Upsets Abound in Opening Round of Spring Semester Most Influential American Tourney

To many, smaller class sizes in schools seem like an obvious advantage--more personal connection, more one on one time with teachers, more space in the room but for the selection committee for the Most Influential American tournament, smaller classes prevent challenges.  Rest easy, citizens, your selection committee has found a way to successfully get this tournament up and running for spring of 2015.

With only 22 students and just one section of American History this semester, this promises to be an ultra-competitive tournament as the four brackets--presidents, social activists, wildcard, and innovators--only have five or six competitors in each bracket. 

There were only a handful of match ups in the opening round of 32 but upsets dominated the round of 32.  In the Presidents bracket, both lower seeds won their opening round match ups as #5 seed Franklin Roosevelt knocked out #4 seed Thomas Jefferson.  Jefferson had not suffered a defeat this bad since the Barbary Wars.  In a shocker, isolationist and sixth seeded Woodrow Wilson ended the run of back to back final four participant Teddy Roosevelt in a close first contest.  Roosevelt was quoted as saying, "bully for him" as the contest ended.  FDR will do battle with #1 seed Abraham Lincoln and Wilson will tangle with #2 seed George Washington in the sweet 16.

Two more upsets occurred in the Wildcard bracket as Walt Disney kept the magic alive as the 5 seed knocking off explorers Lewis and Clark who never even got out of the boat before the rout was on.  Sixth seeded Steven Spielberg was the start of the show as he outlasted Albert Einstein.  Einstein always seems to under perform in this tournament.  Walt Disney will match up with #1 seed Alexander Hamilton and Spielberg will go up against #2 seed Thomas Edison.

On the other side of the tourney, another 5 seed Bill Gates defeated 4 seed Alexander Graham Bell.  Gates moves on to face his nemesis and defending champion and #1 overall seed Steve Jobs.  In the other sweet 16 match up the 3 seed Henry Ford will battle the 2 seed Abraham Lincoln.

In the final bracket of social activists, #1 seed Martin Luther King will match up with the only higher seed to advance out of the round of 32.  #4 Seed Eleanor Roosevelt matches up with King after her first round win over labor activist Eugene Debs.  In the other sweet 16 matchup #2 seed Susan B. Anthony will compete against #3 seed Jackie Robinson in an entertaining contest.