First off, congratulations to Alan Anderson, who barely edged Derrick Mason to win the play-in poll. You'll see him immediately.

Before we launch into this bracket, a note -- I seeded this semi-randomly (the only change I made was that I moved Mateen so that he wouldn't possibly meet Magic in the second round.  That seemed wrong to me.  Everything else is randomly seeded), as something as ambiguous as being a person's favorite athlete should really have no seeds.  Now,  the first bracket to be revealed, the Izzo-Heathcote Region.  I chose to honor coaches with the regions, and I couldn't separate Jud and Tom.  Here we go:

My immediate thoughts:

• Kalisha Keane has her work cut out for her with Travis Walton, one of the best Spartan basketball leaders of all time.  She does have immediacy on her side though.
• As the winner of the play-in poll, Alan Anderson is naturally going against a powerhouse, so it's only fitting he draws Mateen.
• It's a blast from the past as two great Sprtan footballers from a couple decades ago, Percy Snow and Courtney Hawkins, do battle, except it's not as much of a battle as it is a popularity contest.
• Mat Ishbia has the unenviable task of going against what could be the greatest MSU hockey player of all time. 
  

Here's the second half of the bracket:

More thoughts:

• Depending on your thoughts on hockey, the first non-revenue athlete makes the bracket as NCAA champion wrestler Franklin Gomez grapples All-American Greg Jones. 
  
• I don't really have anything witty for Jason Richardson and Morten Andersen.  So it goes.
• There's no way we were having a favorite Spartan bracket without Kirk Cousins.  He faces Lindsey Bowen, who I enjoyed watching as the women hoopers made their run to the NCAA title game in 2005.
• Floor Rjipma reps Field Hockey here; unfortunately she faces Tim Bograkos, one of the most beloved walk-ons to wear the Green and White.

The Mason bracket will be posted later tonight.  For now, your thoughts?