There’s a saying in Breese’s secondary business of property acquisition: When there is blood on the streets, buy property.
He’s long applied that same shrewd and calloused approach to his primary bracketeering investments. Breese preys on futility. He’s a vulture is what he is. When shit goes south – when the goddamned plane crashes into the mountain – look for Breese to be circling above.
In 2011, Breese won it all with the lowest winning point total in league history after the mid-majors crashed the Final Four. And now, just two years later, he’s done it with the third-lowest total when a 7 and 8 seed squared off for the championship. When there’s blood, there’ll be Breese. His picking of number one seed Arizona to win it all was a clever disguise. But anyone paying attention had to understand that as the one seeds fell, as the powerhouses burned, Breese – always calm, never rattled – looked evermore secure.
Breese nailed five of the final eight – tied with just two others for the best in that department – and he got one of the Final Four in a year when everyone had either one or zero. Looks pretty pedestrian on the surface. But somehow he’s got himself an algorithm; when you’re crying, he’s smiling. I don’t know how he sleeps. But I’ll bet it’s on a really expensive bed. This is Breese’s second title, you know.
Would you believe that Brad Likens has finished runner-up four years in a row? Incredible, actually. And yet, history only remembers him as a loser. He’s yet to hang a single banner. Enjoy the door prize.
Here’s how it shook out:
Brennan: 67
Brad: 63
Rusty: 61
Ryan: 60
Marc: 58
Kevin: 57
Trevor: 56
Matt: 54
Joe: 53
Dan: 53
Clark: 53
Jon: 51
And that’s the way it went.
Here’s to our family! Till next year…
