Blue Ribbon Baby

Not So Clueless?

Waltzin To Victory?

No Chicken Dinner

Baby’s Is Coming (Khair Sadrud-Din) has the crib all to himself, at least for now. The seventh-year player used close wins by Michigan, Baylor, North Carolina, and Oregon to steal the lead from Susu Willis.

Willis’s incredible upset pick of South Carolina over Duke came through for her, but it was only enough to put her back into second place, one point behind Baby. Nobody puts Baby in a corner.

Only three players other than Willis picked South Carolina over Duke: Clueless (Lauren McCall), junglecat (Doni Jackson), and defending champion Mrs. Mouse (Amber Myszka).

Clueless is the only player in the tournament to correctly pick Wisconsin over Villanova and South Carolina over Duke. And, she also took Michigan over Louisville. You might be wondering, then why is she in 72nd place? Well, she also had some ambitious picks that didn’t work out, like Minnesota in the final game and Creighton in the Final Four.

After all those upsets, only one player in the tournament still has a fully-intact Elite 8, and that player is none other than Walter Waltz, III (Waltzin to Victory).

If you follow Wally on Facebook, you know this international man of mystery could be dining at a Michelin three star restaurant in Europe one day and jetting down to pick up some hot wings from a towny bar in Bloomington, Illinois the next.

If he’s not having luncheon with Bill Gates, it’s probably because he’s busy having a Champaign toast on a yacht in the Mediterranean. Or getting a tour of a luxury watch factory somewhere in the south of France.

I don’t follow Wally on Facebook, because I’m not on Facebook—but I still somehow get his status updates. That’s Most Interesting Man material right there. His aura permeates the ether like pungent cologne dandered into the atmosphere off finely peacocked chest hair. One can’t help but be exposed and duly impressed.

Of course, there is still one gaping hole on Wally’s resume: A Chippens title. (He doesn’t always fill out a March Madness bracket, but when he does . . . .)

For 12 years, Wally has tried, and for 12 years he has been denied. His best finish is 28th in 2007.

But if the stars were ever to align for Wally, they would align precisely as they have for him this year in this tournament. His biggest hurdle will be passing Bridget Snider (M), who is currently 16 points up on him. Wally and M both picked Arizona to win it all, but Duke’s loss has left Wally with extra opportunities to catch her.

Wally is not the only one still with a chance to win. In fact, 66 players still have a shot for the Grand Prize and many more are still in the running for prizes. Unfortunately, both Winner Winner Chicken Dinner and Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! will be going hungry.

Check out Player Scenarios (just posted) to see your best and worst possible finishes and who you should root for the rest of the way.

You’ll have to access Player Scenarios from the link above until games conclude next Thursday night. It won’t be listed in the “Report Package” until then.