TheDOCTORdre
04-01-2006, 05:05 PM
You can't help yourself and neither can I, but its ok, its in our nature. A few weeks ago the field of 65 teams was announced for the NCAA 2006 March Madness Tournament and every college basketball fan around the nation did it...they picked who they thought would be the National Champions at the end of the greatest sporting event of the year. Four rounds later, here we are with the Final Four- LSU, Florida, UCLA and George Mason...I dont believe their is a single person in America who had this group even cross their mind as being the Final Four, but yet here we are and these are the teams. There are no number one seeds in the Final Four, not even my beloved Texas is in it, and yet its ok. Nonetheless I digress, I'm not here to talk about the favorites being knocked out or how Texas blew the chance at being the 1st school to hold the National football and basketball titles in the same acadmic year, I'm here to talk about the story of the tournament, the improbable run of an 11 seed,George Mason. Like I said to start off my article...you can't help it and neither can I...anyone whos team is out of the tournament is rooting for the George Mason Patriots and like I said earlier...its ok, everyone loves the underdog, because at one time in their life nearly everyone has been an underdog in one way, shape or form, and we can all relate to wanting to overcome the odds. So we take joy in watching George Mason and the run their making. What makes it even better is the teams they have taken out to make it this far. In the first round they took on a team from last years Final Four, Michigan State...MSU which was from the supposed best confrence in the nation, the Big 10, was disposed of by Mason by a score of 75-65. In that games the Patriots out rebounded the Spartans by a diffrence of 40-24. In the second round GM took on defending national champs, and the storied program from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. UNC who finished the season ranked 12th in the nation proved a tougher test for Mason, or maybe it is the other way around the Patriots proved a tougher test for the Tar Heels, than anyone could have expected and led by their seniors, GMU handed the youth filled team from Chapel Hill a shocking 65-60 lost. In the Sweet 16 Mason met up with another suprise team, the Wichata State Shockers. A strong 1st half by the Patriots, who led at intermission by a score of 35-19 proved to be enough as GMU went on to advance to the schools first Elite 8, by a score of 63-55, to face the top seed in their region the UConn Huskies. In the first half it appeared as if time had run out for Cinderella as the Patriots trailed by as many as 12 and went to the locker room at the half with a nine point defecit. But George Mason would not be denied. The Patriots came out and pulled within one to start the 2nd half with an 8-0 run. Mason took a lead in the second half at the 11:09 mark by a tally of 52-51 from then until the end of regulation the Huskies and the Patriots battled back and forth, exchanging lead changes. Poor free throw shooting nearly cost Mason the game, going 2-5 in the final minute of regualtion, allowing UConn to tie the game and send it into overtime. Many wondered if GMU would falter or fatigue(considering George Mason's coach, Jim Larranaga, kept his starting 5 in from the 10:37 mark in the second half until the end of OT.) But Mason perservered by a final score of 86-84 to advance to the Final Four. And here we are today, Cinderella is still dancing, and I'm loving every minute of it, and even if you wont admit which I dont know many who won't, you know you are loving every minute of it as well. As we sit and wonder how much time Mason has left in their miraculous run, I know they have been inspired me to never give up when the odds are against me, and hopefully you are as well. Its a story for the sports history books, a story of hard work, dedication, perserverance, and overcoming the odds. We root for Mason because someway, somehow if they can win it all it is in someway a victory for each and everyone of us who has ever wanted to shock those naysayers who said that we dont stand a chance. So when life gets you down think of those GMU Patriots, and remember Cinderella wears green and yellow.