Big Night Tonight.

Go Vols.

UPDATE: Mark King will not be in the office today, as he injured his neck looking at the standings.

Observation: Alison Pressley couldn’t trash talk her way out of Shannondale. For the record, however, Allison and I have climbed to 5th and 7th in Jim McCollum's High Stakes Bracket (sponsored by Beverly Mack). Allison (the second "l" is silent) notes that I lead the high stakes bracket with 43 correct, a feat she refers to as "cheating." Allison's Final Four? Kansas, West Virginia, Syracuse and Duke. What's that sound? Oh no! That was Allison's bracket falling in the standings. Don't forget to pick up your parting gift. I gave it to Danny.

Intern David Reynolds writes:

I am number 24! Excellent! And Will Akers keeps stealing my pencil!

David appears to have been overly excited with his Happy Meal.

Todd Bealer has quietly risen to a tie for second in the High Stakes Bracket (sponsored by Beverly Mack). Todd looks like a candidate to replace Jacob with his Final Four of Kansas , West Virginia, Duke and Kansas State.

FOR THE RECORD: Only one 12 seed (Cornell) beat a 5 seed this year. Disappointing. But still, if you fail to pick a 12 to beat a 5 you are not paying attention. Much like Adam Tinker, who, though dominating to this point in the tournament, has yet again forgotten to shave.

My friend Graeme in Australia writes to tell me that shark attacks are down the last few years. I reminded him, however, that the primary food source for sharks today is bleeding fish pieces scattered by people making documentaries.

In second place overall, Leigh Anne Joseph writes:

I think this might be my year!

Indeed it might. Leigh Anne has K State in the Final Four, along with Kansas, Kentucky and Villanova. Ouch. Thanks for playing, Leigh Anne. You still have an excellent shot at being the first loser!

The always dangerous (and past winner) Connie Leggett is lurking in fourth place like a coyote about to devour a house cat. The always stealthy Mark Childress is biding his time in fifth, hoping that Ohio State...wait a minute, Ohio State? You picked Ohio State over Tennessee? Dude?

The always cheerful Jill Green writes:

You r funny!!!! ; ).

These kind words were quickly brought into perspective by Kathy Seagrist, however, who wrote:

Shut the ^%$* up.

And not to be out done, Gina Kent writes (often). Included among her 11 emails to date – one shy of the record held jointly by John “I like to my blood pressure high” Bailes, Kristen “Ad Space Available” Hicks and Debbie “Ritalin” Jones (only three of which were billable) - was this comment:

Joe Biden is not as stupid as he seems!

.

Undoubtedly true. He likely much stupider in real life.

Finally, an anonymous auditor (Andrew Pitts) writes:

I know what's going to happen next on LOST. Unfortunately I'll be out of the office for several weeks....