11/23/06: We're Going to Need More Slippers

November 23, 2006

How does one define a Cinderella? And when did it become this David beating Goliath connotation in athletics? The answers to those questions are hard to seek out and find. In my opinion, the Cinderella story finds its best home in college basketball. Whether it’s the little team no one has heard of, or the fact that the tournament is nicknamed “The Big Dance.” With aspirations that some no-name school will be the next low seed to dethrone a former powerhouse.
The answer to who was the first true upset in the NCAA basketball tournament would be the 1986 Villanova Wildcats. An eight seed entering the tournament, they are still the lowest seed to ever win the whole thing. This was of course the same Wildcat team that beat powerhouse Georgetown led by Patrick Ewing in the national championships. Obviously Jim Valvano’s 1983 North Carolina State team beating Houston’s “Phi Slamma Jamma” in the finals has to go up as one of the greatest underdog stories in the history of the tournament.
And there have been countless others who have not won the whole thing, but seem to capture a small spot in our memories with just one or two wins respectively. The fundamentally sound back-door cuts of Princeton in the early 90’s slaying off UCLA; Valparaiso’s Bryce Drew executing one of the greatest final second plays drawn by his father Homer Drew in 1995 ending Missouri’s season at the buzzer; Holy Cross in 1998 becoming the lowest seed ever to win a first round game knocking off Vince Carter’s second seeded North Carolina as a 15th seed. Or, more recently consecutive second round trips by the unheard of Vermont Catamounts. There seems to be a story each year of at least one team making it beyond expectation. And, people find it easy to cheer for a team like this if their team is either out of the tournament or did not even make it. Probably the greatest thing about “March Madness” is that it is so contagious. Some people may not have watched any games prior to it, but then get involved when they see a Coppin State, or an Evansville, or have no idea what a Salikuis is, but still cheer for Southern Illinois, make an incredible run through the tournament.
With all the glitter and fame the title of Cinderella has, it’s hard to believe that some teams do not want that title. Example, perennial West Coast Conference power Gonzaga. Nine straight conference titles means nine straight times automatically invited to the national tournament. At what point does a team lose the Cinderella tag? Sure it is a small school in Spokane, Washington, but let’s look at who has come out of there; John Stockton, Dan Dickau, Ronnie Turiaf, and Adam Morrison. These are players that have had, or will have great professional careers. They have made it to the second round of the tournament the past five years and made a run to the final eight last year. I believe it is time to let go of the underdog title with Gonzaga.
Last year was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, national tournament we have ever seen. It truly showcased the turning and changing of parody in college basketball. So many teams, so many stories, it was an amazing March. Even before the tournament, George Washington’s incredible run, not Valley Forge, but out of the Atlantic Ten Conference going 29-0 before falling twice, and then getting a six seed in the tournament! But, back to the tournament, A quick review shows 15th seeded Winthrop, two seconds away from the second round after a desperation three pointer from the corner by second seeded Tennessee sent them home; 14th seeded Bucknell beat third seeded giant Kansas; runs to the sweet sixteen by Bradley and Wichita State; and finally beloved George Mason. The Patriots of George Mason found a place in all of us beating Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut to make it to the Final Four. Led by truly one of the most brilliant men to coach the game, Jim Larranaga, and I say brilliant because he had a team of no-name players believing they could beat anyone on any night. And, that in itself is the heartbeat of a Cinderella team. Believing you can win against anyone, when no one else thinks you can, is a must.
When looking for Cinderella teams, there is a breeding ground for them, and this place is called the Missouri Valley Conference. This ten team conference has emerged as the heavens for college basketball fans. Not a prevalent football power, the MVC thrives off it’s basketball recently. Indiana State in 1982 made it all the way to the national championships setting up a dramatic finish between the Sycamores Larry Bird and Michigan State’s Earvin Johnson. It wasn’t until Evansville in 2001 made a run to the sweet sixteen that the recent phenomenon happened. Southern Illinois took the reins from there making the sweet sixteen two of the following three seasons. Last year however, there was a big mess when the conference could have and probably should have sent six teams the national tournament. Southern Illinois won the conference, but was the first out, Bradley and Wichita State made runs all the way to the final sixteen teams.
So we move to this season and picking out the potential Cinderella stories. Well we certainly don’t have to look to hard, there have already been numerous mid-major’s knocking off big name schools. Winthrop gave North Carolina a run for their money and actually led at the half before falling by six. Oral Roberts knocked off Kansas in Lawrence when the Jayhawks were ranked third. Wichita State is back after beating number six Louisiana State in Baton Rouge by eight. Missouri State defeated number seven Wisconsin in a holiday tournament. Old Dominion goes into Washington D.C. and beats Georgetown who was ranked eighth at the time. Probably the biggest story so far of the year is Butler, who sits at 7-0 at the moment after winning the Preseason N.I.T. On their way to the title they beat Indiana, Tennessee, and Gonzaga all ranked opponents.
If I had to give you my list of Cinderella teams this year it would go as followed, and in alphabetical order, Bradley, Butler, Creighton, George Mason, George Washington, Holy Cross, Loyola Marymount, Missouri State, Nevada, Northern Iowa, Oral Roberts, San Diego State, Southern Illinois, Wichita State, and Winthrop. I honestly have no clear cut favorites out of those, but I would not be surprised at all if those teams make the national tournament and make some noise in it as well.
Last year’s run to the semifinals has every college basketball enthusiast asking, “Who is this year’s George Mason?” I can only respond with, why not George Mason? Do we need another George Mason? Runs like that are memorable because they are far and in between. The more often they happen, the less the title means anything. We need George Mason’s out there, we need to see underdog’s winning; sometimes we just need to believe in the unbelievable.