Afternoon Roundup: Online Pundits

-- Mike DeCourcy suggests that the "NCAA's pod system is pathetic." DeCourcy notes that Pittsburgh is likely to play Wisconsin in Milwaukee, UNC will travel to Denver to face Air Force, Kansas may face Providence in Kansas City, and Florida could (but won't) match-up against Wake Forest in Raleigh.

He's right, of course. And not just because the system keeps Arizona away from New England.

-- Frank Burlison breaks down Selection Sunday. As is often the case, Fox's assessment of Burlison as an expert is suspect. Frank thinks Maryland will test Stanford while Kansas (in St. Louis!) won't be able to match-up with Kentucky. He also argues Syracuse is well-positioned to make a run.

The pundits, Burlison included, are salivating over a potential Duke vs. UNC match-up on March 28th. Won't happen. Though Frank's Final Four picks -- Georgia Tech (out of St. Louis), Wisconsin (East Rutherford), North Carolina (Atlanta) and Stanford (Phoenix) -- aren't a bad lot, I'd find a replacement for UNC.

-- Phil Taylor has the day's best, noting that,"Every year at this time, the NCAA Tournament puts the NBA to shame." More excitement, passion, and drive. Fewer player altercations with the law. The ending is priceless.

"Some of those collegians will eventually play at 'the next level,' as they refer to the NBA. But in some ways, they're playing at the highest level right now."

I continue to argue that the NBA is for washed out college players.

-- Stewart Mandel shows Burlison up, making actual sense in dissecting the tournament. Worth the read. I agree with Mandel's:

Best Draw - Connecticut, "No one on the Huskies' side of the bracket -- N.C. State, Vanderbilt, DePaul or Dayton -- should remotely scare them."

Worst Draw - Pittsburgh, "One last-second loss and suddenly they're a third seed, playing a No. 6 seed, Wisconsin, in the Badgers' backyard."

Loaded region - Atlanta. "Duke found itself stuck in a bracket with Mississippi State, Texas, Cincinnati, Illinois, North Carolina and Arizona, any of whom can beat any team in the country on any given night."

Cupcake region - "St. Louis. Kentucky is no slouch... but Kansas, Providence and Michigan State are all about one seed too high. The Jayhawks, in particular, are the least-imposing No. 4 seed in the bracket."

Best first-round game - "Xavier-Louisville"

First-round upset waiting to happen - "Air Force over North Carolina. This matchup has all the necessary ingredients: the erratic Tar Heels most solve the Falcons' bewildering Princeton system, and they're playing an hour from Air Force's home base, Colorado Springs. Plus, Dick Vitale's been calling UNC his 'sleeper' for three weeks."

Elite Eight upset waiting to happen - "Mississippi State over Duke. How do you beat the Blue Devils? Get Shelden Williams into foul trouble. Who's the perfect big man to do that? Bulldogs star Lawrence Roberts. Plus, Timmy Bowers can D up J.J. Redick, too."

Brilliant.

Enough for today. Everybody reads ESPN's columnists anyway.