Joe Lunardi: podcast appearances and interviews

Joseph Lunardi is an American college basketball analyst known for creating the concept of bracketology, which involves predicting the teams that will be selected for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. He has served as the resident bracketologist for ESPN since 1997 and took on a full-time role in 2019. Lunardi's work in this field began as part of his responsibilities with the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, where he became managing editor in 1991. The practice of projection started in 1995 when he needed to preview potential tournament teams for a guide, initially evaluating 100 teams, of which only 64 made the tournament. He began making projections for ESPN.com in 1996 in exchange for publicity for the Yearbook. His brackets have gained significant attention, often receiving millions of hits during the NCAA season, and his first ESPN bracket attracted 250,000 hits within the first 90 minutes. In addition to his work with ESPN, Lunardi has been a color commentator for Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball since 1990. He was born in Philadelphia, attended Saint Joseph's Preparatory School and Damien High School, and graduated from St. Joseph's University in 1982, where he also served as the sports editor for the campus newspaper. Lunardi's expertise in bracketology has made him a recognizable figure during NCAA tournament coverage, especially in February and March.