Welcome To Josh's Blog O' Thoughts: Sports

Earlier this month, I released version 2.0 of my NCAA basketball tournament bracket spreadsheet. The v2.0 update contained the functionality to grant bonus points for correctly choosing an upset win.

Unfortunately, it has been called to my attention that there is a bug related to the bonus point calculations in the Excel version of the file. I created the sheet in OpenOffice and then exported to Excel format. Apparently one of the formulas I was using worked a little differently in OpenOffice than in Excel. I have since corrected the file and updated it to v2.1. Please go to the original post to download the update. Please DO NOT use the v2.0 file which was available from Mar 12, 2010 - Mar 20, 2010.

How To Fix The Problem If You Are Already Using the v2.0 File For Your 2010 Pool

If you downloaded the v2.0 EXCEL file (OpenOffice file is fine) between Mar 12 and Mar 20, 2010, are currently using that file to run your pool, and are using the bonus points feature, you will probably want to run the following fix to correct the problem.

Instructions for fix:
1. Download this file: Fix_Excel_Bonus_Points.xls
2. Open the Fix_Excel_Bonus_Points.xls file
3. Go to Tools->Macros->Security and set macro security to Low.
4. Open your master bracket file.
5. Go to Tools->Macros->Macros
6. In the Macros In box near the bottom of the screen, make sure All Open Workbooks is selected.
7. Select the macro Fix_Excel_Bonus_Points.xls!Fix_Excel_Bonus_Calc
8. Click Run
9. Wait for message box saying Done
10. Save master bracket file
11. Close both files.
12. Your master bracket file should now be updated with corrected formulas for bonus point calculation.


Next year, download and use the fixed v2.1 file.


I apologize for the error. Hope you still can find the file useful.

I have updated my original bracket spreadsheet post to include sheets pre-filled with the 2010 field of teams. To download the 2010 bracket or the blank template spreadsheet, go to http://josh.breittechnologies.com/blog/2009_03_13_NCAA_Basketball_Tournament_Bracket_Spreadsheet_File

Last year my NCAA basketball tournament spreadsheet was quite a hit. To make it even more popular, I have added the ability to score bonus points for upsets. Bonus points can be awarded based on the difference in seeds between the winning and losing team. If an "underdog" team wins, you can give whatever amount of bonus points you want depending on how much of an underdog they were (a 16 beating a 1 deserves more bonus points than a 9 beating an 8).

See the instructions in the original post and in the spreadsheet file for more details.

http://josh.breittechnologies.com/blog/2009_03_13_NCAA_Basketball_Tournament_Bracket_Spreadsheet_File

I know I'm a few days late in posting this, but attached is the TV schedule for the 2010 Winter Olympics. This schedule only includes the main NBC network (not any of their cable networks). Times are in Central Standard Time.

Also, please note that due to the weather, some events have been moved around. This schedule is based on the original events schedule so there may be some differences in the skiing events.

Hope you find this useful.

2010_NBC_Olympics_Coverage.ods - 17KB OpenOffice.org Spreadsheet
2010_NBC_Olympics_Coverage.xls - 26KB MS Excel Spreadsheet

I have posted updates to my NCAA bracket spreadsheet files with the 2009 field of teams already filled in. See the post regarding my bracket files here:

http://josh.breittechnologies.com/blog/2009_03_13_NCAA_Basketball_Tournament_Bracket_Spreadsheet_File

It's almost time for the 2009 NCAA Basketball Championship, aka March Madness! If you're one of the many people who like to take your luck at filling out a tournament bracket or maybe even organize a pool, I have just the spreadsheet for you.

My family has been doing a tournament pool for years (mostly just for bragging rights). In the past we would all fill out a paper bracket and someone would manually check them and highlight them as the games ended. With my family living farther apart now, we decided we needed an electronic format for our brackets. Yes, there are various websites out there devoted to this, but they often require account registration, have ads, etc. My goal was to make it simple so I created a spread sheet which allows you to fill out your bracket using simple drop-down boxes. Then I collect everyone's spreadsheets, combine them in to one (a little complex), and the spreadsheet automatically keeps score as I fill in who wins the games.

At the end of this post are links for downloading the spreadsheet in Excel or OpenOffice.org format.

Instructions On Using The File

1. Download the File

Obviously, the first step is for the person running the pool (that's you) to download the file and open it up. There is are also instructions in the file for your reference.

A Note On File Protections:

This file and the sheets within it, are protected to prevent users from accidentally messing up the file.

To add/rename/copy/move a sheet, you will first need to unprotect the document. In OpenOffice.org, Tools->Protect Document and uncheck Document. In MS Excel, Tools->Protection->Unprotect Workbook.

To edit the protected regions of many of these sheets, unprotect the sheet. In OpenOffice.org, Tools->Protect Document and uncheck Sheet. In MS Excel, Tools->Protection->Unprotect Sheet.

It is recommended that you re-enable protections before giving this file to the people in your pool to prevent problems. You can even add passwords to the protection to keep it more secure.

2. Setup Scoring

To begin, you need to define your scoring methodology. Switch to the Scoring tab and unprotect the sheet.

Enter the number of points for a correct answer in each round of the tournament. For example, if you choose 1 point for Second round, you will get 1 point for each team that you successfully predict making it to the second round. If you choose 8 for Champions, you will receive 8 points if you predict the correct winner of the tournament.

You may also setup bonus points to be awarded based on team seeds. If a lower seeded team beats a higher seeded team the bonus points assigned to the seed difference will be awarded. No bonus points are awarded if a higher seeded team wins.

In the bonus points table, assign a point value to each seed difference. For example, if you assign 5 bonus points to seed difference 7, you will score 5 bonus points (in addition to the regular points) if you correctly pick a winner that was an underdog by 7 seeds (i.e a 12 seed beats a 5 seed).

Re-protect the sheet.

3. Fill In The Master Bracket

The Master Bracket tab holds the field and all the winners as the tournament progresses. Switch to the Master Bracket tab and unprotect the sheet.
Fill in the field of teams in the tournament by typing the name of each team on the corresponding line of the bracket.

When done, re-protect the sheet.

4. Distribute The File

If you are doing this for a group of people, make sure all the sheets and the document are protected. Then e-mail the file to them with instructions on entering their picks.

Tell the other people to each use their own file, and to fill out the YourBracket sheet just like the instructions below. Have them save it and email it back to you.

5. Enter Your Picks

Go to the Your Bracket sheet (no need to unprotect). For each line of the bracket, click the cell and use the drop down box to select the winner.

Enter your Name in the Name field at the top of the sheet and your Tie Breaker value (whatever your pool is using for a tie break).

6. Consolidate The Sheets (slightly tricky)

Your file will be the master file. You will now consolidate all the brackets into your master file. For each file (including yours), open it, unprotect the document, switch to the YourBracket sheet, unprotect the sheet, then rename the sheet to the person's name. Copy the sheet to the master document.

If you are using MS Excel, you will have to change the links to point to the master document. Go to each person's sheet in the master document. Unprotect the sheet if it is not already. Go to Edit->Links. Select the link and click the Change Source button. Then browse to and select the master document file. This will make sure all the sheets in the master document file are linked to the master bracket. The link on that window will disappear since there are now no externally linked files. Reprotect everything if you wish.

7. Create A Score Sheet

If you want, you can create a sheet with each person's name and the score from their bracket sheet. That way you can easily see the standings.

8. Watch The Games!

9. Fill In The Winners

When a game is over, mark the winner on the MasterBracket page. Every person's individual bracket should update. A wrong answer gets crossed out and a correct answer gets highlighted.


I hope you find these files useful. I will also upload a file with the field of teams already filled in each year, so bookmark this page and come back!



**** UPDATES ****

Mar 21, 2010 - v2.1

!!BUG FIX!!

It appears there was a bug in the MS Excel version of the file in the bonus point calculation. The bug is now fixed and the file has been updated to v2.1. Go here for more details about this bug and the fix.

Mar 12, 2010 - v2.0

I have updated the template so that you now have the option of scoring bonus points for picking upsets. See the instructions for more details.

*****************



I hereby donate these files to public domain so feel free to use it in any way you wish.

Template Files:

NCAA Bracket Template v2.1.ods - OpenOffice.org Calc Spreadsheet (38KB)
NCAA Bracket Template v2.1.xls - MS Excel Spreadsheet (138KB)




Files With 2010 Field Already Filled In:

NCAA Bracket Template 2010.ods - OpenOffice.org Calc Spreadsheet (38KB)
NCAA Bracket Template 2010.xls - MS Excel Spreadsheet (138KB)

Files With 2009 Field Already Filled In:

NCAA Bracket 2009.ods - OpenOffice.org Calc Spreadsheet (36KB)
NCAA Bracket 2009.xls - MS Excel Spreadsheet (101KB)

Well the 2008 Summer Olympics have come to a close. And like millions of other people, I probably spent too much time watching them. But they only happen every few years, so it's no big deal if no house work gets done for those two weeks right?

Anyway, now that they've completed, I thought I'd share with you some of the complaints I have about how the Olympics were covered.

1. Taped Events Are OK

I really don't care if something is LIVE. I know that's a big catch word for television programming, but I could care less. I'd much rather see the taped version at a reasonable time of day. Case in point, was the men's basketball gold medal game which was shown live during the middle of the night. That's an event I would have been sure to watch, but because of the timing, and the fact that I DO have to sleep at some point, I wasn't able to watch it. Sure I could have recorded it and watched it another time, but then I would have been missing whatever was actually showing at that time, etc.

2. Too Much Beach Volleyball

Yes we kick butt at beach volleyball. We already knew that. But, I can see beach volleyball on network TV on many regular weekends during the summer so it's nothing special. I don't have a problem with them showing matches as it gets close to medal time, but they probably could have cut some more of the pool-play games.

3. Too Much Track, Not Enough Field

We got to sit through numerous heats for several of the track events, but when it came time for field events (shot put, javelin, high jump, etc), we were lucky if we got a "summary" compilation video. Many of the track races are pretty boring anyway - just people running at different speeds. Why not mix it up a bit and let us watch some of the more unique field events? Is it because we may not be dominant in that event? Regardless, they are fun and different to watch and I'm bummed I missed out on them.

4. Who The Heck Wants To See An Entire Marathon?

I mean, come on. They run for over an hour! If there was ever a time to do a "summary" compilation video of an event, this would be it. Yet both the men's and women's marathons were shown in their entirety.

5. Show Some Obscure Events

I would have liked to see more of the events that are not normally available on network TV. Things like equestrian, archery, Greco Roman wrestling, fencing, badminton, table tennis, etc. These things got a little bit of play, but usually not much to be worth sitting down to watch. The way I see it, part of the Olympics is to expose us to sports that are very popular in other countries. Too bad we didn't get to see much of them.

6. Did They Have Soccer This Year?

I didn't see any soccer matches on network TV. One of the most popular sports in the world and we didn't get to see any of it. At least show the gold medal match!

7. Not Everyone Has Cable Or High Speed Internet Access

I didn't actually check the listings, but I'd bet that there was a decent amount of good stuff shown on NBC's other networks or their web site. News flash, not everyone gets those channels or has a connection speed capable of streaming video. They would have been better off cutting out a lot of the pointless comments made by Bob Costas and showing more actual events on their main network.

8. Warn Us With Spoiler Alerts!

I don't know how many times I accidentally saw online, or heard on the radio the results of an event that hadn't even been broadcast yet! That REALLY irks me. One in particular was when Shawn Johnson won gold on the balance beam. Since I live in Iowa, I had to hear about the results well before it was televised. Really takes all the excitement out of it! At least warn us before you spoil it so we can divert our eyes and ears.

Summary

To sum up my complaints: More variety, more content, less pointless banter.


Regardless of these complaints, I still really enjoyed the Olympics and always have. I just wish they were shown a little bit differently.

I was annoyed with the probability of having to log on to a TV listings website each day to see which Olympic events would be shown. That takes too much time. I want something that is already right on my computer and only has Olympic coverage. I couldn't find any site online where I could just download a full schedule, so I made my own spreadsheet.

This information was gathered from the NBC Olympics site. This data is ONLY for what they plan to show on their main NBC network (not CNBC, online, etc). Specifically, this was for our local affiliate, KWWL, but it should be pretty much the same for other NBC affiliates. All times listed are Central time.

For some reason, the website I got this from often times had adjoining time slots (i.e. 6:30-7:30 and 7:30-8:30) with the same description. Seems like they could have just made it 6:30-8:30. I could have modified to file in this way, but that was more work than it was worth. Another thing to note is that there is often a replay of the prime time schedule in the middle of the night, so if you see a 1:00am time slot with the same description as the prime time slot, it is just a replay.

Hope these files are useful for someone else:

2008OlympicsSchedule.ods - Open Document Spreadsheet format for OpenOffice.org (20KB)
2008OlympicsSchedule.xls - MS Excel Spreadsheet (84KB)

That's right folks tennis legend Pete Sampras is coming out of retirement to play number one ranked Roger Federer. I always liked Pete, but Roger has been seemingly unstoppable over the past few years. Plus he is much younger than Pete and should be in much better shape.

I'd love to see Pete win this one, but I'm just not sure it's going to be possible. Regardless, it will be an interesting matchup on Nov 22. I hope it gets appropriate network coverage.
Any other predictions?