sports — Intrepid Pup

Bracket Full of Dreams: Intrepid Pup Bracketology – 2016 Edition

March 17, 2016 by admin

Tavish making his 2016 prognostications with the help of kernels of Quinn popcorn.

Ok, folks, Intrepid Pup Tavish has completed his picks for the much-vaunted March Madness. For readers who’ve loyally followed through the years, it should come as no surprise that he’s once again made some surprising predictions.

Never has a #16 seed beaten a #1 seed in the first round. But wait no longer, because Tavish is here to tell you that oh, it’s gonna happen. Not just once, but three times in this tourney. And it all starts now!

Team Tavish once again acted as the enabler for Tavish’s singular “bracketology.” Tavish’s key motivator for ~~making wacky picks~~ anything is food. Click here for a throwback to Tavish’s first-ever descent into March Madness and see how we keep the process as unbiased as possible. As a quick recap, every year we switch up the “treat” for variety’s sake. This year, colleges’ hoop dreams were embodied by kernels of organic Quinn popcorn (butter & sea salt, to be precise). Yummy! And it meant we got to eat some, too.

Tavish in action mode: Intrepid Pup Bracketology requires zen-like concentration!

We orchestrated the picks over the course of two nights to minimize the binge factor. Tavish plants himself into a concentrated “sit” while we show him two kernels of popcorn that we’ve verbally ascribed to two teams in the matchup. We place them evenly in front of him and say, “Okay, pick!” And he does! Usually it’s with a swift and decisive swipe of the tongue. Then we do it 66 more times to complete the bracket. This year he seemed to show a bit more circumspection. In the conundrum of #15 Weber State vs. #2 Xavier, for instance, he gazed long and hard at each kernel—a good 10 seconds apiece! (*forehead slap* – should’ve taken a video)—before committing to Xavier. We’re glad to see he’s taking this whole thing seriously! Honestly, we don’t know what he’s thinking, but this year he seemed to have little crushes on Gonzaga and Yale and took them fairly deep into the tourney . . . could it be because they have bulldogs as mascots? Another departure from the norm was that our 19-year-old cat Hobbes showed unprecedented interest in this year’s proceedings. Usually an impartial observer from afar, Hobbes warmed up and took on a considerably more visible role as an enforcer of quality control. In fact, as Tavish was mulling over his Holy Cross/Yale decision, Hobbes snuck in and tried to exert undue influence by batting around the “Holy Cross” kernel. Tavish picked “Yale”. Maybe because of the bulldog thing or maybe just to be contrary. We’ll never know, and he’s not telling.

So, it’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world. And—if you believe Intrepid Pup Tavish—here’s how it’s all going down:

While we’re not suggesting you bet the farm on these picks, we do guarantee you’ll enjoy ’em. Click on the bracket above for a larger, printable PDF version of Intrepid Pup’s March Random(ad)ness.

Intrepid Pup Bracketology: 2015 Edition

March 21, 2015 by admin

The treats came out, and the picks are in! For the fourth year running, Intrepid Pup Tavish has engaged in his own special brand of March Random(ad)ness to select who he thinks will be top dog in the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. On the all-important “Selection Sunday,” Team Tavish happened to be out of the country, so the mantle of responsibility for facilitating Tavish’s picks fell to extended family members. They had inquired whether there was any special technique required. Um, not really. As we’ve noted in past years, Tavish is consistently inconsistent. But so long as he’s motivated (read: has treats) and is presented with clear choices, Tavish is swift and decisive. Our stand-ins reported that there was much excited barking and that our 18-year-old cat Hobbes assumed his traditional role as impartial observer, emitting a low rumble if the proceedings came too close to invading his personal space.

Wait no longer, Pup fans, behold the picks:

How do your picks stack up to the Intrepid Pup’s? Click on the bracket above for a larger, printable PDF version. Enjoy the madness!

A decorated World War I veteran and Georgetown University’s living mascot, Sergeant Stubby was truly an intrepid pup. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Cut to the chase, and you’ll see that in Tavish’s world, Georgetown will be the 2015 champs. While it remains to be seen whether the team can go the distance, there’s no denying a great canine connection. Even though they’re known as the Hoyas, among the school’s earliest mascots was one heck of a tenacious bull terrier named Stubby. In 1917 this stray pup was rescued by Private J. Robert Conroy and smuggled aboard a ship bound for France to accompany the 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division. Stubby ultimately saw action in 17 engagements throughout World War I. After nearly dying in a poison gas attack, he was so sensitized to the smell that he would warn troops of its presence. Also uncanny was his ability to find wounded American soldiers in enemy trenches; he would hone in on voices speaking English and then stand guard and bark to alert the medics. He buoyed morale by visiting troops in the hospital and even knew how to salute! General Pershing presented Stubby with a medal for heroism, and the dog went on to meet Presidents Wilson, Harding and Coolidge.

Tavish sizes up the Hoyas bulldog emblem near the Georgetown University campus.

When Private Conroy returned from the war and eventually enrolled at Georgetown to study law, it went without saying that the much-decorated Stubby would go with him. The dog’s celebrity status made him a shoe-in as Georgetown’s living mascot. With Stubby’s passing in 1926, the New York Times ran a half-page obituary. Stubby’s taxidermied remains were ultimately donated to the Smithsonian Institution, where they are currently on view as part of The Price of Freedom exhibition at the National Museum of American History.

Over the years, Georgetown had other live dogs as mascots, including a terrier named Hoya, a Great Dane named Butch and a series of bulldogs. Today the bulldog mascot “Jack” remains, but it’s a student in a dog costume.

GO HOYAS!