A couple of you left comments on my last post asking if I was going to set up a group for March Madness picks on ESPN’s Tournament Challenge. And honestly, I wasn’t planning on it, but the more I thought about it, the more I decided that it would be quite the kick in the pants for the teens of us who might be interested in such a thing.

So I set up a group. And since I’m the only member of the group right now, I would obviously love for you to join me.

Here’s how it works. Go to ESPN’s Tournament Challenge. If you don’t have an ESPN account, you’ll have to create one (seconds! it takes mere seconds!). Once you’re logged in, you can search for groups, and my group is called – GET READY – BooMama.

Obviously I’ve scored major points on the originality front.

Once you’ve joined the group and made your bracket picks, you need to make sure that you print out your bracket so that you can put it on your refrigerator and astound and amaze the people in your life with your basketball savvy. Be sure to throw around terms like “RPI” and “strength of schedule” and “body of work,” and the next thing you know your family members will be calling ESPN so that you can be a special commentator on the SportsCenter.

But here’s the best part.

When it’s all said and done, I’ll send a special prize (read: some CDs and such) to the person in our group who does the best with her (or his – the menfolk are welcome, too) bracket. In the event of a tie, well, I have no idea what I’ll do. But I’ll figure it out in due time and it’ll all be big fun, now won’t it?

If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments. And if you’re ready to get started with your bracket, then head on over to ESPN.

p.s. If you join the group, you’ll be able to look at my bracket.

p.p.s. After you look at my bracket, please don’t make fun of me.

p.p.p.s. Because sometimes, if I don’t know much about the teams in a certain game, I go with the mascot that I think is cuter.

p.p.p.p.s. Really. Please don’t make fun of me.

It’s been a fun few days at our house, what with having my sister-in-law and nephews here for a visit, making a trip to Five Guys, seeing The Gabe Dixon Band and The Dave Barnes in concert and celebrating a certain little boy’s birthday.

But today was mighty special, too, because our beloved MSU Bulldogs played the Tennessee Volunteers for the SEC basketball tournament championship, which means that you cannot imagine the level of enthusiasm that was on display in our living room between noon and 2:30 central. It got so lively during the last twenty minutes of the game that I kept feeling like I needed to be closer to the TV, JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, so I hopped off the couch and sat on the living room rug with my face about ten inches away from the screen. I clapped and yelled so loudly that at one point the little man asked if me I could please try to be more quiet, and I responded by saying, “BABY, YOU KNOW THAT MAMA HAS A SPECIAL BRAND OF CRAZY THAT COMES OUT WHEN THE BULLDOGS PLAY BASKETBALL.”

I feelt that it’s better to be up front about these things since my crazy is in fact his heritage. His precious, blessed heritage.

Anyway, sitting with my nose pressed up to the TV was all worth it in the end because I’ll be doggone diggity if we didn’t beat those Vols and win the tournament and secure a spot in the NCAA tournament as a result.

photo by The Associated Press

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HAPPY THIS MAKES ME?

So the Bulldogs are headed to Portland to play the University of Washington this Thursday (any of you in Portland? any of you Washington fans? any of you scared by the level of my obsession?), and I’m headed back to the living room to watch today’s game one more time before I go to bed.

I think it’ll be even better this time since I know the outcome and won’t suffer from the hand-wringing anxiety and crippling nausea that characterized the first go-round. But by the same token, I cannot wait for the hand-wringing anxiety and crippling nausea that’s in store for me this Thursday when we square off against Washington.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

1. We had to cancel the birthday party because of rain. The little man was a remarkably good sport about it because his older cousins are here this weekend, and that is a party in and of itself. In fact, the Cousin Party just shut down for the night, and it is about 11:45. They are having a blast.

And despite the fact that we had to postpone the party for a few days, it was actually a really wonderful birthday. We had cake and ice cream with the family this afternoon, grilled hamburgers tonight, and the boys played more Wii than humans should be allowed. So much fun.

2. My beloved Bulldogs beat Alabama in overtime tonight in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. And when the Bulldogs were about two minutes away from their victory, the roof literally came off the Georgia Dome. I’m not kidding.

I’m telling you: that game shaved a solid decade off of my life. SWEET MERCIFUL GOODNESS. If the rest of the tournament follows tonight’s lead, then I’m going to require some sort of oxygen tank before I watch tomorrow’s semi-finals. And perhaps even a defibrilator. With a medic on standby.

3. Today the mailman brought us a package from some sweet friends in Texas.

This is what was inside the box.

It’s PERFECTION! Thanks, Wisners!

And fortunately, despite a lively in-house basketball game between my nephews, our roof remained intact.

If only the Georgia Dome could say the same.

4. The oh-so-talented Jules redesigned my blog, and I pretty much squealed and clapped my hands when I saw this new look for the first time. I love it! I have been wild about all of my blog designs but just felt ready for a change – something fresh and (just a little bit) funky for spring. I’ll give you all the design scoop on Monday.

Hope y’all have a great weekend!

Tonight my beloved Mississippi State Bulldogs hosted the Kentucky Wildcats at The Hump in an early-season SEC match-up.

Really, the pleasure was all ours.

MSU – 69
UK – 64

I’m sure you’ll be shocked to know that I stood in one corner of my kitchen for two hours and fifteen minutes because that’s where I was when the game started and clearly if I moved to another room there was no way we’d win.

I don’t know about you, but I just couldn’t live with that kind of guilt. Sure, sitting down is convenient and comfortable, but is it really worth losing?

I think not.

At one point Sister called me from a hockey game to check in on the basketball game (what? don’t all sisters do that? what?), and while we were talking Kentucky started to cut the lead, so I said, “WE HAVE TO HANG UP. WE’RE RUINING EVERYTHING!”

Her response?

“OKAYBYE.”

The crazy, it is genetic, you see.

What a tender heritage we share.

Go ‘Dogs.

Tonight, in an old-fashioned, smashmouth, defensive showdown (my very favorite type of football game, by the way), my beloved MSU Bulldogs defeated the University of Central Florida in the 2007 Liberty Bowl.

I am understandably delighted.

It’s been such a fun football season – whether I was watching the games at home, at Mama and Daddy’s, or right there in the stadium with Sister. It’s been so fun, in fact, that I’m thinking of designating Coach Croom as one of my pretend-BFFs. It is sure to be the highlight of his illustrious coaching career.

So if you’ll excuse me, I have much internetting to do. I have to read message boards and watch highlight clips and search for news stories and stay up very, very late so that I can be As Informed As Possible about tonight’s game when Sister and I discuss every. single. bit. of coverage tomorrow afternoon.

And if you’re thinking that Sister and I might be just a wee bit obsessive about MSU sports, all I can say is “THAT IS CORRECT, YOUR HONOR.”

Because I don’t know if I mentioned it, but it’s been a really fun football season. I sure do love me some Bulldogs.

Go ‘Dogs.