March Madness in the Information Everywhere Age

By Reena Jana
March 23, 2011

Andrew Sharp Who better to ask about March Madness predictions—both for winning teams and cool game-watching tech—than a popular sports blogger?

We tapped Andrew Sharp, an editor and sports blogger at SBNation.com, a professional site written from the fan perspective and published by SB Nation, the largest network of sports blogs online today, to help us update our 2011 NCAA brackets and to fill us in on how technology is changing the game. (image courtesy of Andrew Sharp)

The Inside Source: How does the experience of watching the NCAA March Madness games change given that TVs are getting bigger and better and that there are more options for watching college basketball, both online and on smart phones?

Andrew Sharp: This year will be bigger than ever because for the first time ever, every single game will be on TV. In the past, people have had to find sports bars or order expensive March Madness packages if they wanted to have access to every game. This year, that changes, and between CBS, TNT, TBS, and TruTV, everything will be covered. So that's awesome, right?

Plus, with more people using Twitter than ever, it's easier to find out about close games, and the instant reaction makes watching a game a more communal experience. For instance, I'll probably end up watching with work friends, but I'll be texting back and forth with high school friends, and checking out what my college friends are thinking about the games on Twitter. It's sort of a dream. Maybe a little bit of a nightmare, too, but mostly a dream.

March Madness

March Madness, 2011: Northern Iowa v Kansas (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Inside Source: What are the top college basketball teams to watch this year and why you think they have a shot?

Andrew Sharp: It's a weird year in college hoops because I don't think there's really a dominant team. Ohio State, Duke, and Kansas are three heavyweights to watch. Arizona is another sleeper team that seems to be getting disrespected a little bit. Watching Jimmer Freddette with BYU and Kemba Walker with UCONN will pretty much guarantee you some memorable games, even if they end up losing in the end. That's the beauty of March Madness, really; no matter who wins or loses, we know we'll get some of the most entertaining games of the year, and a whole lot of games that we'll remember long past March. As a sports fan, what more can you ask for?

The Inside Source: Where do you watch 2011 March Madness games yourself?

Andrew Sharp: I like to watch at sports bars if I can because the atmosphere is always better when you end up cheering the same teams with people you've never met before. Those random connections are what make sports so awesome, I think. And they happen all the time with March Madness, when everyone adopts a favorite team based on who they've got in their bracket.

When I'm working and the sports bar option isn't possible, I tend to catch things online—I've got a MacBook Pro, and every year, the streams for NCAA games get better and better, so it's not a bad second option.

March Madness

March Madness, 2011: Connecticut Huskies v Bucknell Bison (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The Inside Source: What’s a good smartphone for keeping in touch with friends during 2011 March Madness and tracking NCAA Tournament scores?

Andrew Sharp: The apps on the iPhone are a lot better than on other phones, and I can surf the web really easy when I'm trying to look up a story or some random player's stats.

The Inside Source: What’s your ideal home-theater viewing set up?

Andrew Sharp: Does it have to reflect reality? Well, in my ideal home theater, I’d install two shark tanks on opposite sides of the TV. That would be my homage to [NBA player and shark owner] Gilbert Arenas, because every home theater needs a patron saint, and he's mine.

The TV would be at least 46 inches, although a 10-foot wide screen would be my dream! I’d like to have a good surround-sound system.

As far as the food I’d serve to my friends, I’m sure with a March Madness menu that I'm totally unique in preferring wings, pizza, and beer with my basketball, but really, as long as it's horribly unhealthy, you can't go wrong. Is there a gadget out there that can help me make nachos?

March Madness

March Madness, 2011: Arizona v Texas (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Inside Source: There seem to be some pretty realistic March Madness video games for PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Do you find the time to play those, and can they be addictive long after the tournament is over?

Andrew Sharp: I’m addicted to the FIFA soccer and NCAA Football ’11 video games, actually. But I don't play NCAA basketball video games anymore, though. To me, the 2K Sports college hoops game was always the best! It’s hard to find as it was discontinued a few years ago.

Check out Sharp's lively coverage of the NCAA hoops tournament and other major events and follow him on Twitter at @AndrewSharp.

March Madness

March Madness, 2011: Michigan v Duke (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Take Sharp's lead and check out these tools and gadgets that will help make March Madness mad fun.

Electronic 2011 NCAA March Madness Bracket

(buy it now price, $2.99)

Want an easy way to track your favorite teams during March Madness? Check out this pre-made bracket, created using Excel. Download it to your computer, and update your teams’ progress with ease.
MacBook Pro

(buy it now price, $1,071.98)

Sharp uses a MacBook Pro not only for writing about March Madness, but also for watching games streamed live online.
Samsung 46-inch HDTV

(buy it now price, $1,499.88)

When he’s not watching the NCAA hoops tournament online or at a sports bar, Sharp likes to invite friends over. This year, his dream set would have a screen of at least 46 inches to see the action in detail.
Frisby Surround Sound System

(buy it now price, $84.95)

To make the at-home game watching experience extra-exciting, Sharp would love to install a surround-sound system.
Mini Kegerator and Beer Dispenser

(buy it now price, $156.24)

What’s a March Madness viewing party without beer? Sharp’s looking for an at-home mini-keg, where fresh brews are always on tap. Perhaps this sleek refrigerated unit would do the trick.
New Nacho Cheese Warmer

(buy it now price, $149)

Sharp loves serving stadium-style snacks to pals when watching the games. He’s searching for gadgets like this affordable, yet professional quality nacho cheese warmer, which keeps toppings for tortilla chips nice and gooey.
New iPhone 4

(buy it now price, $629.95)

Sharp relies on the iPhone, both for texting while watching to with friends who are far away, and for using the many March Madness apps that offer real-time scores and other features.
NCAA Basketball 10 Video Game

(buy it now price, $59.95)

Although he doesn’t have much time these days for playing video games, Sharp says that basketball games can be addictive and can help fans relive the glory of past tournaments long after they're over. Check out the latest Xbox NCAA basketball tourney game, featuring 2010 teams.
New Xbox 360 Video Game Console

(buy it now price, $339.50)

…And if you need an Xbox 360 to play NCAA basketball games, now’s a good time as ever to pick one up. The versatile consoles can also be used to stream Netflix movies.
2 Tickets, Men’s Final Four

(buy it now price, $593.60)

Maybe watching March Madness on TV or online isn’t enough. Tickets are still available for the Final Four games.