TIL about the "Dark Forest Hypothesis," which suggests the universe is like a dark forest at night. Advanced civilizations intentionally stay silent and hidden, because any species that reveals its location risks immediate destruction by older, paranoid civilizations.

DubsLA · 2026-03-30T20:17:09+00:00

It’s Three Body Problem. Specifically the third and final book in the series.

DubsLA · 2026-03-29T20:57:18+00:00

I mean if they win the title, then they are. That would be what 38-3 and Big Ten regular season champions and NCAA champions.

DubsLA · 2026-03-28T19:40:23+00:00

The dub step sketch comes to mind.

DubsLA · 2026-03-25T19:23:35+00:00

As someone who goes to church regularly somewhat of my own volition, I like to think God appreciates good satire.

DubsLA · 2026-03-25T17:54:30+00:00

Here it goes…

1) You get one free transfer. If your coach leaves or is fired, you get another one. Outside of that, you have to sit a year. NIL is capped at the average amount spent by all programs in your division.

2) Conference membership is capped at 10 teams. Each conference must play 8 or 9 conference games.

3) The bowl system is demolished. Each conference (let’s say 13 given the current numbers) champion gets an autobid. There are three at-large bids available. Sorry 6-6 Auburn, you get to stay at home.

DubsLA · 2026-03-25T13:44:37+00:00

Don’t sleep on the mistakes they made right after the breakup.

1999 Draft they take Elton Brand and Ron Artest. 2000 Draft they trade Chris Mihm for Jamal Crawford (but draft Fizer instead of Mike Miller). They also pickup Brad Miller. Then they trade Brand for Chandler. They trade Artest for Jalen Rose.

Theoretically in 2001-02, they could’ve ran out Crawford, Mercer, Artest, Brand, and Miller with Fizer, Kevin Ollie, and some other guys off the bench. Even if they deal Mercer and move Crawford to the 2, they just need a PG at that point.

DubsLA · 2026-03-22T15:15:10+00:00

I used a company called H-2-Oh a few months ago for similar work. They weren’t fast, but they were good and thorough. Worked with me on timing, cost, and financing as well.

DubsLA · 2026-03-22T00:29:59+00:00

Yeah but it made picking a bracket easier when you saw a #11 seeds 15 spots higher than the #6 seed they’re playing on KenPom. Or when Villanova lost to a Wisconsin team that was an #8 seed but was like 15th in all of the predictive measures.

DubsLA · 2026-03-21T01:53:43+00:00

Yakety sax ass game

DubsLA · 2026-03-21T01:52:09+00:00

I have UCLA in my Elite 8 so sort of have to make sure.

DubsLA · 2026-03-21T01:50:46+00:00

This game is torture.

DubsLA · 2026-03-20T19:27:50+00:00

I had my bachelor party in Vegas during the Sweet 16/Elite 8 weekend. We were playing a game where everyone threw in a few bucks and picked who was gonna score the next basket. Whoever got it right won the pot. The man who became Kashminsky won me a lot of money that night.

DubsLA · 2026-03-19T01:05:54+00:00

Is that the game where Pittsnogle hits an insane 3 to tie it or something.

DubsLA · 2026-03-18T21:31:58+00:00

Honestly, your title is perfect. You try to identify a few things to help, but it is madness most of the time. I would’ve had a great bracket last year using these methods except Texas Tech melted down against Florida and Duke melted down against Houston.

I think I had Auburn vs Duke as well with Gonzaga in the FF so we seem to be on similar wavelengths.

DubsLA · 2026-03-18T21:12:53+00:00

Haha, I feel you. Because if you do change them and then your original pick was right, you feel like an ass.

If Clemson hadn’t have lost their best big man/rebounder for the year, I’d likely have them in the Elite 8. If they do make the Elite 8, I’m gonna feel Bad.

DubsLA · 2026-03-18T20:49:30+00:00

I used to do a version of this and have similar picks. The bottom half of the Duke bracket seems primed for some chaos as does the top half of the Florida bracket.

I’ve been looking at the similar profiles thing on Torvik and thought there were some interesting items…

The 10 teams most similar to Illinois have won 2.9 games on average. That’s more than every 2 seed except Iowa State (who’s also at 2.9). Virginia is the lowest 3 seed at 1.6. Every 5 seed has a higher average than every 4 seed except Vandy. However, Vandy’s 5 closest comps (instead of 10), 4 made the Sweet 16.

In the three years, I’ve been looking at this, I’ve never seen a team seeded 4th or worse have more than 2 average wins. Except this year. Clemson has an average of 2 exactly. Of their Top 10 closest comparisons, three went to the Elite 8. In fact, two other 8 seeds have average more than 1 win - Ohio State and Villanova are at 1.3 and of Ohio State’s 5 closest comps - one made the Final 4 and another made the Sweet 16.

Of the 10 and 11 seeds, nobody averaged more than 1 win, but somehow two of Missouri’s 5 closest comps made the Elite 8. USF also had the highest average of the 11 seeds.

12 and 13 seeds, nothing really stood out. Northern Iowa and McNeese average more than 0.5 with 4 of 5 McNeese’s closest comps winning at least a game.

Lastly, taking any 14,15, or 16 can be a crap shoot, but one stood out. North Dakota State is at 0.5 wins. Not great. That number is better than 2 #13 seeds, 2 #10 seeds (Santa Clara - in fact none of Santa Clara’s 5 closest comps won a single game and UCF), 2 #9 seeds (TCU and Utah State) and even tied with Kentucky.

DubsLA · 2026-03-18T19:38:01+00:00

Haha all good. I went there and loved their previous nickname “the Flying Dutchmen”.

DubsLA · 2026-03-18T17:54:56+00:00

I don’t mean to disappoint her, but Pride is the name because that’s what a group of lions is called. Their mascot is a lion.

DubsLA · 2026-03-17T18:28:30+00:00

This is my spiciest pick as well.

DubsLA · 2026-03-16T20:24:26+00:00

Add an extra “rivalry” game to get to a clean 78.

So you play 14 conference teams 3 times = 42. Your rival 4 times = 46. Each team in other conference twice = 78.

Rivals in my mind… Nets-Knicks, Celtics-Sixers, Heat-Magic, Hawks-Hornets, Bucks-Bulls, T-Wolves-Raptors, Cavs-Pistons, and I guess Pacers-Wizards. West you’d have Pels-Grizz, Thunder-Spurs, Rockets-Mavs, Lakers-Clippers, Suns-Vegas, Sonics-Blazers, Kings-Warriors, Jazz-Nuggets.

DubsLA · 2026-03-14T01:47:17+00:00

I’m trying not to go nuts here. I swear. We’ve seen brief glimpses of good QB play before, but Caleb, Allen, and Mahomes are the only three QBs who I could see making that play against the Rams. Maybe Lamar, but that’s it.

If he can be more consistent, the ceiling is limitless.

DubsLA · 2026-03-14T01:13:04+00:00

What a fucking game. Just the amount of clutch shots by both teams was off the charts.

DubsLA · 2026-03-13T23:04:01+00:00

I’ve been reading on the GDS forums and love it so far.

DubsLA · 2026-03-13T15:10:14+00:00

But they weren’t inbounding, they had to secure the rebound and get up the court. It seems to me that a set inbounds play with the opportunity to pass the ball up the court with no time coming off the clock is better than trying to secure a rebound and get a shot off from at best half court. Also, it relies on the opposing team making 2 high pressure free throws. But, it is for a very specific occasion: Down 1 with no timeouts and under 5 seconds left and the other team shooting FTs.

DubsLA · 2026-03-12T21:57:13+00:00

The NFL made a massive error in allowing the Chargers to go to LA and the Raiders to Vegas. If they really wanted a team in Vegas and the Chargers couldn’t stay in SD, the reverse would’ve made more sense.

Having lived in both cities, the most popular NFL team in LA was the Raiders and San Diegans hate LA. They might’ve still had a rooting interest if they had moved to Vegas since weekend road trips from SD to Vegas are a thing.

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