As we’ve discussed before, Nina Lin had to be coaxed into joining the Glimm Memorial NCAA Tournament Pool. It’s not that she didn’t know about college basketball, she insists, but that she didn’t know about ‘this bracket thing.’
Now she knows about this bracket thing.
Lin dominated the 2018 Glimm, taking the lead in the second round and never giving it up. She had just enough faith in Sister Jean, picking Loyola to reach the Final Four but go no farther. She nailed the championship game, picking Villanova over Michigan.
In all, she picked 65% of the games correctly in her Any Team But Syracuse bracket, including six of the seven games in the final three rounds.
But she got a bit nervous during the championship game.
“I had to turn it off in the middle because I got so frustrated with the first four minutes of the game,” Lin said. “I turned it back on in the second half, and it was a very pleasant surprise.
“I really scared my husband when I was screaming last night.”
She scared her husband, but she ripped out the hearts of the Glimm’s Michigan faithful.
Well, most of them. Monica Varley, a first-time Glimmer (and wife of longtime Glimmer Zeph), graduated from Michigan in 1994, where she was a rower. Jeff Eldridge, a longtime Glimmer, graduated from Michigan in 1999. Both picked Villanova to beat Michigan in the championship game. Varley’s MLVarley bracket finished second, and and Eldridge’s The Red Wedding finished third.
Bob Bacon’s Bacon bracket finished fourth, and my Fake Eleanor bracket finished fifth.
Other prizes were awarded on Monday night.
Richard Lester, Mrs. Glimm’s son-in-law, used Villanova’s win over Michigan to jump to sixth place in his son-in-law-2 bracket. As the highest finisher related to Mrs. Glimm, he wins the Glimm Scholarship. He’ll get a free entry into next year’s Glimm.
Brendan Mordaski nailed just one of the Final Four in his brendanusa bracket, picking Villanova to reach the championship game but lose to Xavier. He finished in 142nd place – exactly in the middle, earning him The Orlov. He will get his $5 back, in cash, accompanied by a hand-written note.
Amanda Cadelago’s blondiebballin bracket got just two games right after the first round. She finished in dead last, so she collects the pity prize, getting her $5 back.
Finally, Glimm management is excited to introduce a new award for the 2019 Glimm: The Glimm Junior Championship. We’ve had an influx of children competing in the Glimm in recent years, and it’s time to give them a little more love.
Beginning next year, any Glimmers aged 12 and under are eligible for the Junior Championship. The top finisher in the group gets a $10 prize as the Glimm’s Junior Champion.
Two rules: The child has to fill out the bracket him or herself (no parents filling it out and putting their kids’ name on it), and once the kid hits Bar/Bat Mitzvah age, they’re no longer eligible.
Check out the final standings here, and thanks to everyone for a great tournament, and see you next year!