Cinderella at the Big Dance

With no gimick, no hype, and no flash, George Mason has become one of the more improrable participants in college basketball's Final Four with their thrilling 86-84 overtime win over #1 seed Connecticut.

Sports Illustrated calls the Patriots "the Greatest Cinderella Story in the History of College Hoops." Does that sound like overhype? Name a bigger Cinderella--I sure can't.

Clearly UConn was one of the most talented teams in the nation, but no team has shown more heart and toughness than the guys from a coummuter school in Farifax, Virginia.

The thing I like the most about George Mason is the way they have approached this whole experience. Rather than having a chip on their shoulder for being previously ignored or their coach Jim Larranaga complaining about the distractions caused by suddenly interested media, they have chosen a unique path. They're having fun. Read some of the quotes from this AP story for evidence of that.

Having fun--what a concept! It seems to be working out okay for the Patriots, doesn't it?

On the other hand, how pissed do you think Hofstra is NOW about not making the NCAA Tournament? The Pride is the last team to beat George Mason, posting a convincing victory over the Patriots in the CAA semi-finals. They fell onto the wrong side of the bubble and wound up getting knocked out of the NIT by another CAA school, Old Dominion.

Oh well, everybody can't be happy. Just ask UConn coach Jim Calhoun (classy in defeat) or anyone associated with the Huskies tonight.