck. I guess out of the top, I mean, it's going to be Duke.
It's just you're poisoned between St. John's and Kansas, unless. You like the fight in Northern Iowa, whatever they ares. Yeah, uh I want TCU to beat Ohio State because I think that they could give Duke a better game. I think they could keep that game close.
I don't think anybody's going to be able to upset Duke, but I wouldn't be completely shocked if TCU. Oh, I did if Duke just had an off night, got in foul trouble, something like that, but. I don't know. I would love to see Duke St. John's, but I'm with you.
I picked Kansas to beat St. John's. You just never really know what you're going to get from Kansas, but I do like them defensively. Um Man, but St. John's is also really good.
My upset, scroll down a little bit. Here's the bottom. Yukon's got Furman, Michigan State. In the I didn't bet them. Because I feel like they're too trendy and too popular.
I did take South Florida to beat Louisville. Um, you know, Louisville's a little bit beat up. I took North Dakota State, I bet them to cover against Michigan State at 16 and a half. But Michigan State's gonna win. UCLA, UCF.
I keep going back and forth on that one, man, because UCLA has looked really good here down the stretch. Obviously, earlier this year, they stunk and. Um You know, I don't really love Mick Cronin, but I did get a kick out of it when he was going back and forth with the reporters. But he's a really good tournament coach. And I feel like UConn's the wild card team just because of Hurley.
Because he's won the national titles, but I got Duke. I just think that Duke's the best team. I got them winning it all, so I got them coming out of the uh. out of that region. I can go over to the west.
This is the top right. Side of the bracket. Arizona, the number one seed. Wisconsin getting about the shittiest draw they could. The committee Lots of people are like, oh, fuck.
Committee hates Wisconsin.
Well, they seem to. They seem to always underseed them. And they've been a five. I believe this is their fifth time as a five. They've only won as a five once.
And if they win, they've got Coach Cal in Arkansas. They can get to the sweet six. I'm more worried about beating high point than I am trying to get to the sweet 16 just because of the 512. And then um Yeah, that's the top.
So Wisconsin. Arizona, Arkansas. Your boys. the fight and aggies of Utah State. I think Wisconsin wins, and I think that they got a real shot to beat Arkansas.
Again, I just, I feel like you don't know what you're going to get with Arkansas because it's a Calapari tournament team. And we saw obviously them make the run in the SEC. this past weekend? I don't know. I could see them getting clipped though, either in the first round or by Wisconsin.
I could see Wisconsin being a sweet 16 team. I don't know that they could go to the Elite Eight, but I could see them winning two games. I think that that's probably their ceiling. In this tournament, though, Arizona gets a great draw. They're a really good basketball team, man.
I got them going to the championship game and losing to Duke. The bet that I have here, I took Utah State, who I always fade in the tournament, but I like this draw against Villanova. Villanova is no good, I don't trust them. Wisconsin High Point, I consider taking the over or maybe a first half over. Usually I like first half unders in the tournament.
And then, if anything, I take just full game over because of the free throws down the stretch. Teams never stop fouling, even when they're down three, four possessions. It's just different because everybody shoots the three. Considered the over, but didn't bet it. Arkansas, I like to beat Hawaii, but I'm not going to take them to cover.
Scroll down a little bit on that one. BYU, I keep fading them and they keep banging me. I'm going to probably do it again against Texas. Gonzaga, I really do like, but. I think probably Elite Eight is their ceiling.
My main, when I say main bracket. I pretty I do one bracket. I just change the winners based on Well, and then in Shaney's pool, I did all anti-Wisconsin stuff, but. To try to win, just be contrarian. But I have been taking Gonzaga to beat BYU.
And a knockoff Purdue. See, I like Purdue again. If anybody is going to beat Arizona, I think it's going to be Purdue. Bunch of hype coming into the season. I like the way that they played again down the stretch.
Veteran players. Uh I don't hate nine to one on them to make the championship game, but most likely it's going to be Arizona. Arizona is just so good. I feel like they're a sleeping giant almost because a lot of people go to bed before their games are even on.
So I'm going to go Zona or Purdue. In that one, there's some fun games though. Like, I keep going back and forth on Miami, Missouri. I don't really trust any of these ACC teams other than Duke. But do I really trust Missouri?
I did take them in the bracket. We'll see how that one goes. Let's go to the next one. This is going to be the bottom. Left The South region.
Florida's the number one seed. You mentioned Clemson and Iowa earlier. Nebraska is looking for their first. tournament victory ever. They're a four seed there against Troy.
I can't decide what I like to see. I don't watch any of this shit. I like to go on uh Narratives.
Okay. Yeah. I like to go on narratives. And in this narrative. Um I can't decide if I think they're going to get their first tournament victory or if they're still going to be elusive for it.
Man. Because for Nebraska, if you're a Nebraska, Nebraska ball, great name. If you're a Nebraska ball fan, This is the biggest game in Nebraska basketball history. They have to win this fucking game.
So, all right, I keep going back and forth on this because. In one of my brackets, originally I had Nebraska making a run. I like the story. I love the way that they started out. But man, I hate this matchup against Troy.
I keep. I'm looking at it right now. You could get Troy 13 and a half. I'm going to bet Troy. I'm going to take Nebraska to win.
But I'm going to take Troy to cover. I just think this is a terrible first-round matchup, and I think Nebraska kind of gets hosed. Mainly because of how they play. What's the money line? Let me look in a minute because I'm looking, it's off the board.
But, dude, I. They have honestly. Troy has played. Pretty good against stretch bigs this season. They played against Fuhrman.
and they shut them down. Akron And also. Yeah. They're going to shoot a ton of threes.
So that's the thing. Like with a lot of these smaller schools, you like a lot of these teams, and then we get to the tournament, everybody's betting them on the money line, and they go one for 14 from three in the first half. They're down 30, and the athletes take over. 'Cause Nebraska is the more talented team. But I don't know, man, 'cause Troy could defend bigs.
And they're going to launch three.
So, if they have a game where they're shooting 45-50%, I think they could beat Nebraska. I'm going to play them 13 and a half. Let me look. Let me pull up my board to see what the money line would be. You think they.
Let's see. Should we take should we bet Troy just for the shit of it? Fuck yeah. All right. Plus 740 at FanDuel.
I'll bet it right now. How much? I'll do I'm gonna do a hundred And then I'm going to put And then I'll do I'll do 250 on Troy to cover. Hold on. I'll go halvesies on Troy.
I'll go Habsies on Troy. I always get like bonus bets and I get excited and they're $10.
So then I try to launch some fucking stupid parlay that I would never bet. All right. Hold on. It's down to 12 and a half for Troy at FanDuel. But it's the best money line price.
Hold on. Plus 740. Here it is. I'll give you fifty bucks. Ben throws a 20 for the Kiki Shepherd Memorial Tourney Bart entry fee.
Are you getting me in your is this your bracket, Ben? Oh yeah, no, no, no, that's actually mine if you want to join. RIP also to Kiki Shepard. Every year, my bracket, we... We say goodbye, unfortunately, to a past celebrity.
Usually it's a WWF wrestler, like a Macho Man Randy Savage Memorial Tournament. A lot of people recommended James Vanderbeek. I just couldn't go there. Gone too soon. You know who Shepard lived a full life.
I I had a I had a I had a tournament. A few years ago, I should do another one. I won't do it this year, obviously. It's too quick of a turnaround. Um I didn't know Kiki Shepard was dead.
She died yesterday, bro. Yeah. She died yesterday. Oh, we're going to do a um Thanks, Ben. We're going to do a producer Todd Memorial tournament next year.
Producer Todd's coming up on Six Years of Death. Yeah, one of the first COVID deaths. I don't think he didn't die of COVID. He died because we made him come into work during COVID. He slipped on the ice.
Shattered his head. You know, it was right outside the studio door, and I said, Sparky, can we at least have a memorial for producer Todd? Then he's like No, we're not doing that. I said, Steve, have a heart. Yeah, Steve hates the dead, everybody.
We, uh, What's funny about the bracket, though, is it was just my family bracket that I ran every year. And then all of a sudden, like a couple of my uncles dropped out or just dropped dead.
So I was like, we need to get more people. This is depressing.
So I threw it on Facebook.
So you got to join. I don't think Florida wins the South. Oh, yeah, we're on that. We did do a long time on Nebraska. We bet you in the south.
I got Florida. Otherwise, if you go down, we're looking at, oh, I like Houston. Yeah, I like Houston. Oh. I'm gonna bet Illinois.
One last ride with Illinois, they always screw me in March. Ever since they got beat by Krutwig or whatever that Polish kid was, and Sister Jean, rest in peace, by the way. Um, that was a really good Illinois team. I'm gonna go Illinois. To win the South.
Let me bet that really quick. Regions.
South. Hold on. Wait for it. Wait for it, Bart. Illinois.
Hold on. Plus 380 only. To win the South? You know, the NIT started last night to make the final for Illinois plus 380. But there's no CBI this year, folks.
I don't know if anybody was waiting. For that, there's no CBI. I like Houston out of this one. Again, it's all narrative, storyline. It'll probably be all the ones like it was a year ago.
North Carolina, I think, could be seated a little higher. Banged up. Yeah, they're beat up though. Illinois will probably beat him anyway. I feel like a lot of people are gonna bet against North Carolina and they're just gonna roll VCU.
So I'm gonna probably take Carolina on the money line. I'm gonna take Illinois. I'm gonna shop around for a better price. I like them to make the final four. They'll screw me probably lose round one.
Hmm, Badgers got him though the other day. I bet Illinois big in that game, like way too big, like really set me back.
So fuck you, Badgers. Let's make it up this weekend. Michigan's the number one in the Midwest. Love it. And they seem to have a pretty decent path.
Yeah. I don't know what Alabama's up to these days. I honestly got Alabama losing in the first round, dude. And how are you suspending a kid for smoking weed in the Lord's year of 2026?
Now, I think weed's fine, but he had too much weed.
So I don't think you could ever have too much weed. I mean, he had like two car they stacked him up on top of the car. You could run through big run for Goosefish and Dave Matthews, man, and Sergil Simpson coming up this summer. Maybe he's just stocking up. Or whatever the kids are listening to these days.
I gotta stock up for Death Cab. They're coming again. I like Michigan in this bracket, dude. I think Kentucky gets beat round one. I really so I don't know much about Iowa State, dude.
Should I keep blowing past them? No, if anybody's knocking off Michigan, I think it's Iowa State. In one bracket. I only do two. I used to have a rule only one, now I do two.
In one, I think I might take Iowa State to knock off Michigan just because if anybody does clip them, I think it's going to be them. What about Miami of Ohio? My kid thinks they're going to be good because they're 31 and one. I think they're losing tonight, hopefully by eight or more. I like Virginia round one, and then after that, man, it's kind of a crap shoot with them.
I just, like I said, I don't really trust any of these ACC teams, not named Duke. I do trust Iowa State, and they defend. But Dude, Michigan's just too good. If you look at the Ken Pom stuff. I mean, I know that they got clipped by Purdue in the championship game.
I actually think that's probably a good thing. I'll uh I'll roll Michigan here though. All right, you got Michigan there.
So your final four. Mine is, what, Houston? Michigan. Duke. And then up top I think I just went with Zona.
Or no, I like Gonzaga. I'm going with all the favorites except for Illinois. I just I think Arizona's too good. I think Duke's too good. And I think Who is the other team?
Yeah. I don't know. I wasn't even listening to that.
Sounds like Barkley. I wasn't even listening to myself. I don't even know. I don't even know what the fuck I said.
Now we gotta talk.
Now we gotta talk.
I got Duke went into it all by the way. No, no, I got one more thing. One more thing. One more. One more thing.
All right. Uh I got this for you.
So, who do you like in this bracket? This is the crown. That Fox Fox made up a tournament. The fuck is this? The Fox made up a tournament.
Don't you remember it last year? They made up a tournament in Vegas? A little bit. Yeah, it was terrible. They had like 20 teams last year.
This year, they only have eight. And it doesn't start until I think the weekend of the Final Four.
So these teams have like three weeks off, have to watch everybody else play. I mean, you could, if you're going to do a tournament like this, you could just have people that lose. Complain another tournament.
So it's Oklahoma versus Colorado, Baylor versus Minnesota, Stanford versus West Virginia. Rutgers versus Creighton. I kind of like Oklahoma against Creighton for the championship here. Oh, I do too, but I like the Blue Jays to win it. You probably like the Sooners.
Yeah, I think I might go boomer sooner. All right. All right. That's our college basketball preview. Here on The fan.
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Tap the banner or visit usaa.com/slash join today to check your eligibility. Restrictions apply. You wanted to bitch about Kyler Murray? Not bitch about him. I just I saw I know it's Kevin O'Connell.
And I know the Vikings, you know, even last year without a quarterback, won eight games. I believed in Kyler Murray the last two years, man. The only, I actually have my best year of win totals. I only lost one win total in one future. And it was fucking Arizona.
I was all in. I thought Jonathan Gannon was going to be a good head coach. Hopefully, it'll be a good defensive quarterback. I had them winning the NFC West, too. I was in on them, too.
And I watch all these like I know Kyler at one point was a first round pick. And I know that, you know, like the talent, like, he could do a lot of fun stuff and run for his life. And scramble. But I worry about him staying healthy for an entire season. And I worry, like, if I'm a Vikings fan, can he make the throws, man?
Like, everybody loved Marvin Harrison, and people are ready to write him off. I just feel like he ain't right back. He ain't right back. I feel like with his route tree, Kyler could never get him the ball. And then you watch the Arizona I went back and watched it all because I have nothing else better to do.
Dude, they look much better with Brissette. They were going over their team total every week. The offense was humming. I mean, the defense was no good, unfortunately. The team was no good.
But I just, I'm not there with Kyler. And I know Kevin O'Connell's the quarterback whisperer. And Darnold played great, but Darnold also played great in Seattle and just won a Super Bowl. I know they have Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and. TJ Hawkinson and All these other guys, but I'm not really worried about Minnesota.
I think the Bears are going to take a major step back. They lost their entire secondary and the defense was already no good. I don't think Chicago is going to be able to lead the league in takeaways two years in a row. Minnesota's defense is going to be good. They're probably going to be an 8-9-win team because they're always going to be.
But I don't know that they're winning the division with Kyler. The team to worry about, if it's not Green Bay, and I think it's Green Bay if Micah Parsons is healthy by week three, even, right? Like, and they gotta figure out the secondary. But I think it's gonna be a big year for Jordan Love. But the team that scares me and the team I'm betting, other than San Francisco and the NFC.
Is the team that I faded last year? It's the Lions. Easy year schedule. I think they're going to be healthier. The defense is going to be better.
We'll see what they do in the draft. I'm not a Dan Campbell guy, but I at least think that they win 13, 14 games. I think it's going to be a two-team race. I mean, I know they won't last place schedule, but 13-14 games. What?
They have a last place schedule, so yes, they're going to be. That's gonna help them, but 13, 14 games. Yeah, they did it a couple of years. Like, I didn't think the offense missed Ben Johnson a whole lot. Like.
Morton sucked.
So they had to move on, but. I think the offense will be back to normal next year. They just have so many weapons. And I think the backfield will be even better. Gibbs will be now.
Gibbs is going to get a full workload. They just got to get the defense figured out. And also, last year, I didn't like him because Hutchinson was coming back from that leg injury. I didn't know what he was going to look like. He was fine.
They had to get some help on the other side. Marcus Davenport can't be your other edge rusher, he's never going to play more than 12 games.
So I like Detroit, but you know, Green Bay, if they could stay healthy, they could win it all. But we've said that the last three years. I I worry about the wide receiver room in the secondary because Every year it's like, oh, they don't need a number one. But yeah, they kind of fucking do, dude. You know, because Dobbs is gone now.
He was the most reliable, except for on special teams. I love Watson. He's just got to stay healthy. Jaden Reed. Again, he's got to stay healthy.
I feel like he's such a violent player, and I can't get that drop out of my head. Um wicks all these guys are like fours and fives so I do think, I think Matthew Golden is going to have a monster year. I'm predicting Matthew Golden with eight to 10 touchdowns. He was a rookie. I think Matthew Golden's numbers are going to go up, up, up.
Get it? Golden? I do. But are you? Do you like Kyler to Minnesota?
Are you all about Minnesota? I saw a bunch of people like, oh, Minnesota's gonna win the division. And I was like, are you people smoking crack? Here's how I feel about Kyler de Minnesota. It feels very...
Miles Turner to the Bucs. Like Yeah. That's that's what you should that's a good good move, good thinking. It's what they should do, right? Yeah.
It's a good move for them. Like, it's not going to work. He's got a way higher ceiling than Jason. Yeah, but it's not going to, it's not, it just won't work. It should.
It's a good move. You're smart to do it. Will it work? No, it it's it's it's not gonna work. It should work, but it's not gonna work.
It won't. That's how I feel. I can see it working. I can also see it not working. And honestly, I think it's going to be like nine and eight.
And that's what they were a year ago with Fucking Carson Keenum or whatever the fuck his name is. Case Keenum. I think I already know how it plays out, too. It's going to play out like the Arizona team that. I just say the Vikings quarterback the last seven years has been Casey.
Carson Cousins. I feel like Kyler every year, like, okay, so he has a high, like, he has the talent. That's what I'm saying, though. A couple years ago, they were 6-0 or 7-0. And they played Green Bay on Thursday night.
They lose that game. Kyler gets dinged, and then they completely fall off a cliff. I think that's how it'll go for Minnesota. We have to see how the schedule plays out still. But I think they'll get off to a fast start.
Defenses will be trying to adjust to a Kevin O'Connell offense. Led by this video game, but then There'll be the game where he injures his wrists or he injures his ankle. He won't be the same. The new Call of Duty will come out, as everybody always likes to joke. But, like, something does happen the second half of the season.
I don't know that he's all in.
So, um Not worried at all. Another small quarterback for Minnesota. Not worried at all. They should do it. It's a smart move.
Yeah, it is a smart move. It was the best move. JJ sucks. Should they have gone after Malik? I I think that they should go after Aaron Rodgers.
Is he going to play in Pittsburgh? If he does, it's gonna look terrible. But I think Rodgers doesn't go back to play with McCarthy. Rodgers, I'm coming around, coming back around on Rodgers. You better not fucking take this from me.
Again, he's got to go like the Tom Brady route where he plays behind the best offensive line in football and he throws the Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, Grant. You know what I mean? He needs like an all-star super team. McCarthy and Rodgers reuniting on the team that they beat in the Super Bowl. Could you imagine, like, Brady and Belichick reuniting for the fucking Panthers or some shit.
Like, what are they doing? See, I think it happens because, like, I don't know. Rodgers could say he wants to go out. On top, but that already isn't the case.
So I feel like. Like, what else is he going to do? I don't know. You're never going to hear from me. Not going to be on Mac.
Yeah right, dude. With the I love Rogers, like there's no chance he just... rides off into the sunset. He's going to want to talk about global warming. and how he was right about COVID.
And Him and Favre should start a podcast. Farf should fuck right off, honestly. For a lot, man, the reason I love football so much is Brett Farr, but Jesus, every time he tweets. Woohoo! I'm like good.
You're a fucking free like you're a con artist. You're a criminal. I know, but This is this is this is the This is where we get boned. We needed either a British accent or a southern accent because you can get away with fucking anything. That's what makes me love Rogers so much, is especially when you go back and you look at the old stories that Favre was such a.
Just a cock, and Rogers would just like be a fucking smart ass dick to him. It's like, Brett Favre, you're a criminal, you're a piece of shit, you're a bad human. Remember that run I had against Atlanta, though? Where were you for that? God, I fucking love you, man.
Yes, fuck, I do remember that. I love you. Fucking love you. I love you, Brett. Oh, there was a good five-year stretch work.
He could do no wrong. Like, man, I'll still go back and watch the highlights, but off the field. Terrible human, man. Terrible human. Kind of like, you know, when you find out that your favorite artist is a piece of shit, like Eric Clapton, for example.
All right. Thank you, buddy. Go Duke, right? Yeah, I suppose. Um I'd be great if my kid had the first perfect bracket in history, but.
Who's he got winning it all again? Luke, who's he got him beating?
Well, I don't remember. I hope it's Arizona and me and him. Battle. You got to get in my bracket now, dude. The Kiki Shepard Memorial attorney.
He's got Duke beating Arizona. Anybody out there could join the Kiki Shepherd Memorial Attorney. By the way. Oh, that's really your tourney? Yeah, let me get yeah, let me let me get the password.
Oh, I thought Ben had attorney. It's on ESPN. All right, Ben.
Well, thank you. No, that's yeah, that's really mine. I wasn't fucking around. All right, Ben gets half the winnings. I'm going to enter my kids' bracket, though.
He's got all number ones in the final four. Honestly, don't hate it this year. It's hard to pick up sets in this year's bracket. I can't hear that word anymore, honestly, because it's very chat GPT. And honestly, that's the right call.
And honestly, you're right to think that. That's why it's, I think that's what I've been using chat GPT like a mofo, too. And I basically, that's okay. I always said that I wasn't, but then I wasn't also not expecting to lose my job and then have to fill out job applications and do resumes again. Honestly.
And honestly. That's part of your personal growth. You should be proud of that. My kid, Nathan. He's 12 now.
Everything's literally. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Even at six. Yeah.
Dad, you literally said I could stay up till 8:30. You literally with the hands. You literally said that, Daddy. Daddy, you literally did. Yeah.
Always, dude. I know. I know. Every other word. And then him and his ba him and his buddy were playing two K the other day.
He's like Yo, you got a pass, bro. You got dude, all sick, bro. Yeah, bro. Yeah, that's the other thing: is bro, bro, bro, bro, bro. My wife gets a kick out of it.
And then he says it so much that I'll say, bro, you know. Just like you say, honestly, because ChatGPT got you. Um But I'll call him bro and he'll be like Dad, don't call me bro. And then he'll go. And honestly, it's okay that you do that.
But please stop. Just kidding. All right, man. Good to see you. Go, Duke.
Go Duke. Go Arizona. Talk to you next time. Mm-hmm. Go Troy.
Right. Yeah, the Trojans. All right, I'll sign up for your bracket. Do it. All right, Ben, thank you as always, and everybody else, and Ryan Horvod for stopping into the Winklerverse.
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