March Madness is March Boredom. Basketball is that dull.

Some of the food safety nerds I know have a NCAA pool called Food Safety Nerds who Like Basketball. Amy gets involved. I don’t. Hockey is more interesting at this time of year, and like hockey a few years ago, the rules for basketball seriously need to change: the last two minutes of each half cannot each take an hour to complete.

But, being in a college town, I know the chances of Kansas State hinge on The Beard: as senior Jacob Fear-the-Beard Pullen goes, so go the prospects of KState.

The Kansas City Star reported that Pullen was sick Wednesday and did not practice.

Kansas State officials told Star that Pullen had been suffering from flu-like symptoms and a high fever, but they expect him to recover in time to play against Utah State on Thursday night in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Teammates said Pullen was suffering from food poisoning.

Sophomore Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, who apparently does not have a future in epidemiology, told the Star,

"It was from something he ate last night, a cheeseburger or something like that. But he’s going to be all right and he’s going to go tomorrow. I know Jake … he’s going to give his all tomorrow whether he’s 100 percent or not."