, Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Some people use detailed statistical analysis to make their selection in their NCAA brackets. Some people just guess. I came up with a groundbreaking new technique based on a school's alumni. In the following slideshow, I selected a prominent alum and compared him or her to alumni of his or her school's opponent. Then using a purely subjective set of criteria, I picked the alum I think is more impressive and moved that school on. It should also be noted that I have a very loose interpretation of the term "alumni." (WTOP/John Meyer)
AUTOPLAY 
Louisville - Mitch McConnell (R-KY) - Senate Minority Leader
NC A&T - Jessie Jackson - Activist
Liberty - Terry Fator -Ventriloquist and winner of America's Got Talent
(Courtesy Getty Images & Terryfator.com)
Even though members of Congress don't have the highest
approval ratings, I believe they still rate
ahead of reality show puppeteers.
While Jessie Jackson has a high profile, Mitch McConnell has actual power. Louisville easily moves ahead.
While Jessie Jackson has a high profile, Mitch McConnell has actual power. Louisville easily moves ahead.
Colorado State - John Amos - Actor (Good Times, Die Hard 2, The Beastmaster)
Missouri - Brad Pitt - Actor (Moneyball, Seven, Snatch)
(Courtesy IMDB.com & Getty Images)
Even though The
Beastmaster was one of the most underrated
movies of 1982, and he totally duped me in Die
Hard 2, John Amos has one thing going against
him in this match up. He isn't Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt is married to Angela Jolie and is regularly in movies about gambling and baseball. No one can compete with that. Missouri wins handily.
Brad Pitt actually left Missouri two weeks before graduation.
Brad Pitt is married to Angela Jolie and is regularly in movies about gambling and baseball. No one can compete with that. Missouri wins handily.
Brad Pitt actually left Missouri two weeks before graduation.
Oklahoma State - Garth Brooks - Country Singer
Oregon - Ann Curry - Former host of the Today show.
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Ann Curry pulls off the first big upset of the
tournament. Feeding off some post Today
show rage, Ann rides out the sympathy vote to the
victory. Oregon wins decisively
Saint Louis - Robert Guillaume - Actor (Benson, Lean on Me, The Lion King)
New Mexico State - Clyde Tombaugh - Astronomer best known for discovering Pluto
(Courtesy Getty Images & Rugusavay.com)
This is one of those games where a team doesn't
win, but the other team loses. Clyde Tombaugh had
this game won, then Pluto was no longer a planet.
Saint Louis wins.
Memphis - Fred Thompson - Actor, politician, radio host
Middle Tennessee State - Hillary Scott - Lead Singer of Lady Antebellum
St. Mary's College - Tom Candiotti - Knuckleballer
(Courtesy Getty Images)
While we love Law and Order, Lady
Antebellum is one of the hottest acts on both
country and pop radio. Tom Candiotti is on
this list because I needed an alum from St.
Mary's, and he was the only one I had heard of.
Mid Tenn State for the win.
Michigan State - James Caan - Actor (The Godfather)
Valparaiso -JoBe Cerny - Voice of Pillsbury Doughboy
(Courtesy Tumblr.com)
Creighton - Bob Gibson - Major League Baseball Player
Cincinnati - George Clooney - Actor (The Descendants, O'Brother Where Art Thou)
(Courtesy Wikipedia & Getty Images)
When I started putting this gallery together, I
had an unofficial rule that I wouldn't use
sports figures unless there was no other
recognizable alumni. In this particular battle,
Pope Francis could have gone to Creighton, and
George Clooney would still have won.
Cincinnati wins easily.
Duke - Ken Jeong - Actor/Comedian (The Hangover)
Albany - Steve Guttenberg - Actor (125 Police Academy movies, Short Circuit)
(Courtesy Getty Images)
If you are on this list, and you have appeared in
The Hangover, you will win.
If you are Steve Guttenberg, you will lose. Duke rolls.
If you are Steve Guttenberg, you will lose. Duke rolls.
Gonzaga - Bing Crosby - (Singer/Actor)
Southern University - Randy Jackson - American Idol Judge
American Idol isn't what is used to be. Bing
wins the match
Pitt - Fred Rogers - Mr. Rogers
Wichita State - The Big Show - Professional Wrestler
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
The Big Show's real name is Paul Wight. Besides
hosting his TV show, Fred McFeely Rogers was also
a Presbyterian minister.
Won't you be my winner - Pitt wins
Won't you be my winner - Pitt wins
Wisconsin - Dick Cheney - former Vice President
Ole Miss - John Grisham - Author
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
John Grisham writes legal thrillers. Dick Cheney shot his friend in the face and popularized "water boarding." Wisconsin Wins
(Courtesy of Getty Images) 0
Kansas State - Eric Stonestreet - Actor (Modern Family)
Boise State - Tera Patrick - Adult Film Star
La Salle - Peter Boyle - Actor (Everybody Loves Raymond )
Momentum is a key to March success, and Eric
Stonestreet and Modern Family have too
much momentum. Kansas State wins easily.
Arizona - Kristin Wiig - Actress (Bridesmaids)
Belmont - Brad Paisley - Country Singer
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
One can't overlook a SNL alum who has a
successful movie career. Arizona squeaks by
for the win
New Mexico - Penny Marshall - Actress/ Director (Laverne & Shirley, Big)
Harvard - Conan O'Brien - Talk Show Host
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
This Harvard team is just too deep. While Conan
is the choice to represent the school, other
choices could have included John Quincy Adams,
Barack Obama, FDR, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Yo-Yo Ma.
Sorry Laverne, Harvard gets the upset
Notre Dame - Condoleeza Rice - Former Secretary of State
Iowa St. - George Washington Carver - American scientist, botanist, educator and inventor.
(Courtesy Getty Images & ShS.unsstem.edu)
While Carver is responsible for the peanut, the
generational gap is too big to overcome. Notre
Dame wins
Ohio State - OAR - Rock Band (Love and Memories & That Was A Crazy Game of Poker)
Iona - John Gilchrist - Mikey from the Life Cereal commercials.
(Courtesy of OfaRevolution.com)
Mikey's 15 minutes have long past, Ohio State
Wins
Kansas - Paul Rudd - Actor (40-Year Old Virgin, I Love You Man)
Western Kentucky - Cage the Elephant - Alternative Rock Band (Ain't No Rest for the Wicked)
While Cage the Elephant bring some Alt Rock cred,
the Judd Apatow regular is just too much to
handle. Kansas Wins
North Carolina - Michael Jordan - Basketball Star
Villanova - Maria Bello - Actress (History of Violance, Payback)
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
I went against the no sports figures rule on
this one because it is Michael Jordan. North
Carolina wins because it is Michael Jordan
VCU - GWAR - satirical heavy metal band
Akron - Dan Auerbach - The Black Keys
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Akron - Dan Auerbach - The Black Keys
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
GWAR is more flash than substance.
Akron gets the upset with fundamentals.
Michigan - Madonna - Pop superstar
South Dakota State - Tom Daschle - Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Tough draw for the former Senator from South
Dakota. Michigan wins in a cakewalk.
UCLA - Vint Cerf - Computer scientist who is considered one of the fathers of the Internet.
Minnesota - Bob Dylan - Folk singer & icon
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
While not as iconic as Bob Dylan, there wouldn't be a Google without Vint Cerf. Imagine the world without the Internet. UCLA wins
Florida - Marco Rubio - Senator from Florida
Northwestern State - Bobby Hebert - Former NFL Quarterback
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Northwestern State's most notable alum is Bobby
Hebert. Florida in a landslide.
San Diego State - Raquel Welch - Actess
Oklahoma - Olivia Munn - Actress (The Newsroom)
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
This one goes into triple overtime with experience outlasting youth. San Diego State wins.
Georgetown - Bradly Cooper - Actor (The Hangover, Silver Linings Playbook)
Florida Gulf Coast - Courtney Jolly - Professional monster truck driver
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
This battle pits an Academy Award nominee vs
monster trucks. Scientific studies have proven
that monster trucks will lose this scenario 100 percent of the time. Georgetown wins.
Indiana - Lee Majors - Actor ( The 6 Million Dollar Man)
LIU Brooklyn - Ed Lauter - Character Actor
James Madison University - Scott Norwood - NFL Kicker
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
$6 million dollars doesn't buy you what it used to. Scott Norwood finally wins something. JMU wins
NC State - Zach Galifinakis - Actor (The Hangover)
Temple - Bill Cosby - Actor/Comedian
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
The Hangover rule is in effect. NC State wins.
UNLV - Jimmy Kimmel - Late night talk show host
Cal - Scott Adams - Creator of Dilbert
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Dilbert never wins. UNLV does.
Syracuse - Jerry Stiller - Actor (Seinfeld)
Montana - J.K. Simmons - Actor (Oz, Law and Order)
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
"Serenity now, serenity now." Syracuse wins.
Butler - Kurt Vonnegut - Author
Bucknell - Gbenga Akinnagbe - Actor (The Wire)
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
Chris Partlow & Snoop...nail guns...vacants... Bucknell Wins.
Marquette - Chris Farley - Comedian/Actor
Davidson -Woodrow Wilson - President
Tommy Boy or the The Fourteen
Points? Marquette wins
Illinois - Ang Lee - Director (Life of Pi)
Colorado - Trey Parker & Matt Stone - Writer/Directors (South Park)
Ang Lee won an Oscar, Parker & Stone won a Tony. Illinois wins.
Miami - The Rock - Actor/Wrestler
Pacific - Nancy Wilson - Member of Heart
(Courtesy of Getty Images)
"Can you smell what the rock is cooking?" Miami wins.
'Pete' penguin visits WTOP
Pete stopped by WTOP ahead of the annual Travel and Adventure Show.
Memorable Movie Moms
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Texas Plant Explosion
A fertilizer plant in Texas blows up.
Cicadas
Submit your cicada photos.Click on the image above to see it at its original size.
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Photo Galleries
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The aftermath in Moore, Okla. -
Scenes from the 66th annual event. -
Submit your cicada photos.
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A sponsor provided photo gallery -
The Billboard Music Awards in Vegas. -
Photos from the day at Pimlico. -
A red carpet rivaling the Oscars. -
Top 25 Most Memorable Movie Moms.
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Prince Harry visits D.C., the U.S. -
Photos of D.C. pets. Submit your photos. -
Three women who were missing for up to a decade are found. -
Some of D.C.'s most interesting and obscure memorials and sculptures. -
Scenes from the 2013 Kentucky Derby. -
Find out who won the WTOP Cupcake Contest. -
Photos from the 2013 White House Correspondents' Dinner. -
Photos from the 2013 NFL Draft in New York. -
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Scenes from the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center. -
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The Holocaust Museum marks 20 years in Washington. -
A look at the explosions that rocked the Boston Marathon. -
Eerie photos shared via Twitter of Boston as residents to shelter in place. -
A fertilizer plant in Texas blows up.
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The Night of the Robot -
Photos from the red carpet to the show at Sony Pictures Studios. -
Scenes from the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. -
Take a look at 2013 cherry blossom photos and submit your own. -
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Consumer Reports rated the best and worst cars for your money. -
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Upload your 2013 snow photos. -
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Pete stopped by WTOP ahead of the annual Travel and Adventure Show.
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Some of the best photos in the news. -
Fans reveled in Redskins' success. -
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A Conn. town comes together and mourns a mass school shooting. -
As part of the Washington Animal Rescue League's Adopt-a-Thon. -
'Underwater Dogs' leap, splash, swim into your heart.