Scuttleball: Get up and dance!

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
Aside from the return of Daylight Saving Time and the nearing of spring, the month of March has become synonymous with SCUTTLEBALL, the annual hoops pool that brings all sailors together and tests their skill at who will win the College Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Aside from an epic distraction during the dog days of winter, the Tournament is reliably filled with stunning upsets, thrilling finishes and edge-of-your-seat drama, thus earning the term “March Madness.”

But the tournament is also known as “The Big Dance” which was coined by former Marquette coach Al Maguire back in 1977. Apparently, Maguire had donned a blue blazer all season long, and when asked by a reporter if he would continue the fashion trend into the Tournament, Maguire infamously replied, “Absolutely. You gotta wear the blue blazer to the big dance.”

But back to Scuttleball…

We now know the 68 teams selected to compete (click here for bracket), with Auburn, Florida, Duke, and Houston claiming the coveted top seeds in the four regions. The past two winners of Scuttleball rode UConn to the Finals, but with the Huskies as a #8 seed, that train looks wobbly. I won’t be betting the farm on my Gonzaga Bulldogs, also an #8.

For Scuttleball, there’s no fee to play – just submit their picks no later than 12:00pm EDT on March 20, 2025. If you’ve never played, we use the CBS Sports platform which is idiot proof (I’ve tested it). More so, it has features to help select your winners. Easy peasy!

So get some skin in the game and join the dance. Early entrants include Debbie Probst, Fletcher Bauman, Ira Cohen, Kathy Alven, Liz Baylis, Moose McClintock, Scott Weller, Skip Ryan, and Trey Ritter. Game on!

The Championship Game is April 7, so plan your life accordingly. Also, share this pool with your friends to see who is the best baller in the world. The winner will receive personal bragging rights and recognition in Scuttlebutt Sailing News. To enter, click here.