LETTER: Save your marriage

Editor,

My wife and I participate in March Madness bracket picks every year. It’s been great for our marriage. So here are some tips for all the husbands on involving your significant other during this special time of the year.

Make it easy on her. Print up a bracket and keep it by your side for the next day. In the course of your everyday conversation just ask a few questions. “Hey Honey, do you think a Badger could beat up a Wildcat? … No? Yeah, you’re probably right.” Translation: Weber St. over Wisconsin.

Don’t try to persuade her. “Honey, do you like warm places like Arizona or cold places like Vermont? Really? But don’t you think a warm place would be nicer? No? OK, but you don’t like the cold, you’re always complaining. No, no. I don’t mean it like that. It’s just that you don’t ski or snowboard, but you like swimming. No, no, I’m not saying you wouldn’t be good at skiing. I’m just saying … OK, I’m sorry. Hey, don’t your cousins live in Arizona? They like it don’t they? Are you sure you wouldn’t like it there? You hate the cold! OK, OK, I’m sorry. Yes, I’ll do the dishes. By the way, do you like Mormons or Huskies more?”

Don’t make it too obvious. “Honey, we need to talk. Do you have an hour? It’s really going to take some analyzing. OK, first, let’s discuss the classic 5-12 upset …”

Don’t make it too confusing. “Honey, have you heard this one? A Mormon, a Catholic, an Orangeman, and a Boilermaker go into a bar. They run into a Hurricane, a Trojan, a Governor, and a Tiger …”

Good Luck at getting your wife involved. You could always try what I do. “Here’s your bracket Honey. I’ll just be over here cleaning the kitchen and making dinner while you fill it out. Oh yeah, I still owe you $20 from last year’s bracket and $10 from the year before. How about we go double or nothing?”

Chad Mano