One of the really nice things about writing for the paper and expressing your NCAA tournament woes is that people read it.

I've received a lot of feedback about my last column on March Madness.

"Did that kid really take your money?"

"Do you really hate Dick Vitale?"

"How are you doing in the fun-only-with-a-small-monetary-stipend pool?"

Well the answer to the first two questions is "Yes."

The answer to the third is "Very well!"

According to espn.go.com, I am in second place in a pool of about 30 people.

And while it is mathematically impossible for me to actually win, it is also mathematically impossible for me to lose.

Everyone else and I have Connecticut, Michigan State and Duke in the Final Four, while none of us predicted Ohio State to be anywhere near the top of the South region.

And, with the exception of some knucklehead who would have won the thing had he not picked Miami (Fla.) to win the tournament, everyone else has Duke beating UConn in the finals.

You know, second place this year might be enough to erase the memory of that junior high scam.

The low double-digit sum I will receive for my near-victory will be more than the $10 "Poindexter" stole from me in the eighth grade.

So now that I am on the verge of being the silver medallist in my pool, a new question will pop up.

"What are you going to do with the money?"