5 March Madness storylines to

March Madness is back, and I’m here for my annual shaming.

To anyone who reads this column annually, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re new, here’s a quick recap. The Herald has printed my bracket for every NCAA men’s basketball tournament since 2016. I’m supposed to be the expert, a college hoops snob here to guide you through your picks.

Except my national championship picks have failed – spectacularly.

In my first try, I picked No. 2 seed Michigan State to win it all. The Spartans then lost to 15-seed Middle Tennessee and that set the tone for my misery.

In 2017, second-seeded Duke lost to Frank Martin’s South Carolina squad in the second round. The next year, DeAndre Ayton and No. 4 Arizona were blown out by No. 13 Buffalo. Why did they keep printing my bracket?

It did get better. In 2019, Kentucky advanced to the Elite Eight. And then after COVID-19 canceled the 2020 tournament, I was one win away. But Gonzaga came short of a perfect season by losing to Baylor in the national championship game. It proved to be an anomaly.

In 2022, I offered my faith to Kentucky. The Wildcats rewarded me by losing to 15th-seeded St. Peter’s in the first round. And then, last year, my Mona Lisa: Purdue became the second No. 1 seed to ever lose to a 16-seed, eliminated by Fairleigh Dickinson. I couldn’t possibly top myself.

For those scoring at home: That’s four first-round losses out of seven.

I’m back for an eighth try. Take this bracket with extreme caution, but also, I’m due to hit one of these years, right?

With all that being said – I’m sorry, UConn.

Here are five storylines to watch as the greatest tournament in the world starts again on Thursday: