Trump’s March Madness Miss: Bracket Busted Before It Began?
Former President Donald Trump apparently skipped out on the annual March Madness bracket craze this year, missing the official deadline to submit his picks for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. The revelation came during a casual exchange with reporters outside the White House, where Trump, when questioned by Fox News’ Peter Doocy, admitted he hadn’t participated.
"I didn’t. I should have," Trump responded, seemingly aware of the tournament’s early upsets. "Have there been upsets? A couple, right?"
Trump’s remark hinted at a potential desire to retroactively enter the competition, jokingly suggesting he could "give you one but maybe backdated." This flippant comment underscored the widespread bracket carnage that characterized the tournament’s opening rounds, as unexpected victories decimated millions of hopeful predictions.
The article highlights the sheer improbability of a perfect bracket, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of March Madness. The numbers paint a stark picture: out of tens of millions of brackets submitted across various platforms, only a minuscule fraction remained unscathed after the initial games. The NCAA reported a mere 0.0044% of its 34 million brackets still perfect following Friday’s early games.
ESPN’s tracking data mirrored this trend, showing only 1,098 perfect brackets out of 24 million on its site after Ole Miss’s victory over North Carolina. Yahoo Sports’ Men’s Bracket Mayhem saw its pool of perfect brackets dwindle to a paltry 81 after the same game. CBS Sports experienced a similar rate of bracket attrition, with only 0.005% of its brackets remaining unblemished.
The early upsets served as prime examples of the tournament’s inherent volatility. One of the most significant bracket busters involved Clemson’s unexpected loss to McNeese State, a result that shattered the hopes of over 85% of Yahoo’s brackets. This single game also eliminated a staggering 6.6 million brackets on ESPN’s platform.
Creighton’s victory over Louisville emerged as another major bracket-wrecking moment. According to ESPN, this game alone eliminated 13,339,089 brackets, underscoring the immense ripple effect of a single upset.
The article also noted the extreme end of the spectrum, highlighting the misfortune of those whose brackets were entirely incorrect. ESPN reported that 30 of its brackets had every single pick wrong, showcasing the unpredictable nature of the tournament, where even the most informed predictions can be completely overturned.
The piece alludes to potential implications for traditional White House visits by championship-winning teams and athletes. The mention of "HISTORIC SPORTING EVENTS" and "WHICH TEAMS AND STARS COULD SKIP WHITE HOUSE VISITS?" suggest that the political climate, potentially fueled by Trump’s past actions or statements, might influence the willingness of some teams and athletes to accept such invitations.
The article’s concluding remarks direct readers to further sports coverage on Fox News Digital, encouraging them to follow the platform on X (formerly Twitter) and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. This emphasizes the network’s commitment to providing ongoing coverage of the tournament and the broader sports landscape.
In essence, the article paints a picture of Trump’s missed opportunity to participate in the March Madness ritual, juxtaposed against the backdrop of widespread bracket chaos caused by early upsets. It highlights the unpredictable nature of the tournament and its ability to humble even the most confident predictors. It also subtly touches on the potential for political considerations to impact the traditional White House celebrations associated with sporting achievements.
