It took a grand total of 29 hours and 30 minutes for it all to go up in flames.

Every year I start March Madness with false hope. This is going to be the year. This time I am finally going to have a semi-decent bracket that I can be proud of (being perfect is impossible, just Google the odds). Every year I set out with the plan to do better than the year before (which is typically dismal) and every year I fail.

This year, though, I failed worse than ever. I failed worse than Republicans who thought they could stop Trump. I failed worse than the studio that thought the new Fantastic Four would be successful (ok maybe that’s stretching it a little).

I trusted the Spartans. I trusted those men in green with the Hall of Fame coach, the gritty defense and the national player of the year candidate. But all it took was one game and my bracket went up in flames like a napalm bomb was dropped on it.

Michigan State, a number two seed, never even led in the game as they were stunned, stunned I tell you, by the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State (I had to look up their mascot and correct name. That’s how much of an underdog they were) in what some are calling the biggest upset in tournament history.

A one seed has never lost in the first round (that could change by the time you read this, but probably not) and MSU was about as close to a one seed as a two seed can get. Then they laid a massive egg a week before Easter (and this one wasn’t full of candy).

So in one fell swoop, all my hopes and dreams were gone. My chance of winning the office pool I created was dashed because on day two, my national champion pick decided to take an early vacation before next season and get eliminated.

It has been a crazy season full of upsets, so this shouldn’t have been unexpected, but it hurts none the less. This was supposed to be my year. I was going to pop some champagne, maybe go buy a basketball net and cut it into pieces in celebration along with the Spartans and lord my superiority over my co-workers, but alas, it all came crashing down. So I have but one wish from here on out.

LET CHOAS REIGN!! May Cinderella find her glass slipper and cut down some nets.