Autistic Kid Picks Perfect NCAA Bracket

[HollywoodH17]

Nice work for the first two rounds... unfortunately he's completely screwed in the rounds thereafter!

 

[LilGherkin]

I remember when they played this story first, then they showed the story about the murder of three.

 

[Calatar]

Also, 3 millions of people, 1 to 13 million chance of making it right by picking randomly the teams with NO knowledge or sense at all... It means that what, it's a 1 in a 4 chance to happen?

Yeah! A 1 in 4 chance if everyone picked a completely different bracket.
But that's not going to happen, so the odds are actually much higher.

But you're right. Never mind that it would have been crazy awesome no matter who did it, and never mind that this kid is going to be held back by his illness for his entire life, as there is no cure, and will probably never again have the opportunity to have this kind of attention, but screw it, right?

Let's instead all be internet grumpy-pants who can't enjoy any lick of positive news.
That's a much better idea.

1- ((13.6million-1)/(13.6million))^(4.78million) = .299
So there's a 29.9% chance of somebody getting them all right, assuming randomized charts per person, repeatable values possible. Maybe that math is more to your liking.


Repeating what others have said, the fact that a person got it isn't all that incredible given the enormous sample pool. Attributing it to anything apart from luck is entirely premature. The mention of autism and "math skills" really has very little to do with his success. If it was simply math skills, then he wouldn't choose any underdogs, and would just go with the most statistically likely options.

It just seems like he's being hailed as a savant because he guessed right, and he's autistic.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Hmmm if he dose predicti march maddness, I hope he doesnt say Zynga will win :/ even though there is a good chance they will.

 

[DoctorObviously]

I am autistic. It's good to see someone like me achieving such a feat. It was about time we got some more recognition than just being looked weird at.

 

[Goenitz]

Statistically, its bound to happen eventually.

 

[VaNilla]

Also, 3 millions of people, 1 to 13 million chance of making it right by picking randomly the teams with NO knowledge or sense at all... It means that what, it's a 1 in a 4 chance to happen?

Yeah! A 1 in 4 chance if everyone picked a completely different bracket.
But that's not going to happen, so the odds are actually much higher.

But you're right. Never mind that it would have been crazy awesome no matter who did it, and never mind that this kid is going to be held back by his illness for his entire life, as there is no cure, and will probably never again have the opportunity to have this kind of attention, but screw it, right?

Let's instead all be internet grumpy-pants who can't enjoy any lick of positive news.
That's a much better idea.

1- ((13.6million-1)/(13.6million))^(4.78million) = .299
So there's a 29.9% chance of somebody getting them all right, assuming randomized charts per person, repeatable values possible. Maybe that math is more to your liking.


Repeating what others have said, the fact that a person got it isn't all that incredible given the enormous sample pool. Attributing it to anything apart from luck is entirely premature. The mention of autism and "math skills" really has very little to do with his success. If it was simply math skills, then he wouldn't choose any underdogs, and would just go with the most statistically likely options.

It just seems like he's being hailed as a savant because he guessed right, and he's autistic.

This is the point I was trying to make. I'm not putting him down, I think it's a really cool achievement, but the fact that he's autistic has nothing to do with something which is entirely down to luck.

 

[MellowFellow]

The title of the thread is very misleading since he obviously no longer has a perfect bracket, but picking the first two rounds perfectly is still a major feat. I am glad though that I still have a chance to win first place in the pool I am in for march madness.

 

[Formica Archonis]

So far my picks are good. My buddy Bryce Lynch said the Druids are going to win it all with a field goal in overtime. I think I'll go with what he says.

(Obscure reference?)

 

[Corkydog]

Who gives a shit that he's autistic? Why do writers feel the need to point these things out, they don't change anything :/

Yeah, you're right.
Who cares that a kid with a serious mental illness correctly picked the winning teams in March Madness with perfect accuracy over all the 'experts' and people who do this stuff for a living, and who do not have that mental handicap. That shouldn't make a difference, right?

Except that it makes it all the more incredible.
A person without that problem doing this would be pretty awesome.
But a kid with autism? How is that not extra awesome?

On topic: Good on him! The bracket he entered doesn't allow for him to win anything, which is a shame (He earned it), but it's incredibly awesome nonetheless. Maybe a sports company will cut him some slack and get him some type of prize anyways. That would be class act.

While I agree it is an amazing feat, I too think that his accomplishment, not his disease, should have been emphasized in the headline at least. The autism should have backed up the incredibleness of his bracket, not overshadow it. It's just decency to try and treat them as normal people, instead of making a huge deal over why they are different, which could (didn't happen here) eclipse their achievements.

 

[Brad Shepard]

Am i the only one that finds it funny that people that based there jobs around stuff like this cant pick a good bracket, but a Autistic kid does it with no problem?

 

[Hithlain]

Well, since Purdue lost, he's not 100% correct anymore ;_;