Yes, I’m fully aware that Rome is burning, but we need our distractions lest we go nuts (although I realize it doesn’t help to turn on the TV for an escape and find Obama there, talking about his brackets — it made me yearn for another health-care speech . . . and I can assure you the ESPN interviewer was no Bret Baier).

Anyhow, I’ve got Kansas (Midwest), Pitt (West), West Virginia (East), and Villanova (South) — with West Virginia to take the whole thing (love those Big East teams).

My seven-year-old pickster has Kansas, Kansas State, Wisconsin, and Villanova — with Kansas State going all the way.

We were high on Kansas to win it all . . . until you-know-who picked ‘em.