Obama's Bracket: President Picks North Carolina to Win it All

It's time for one of the cooler traditions in March Madness—President Obama making his tournament picks on ESPN's SportsCenter. This year, the President went with North Carolina, the team he correctly picked to win it all in 2009.

Obama's picks into the Elite Eight and Final Four are pretty solid, though through the rest of the field he played it a bit safe for my tastes.

I love three of his Final Four teams—Missouri, Kentucky and North Carolina—and I think his fourth, Ohio State, is an Elite Eight team, though I believe they'll lose to Florida State in the round of eight. 

Per the rest of his Elite Eight (Baylor, Michigan State, Syracuse, Kansas), only Syracuse seems like a shaky pick at this point given the academic ineligibility of Fab Melo, though I'm assuming the President selected his bracket before that news was announced last night.

I also think Michigan State could be an upset victim at the hands of Memphis, but it's hard to bet against a Tom Izzo team in March that enters the tournament with a lot of steam.

I can't argue with Kentucky vs. North Carolina in the final, though I differ with Obama here. I have Kentucky beating the Tar Heels, though I think it will be a truly classic game and should be one basketball fans everywhere will get excited about.

What about Obama's upset specials?

Well, there weren't that many, to be honest. The President likes VCU over Wichita State, which seems to be a popular pick this year, though one I don't particularly agree with. Wichita State is legit.

He also sees NC State advancing to the Sweet 16 by beating San Diego State and Georgetown. I like NC State in a potential upset over the Aztecs, but I don't see them beating a very good Georgetown squad this year.

All in all, the President played it a bit safe in the early rounds, which is surprising given all of the madness that occurred last year. But in my opinion, it's hard to argue with his bracket once it hits the Elite Eight—there, I think the President is really solid.

We'll see how the leader of the free world holds up this year during March Madness.

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