March Madness Factory of Sadness Tournament Championship
SOUTH REGION
- Kyrie Irving – Easily one of the most popular figures in Cleveland sports, along with one of the most clutch players in sports, Irving can do it all. The 24-year-old has one of the dirtiest sets of handles in NBA history and hit “The Shot” to give the Cavs the lead in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. Oh yeah, his alter-ego, Uncle Drew, defies Father Time occasionally, too. There is so much you can say about a guy like this.
- Jamie Collins – Collins, a second-round pick out of Southern Mississippi, is one of the newer members of the Browns but is also one of the best. Since acquiring the one-time Super Bowl Champion from the New England Patriots in 2016, Collins has fit in Cleveland like a glove. He is sure to be a top name linebacker in 2017, and luckily for Browns fans, he will be in Cleveland, after re-signing with the team this offseason.
- Nick Bosa – Nick has very high expectations to live up to, thanks to his family’s history at OSU. In case anyone forgot, Nick’s brother is Joey Bosa, the Los Angeles Chargers’ first-round pick last year. As a true Freshman, Bosa was 11th on the team in total tackles. Even more impressive, he was second on the team with five sacks. Living up to expectations, so far, has not seemed to be a problem
- Joe Haden – Haden was a first-round pick back in 2010 for the Cleveland Browns. While injuries have bothered him on the field, Haden has remained one of the most iconic people in not only Cleveland, but the entire NFL. Despite not having much success on the field the past couple years, Haden is still a top name in Cleveland athletics. The two-time Pro Bowler is still just 27-years-old and has a lot left in the tank.
- Cody Allen – Allen has been a solid closer for the Indians the last few years, but he has rarely gotten the respect he deserves. In 2016, he had 35 save opportunities and blew just three of them. He has been a pretty reliable option for the Tribe, reliable enough that manager Terry Francona has not used star reliever Andrew Miller as the team’s primary closer. Allen was also phenomenal out of the bullpen in the postseason last year, as one of the main reasons the team was so successful.
- First-Overall-Pick – This is a little bit of a wild-card tournament entry. There is a lot of speculation surrounding this pick, but there is little doubt that the player will be a difference make for the Browns. Should the team go offense, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is likely to be high on the list. Should the Browns go defense, the pick is almost sure to be Myles Garrett. Still, we will not find out until April 27.
- Carlos Carrasco – The man known to most Indians fans as “Cookie,” Carrasco was on his way to a career year last season before injuries derailed his campaign. He dealt with a significant hamstring injury, which kept him out of the lineup for an extended period of time, and his broken hand kept him out of any postseason action. When healthy, Carrasco’s arsenal rivals that of most top pitchers in the American League, and he seems ready for a bounce-back year this year.
- Isaiah Crowell – Three words: Feed. The. Crow. Crowell has improved in every season in the NFL, since he came into the league back in 2014. After almost reaching 1,000 yards rushing last season, Crowell will be expected to have an even better season this year. Luckily for him, the Browns will have what could be one of the best lines in the NFL.