2011 NCAA Tournament Printable Bracket

By James Sheldon on March 13th, 2011

If you’re looking for the best bracket with the least amount of crap advertisements on it, here you go…from CBS Sports. USA Today always offers the goods as well.

Let’s rap about this year’s tournament. I just finished watching the selection show–didn’t care so much about the snubs this year, regardless of the fact that my alma mater (if you can call it that) was totally and completely snubbed. That would be Missouri State. I guess they learned a valuable lesson that you gotta take care of business in conference tournaments, especially when you play in a mid-major.

I am disappointed in some of the teams that are in. I just don’t think they’ll offer much excitement in terms of upset potential, but what are you gonna do? Or perhaps I’m looking at it the wrong way. All these Big East teams? There have to be a few “upsets,” right?

This selection committee is run by the suits. Sadly, there isn’t enough basketball knowledge in the chairs of the Chairmen. Some of these conferences with automatic bids: Horizon League; Ivy League; MEAC; Patriot–C’mon!?

The big chatter this year is the addition of play-in games. The field has been expanded to 68 teams, and yes, this should allow everyone to see that expanding the tournament beyond it’s already excessive 64 teams is completely unnecessary. Will one of the play-in teams win the NCAA Championship? Survey says: Nope. The only reason to have so many teams is for sheer entertainment value–check–make more money–check–and ensure that the best team in the nation is within that mix of 68–check.

Ohio State is the overall #1 seed, but out of the ranked top 16 seeds in the tournament, you could make an argument that any one of them could make a run for the glory. A lot of players to keep your eyes on this year, including Player of the Year candidate, Jimmer Fredette, of BYU. Yeah, that’s his real name. Kid dumped in 52 vs. New Mexico this weekend. I have a feeling he’s going to see a Box-and-One at some point early in the tourney. He’ll put up some numbers, but I like St. John’s to pull the upset in the second round and make a nice push in the Southeastern bracket.

If you’re looking for contests, CBS Sports has a host of them, and I’m sure there are more than a few your friends are willing to invite you into as well. Be sure to read the fine print, learn how your bracket manager scores the contest and keep tabs. There’s nothing like an annual $5-10 investment that could score you several hundred in return.

Every game will be telecast this year, after CBS struck a deal with Turner Broadcasting. You’ll find NCAA action on TNT, TBS and TruTV. TruTV will host the Tuesday and Wednesday play-in action.