March Madness is full of big upsets, statement wins, and mega matchups in the late rounds. The #MSGreatest bracket contest was no different in the second round.
No.1 seed world mogul Oprah Winfrey got hammered by fireballing five-seed Dizzy Dean in the Gulf Coast region, the first top seed to fall.
Delta region three seed Muppet Babies creator Jim Henson got a surprising win over Civil Rights leader No.2 Medgar Evers.
In a battle of Oxford titans, author immortal William Faulkner (1) dispatched quarterback legend Archie Manning (Delta region), while Brett Favre (3) beat Jerry Rice (2), a statement claim for Mississippi’s favorite football son.
No.1 overall seed, “The King” Elvis Presley dominated country legend Jimmy Buffet (5), and another King, No.1 seed B.B., hammered fellow blues great Muddy Waters (5). Acting icon Morgan Freeman (2) ended quarterback Steve McNair’s (6) Cinderella run, but running back great Walter Payton (2) flipped the script and smoked third-seed screen star James Earl Jones.
2nd Round Results
DELTA 1) William Faulkner def 5) Archie Manning 62-38; 3) Jim Henson def 2) Medgar Evers 57-43
MAGNOLIA 1) B.B. King def 5) Muddy Waters 85-15; 2) Morgan Freeman def 6) Steve McNair 64-36
CATFISH 1) Elvis Presley def 5) Jimmy Buffett 83-17; 2) Walter Payton def 3) James Earl Jones 79-21
GULF COAST 5) Dizzy Dean def 1) Oprah Winfrey 69-31; 3) Brett Favre def 2) Jerry Rice 58-42
3rd Round Matchups
DELTA: Faulkner (1) vs Henson (3)
MAGNOLIA: King (1) vs Freeman (2)
CATFISH: Presley (1) vs Payton (2)
GULF COAST: Favre (3) vs Dean (5)
Would any state have a greater eight? The 1-2 matchups of King – Freeman & Presley – Payton are absolute heavyweight slugfests a la Kentucky – Duke and North Carolina – Georgetown. Faulkner and Henson represent the highest form of creative performance. And it’s no surprise homely sports heroes Favre and Dean have made it through. Get ready for a fierce, fun fight to the finish to claim the tile of Mississippi’s Greatest!
