A Nightmarish Precedent

Who doesn't love a good underdog story? Me...(DISCLAIMER: I was perfect in the East Region and had one of my better years with my bracket picks)



With both shoes ON for a change

Even so, I am and have never been a big fan of underdogs or cindarellas. (I mean she wears glass slippers and leaves them all over the place...worse than a Kardashian..)

Sure the American Dream is based on them, and many would tell you there's nothing about me that screams "Favorite!"  But you can't tell me every so often it's not fun to watch a team dominate from the beginning of a season to the end. (Ie. Jordan's Bulls) Unless you live in Utah of course (See 97' and 98' Jazz)..

Ok, maybe I'm still in the minority, but I'm certain the majority didn't expect the 2011 NCAA Tournament Underdog to be Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). 


He didn't...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKbnRSIjjPk&feature=player_embedded
And neither did he..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ace6MPGIY2w&feature=player_embedded
Clueless analysts aside, five wins against five major conferences (Pac 10, Big East, Big 10, ACC, Big 12) and three games with 12 3-point field goals and VCU is Final Four bound.  Lucky? Possibly.  But, the Rams performance demands respect.  VCU is now the first team to go from the First Four to the Final Four (this is the first year the tournament has gone to 68 teams, instead of 64)
So, while the city of Richmond celebrates
http://www.buzzfeed.com/sportsfeeder/vcu-fans-take-to-richmond-streets-to-celebrate-tea-2h2q
college basketball fans should cringe.  VCU's run has now opened up a pandora's box of sorts. 

Do you know any of their names?

Selection Sunday was filled with controversy, because many thought Colorado and Virginia Tech were more deserving of Tournament bids than VCU and University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB).  But, unless you were a Buffalo or Hokie alum you got over it by Tuesday.  Now though, you can't help but wonder if this year's Final Four would have featured Colorado or Virginia Tech as well.

Many will say the selection committee seeded teams incorrectly, giving good teams poor seeds..But there was no argument, VCU and UAB didn't deserve to make this year's tourney.  Which begs the question..should the tournament allow more teams to participate?  More expansion?  Because if one of the last teams in the Tournament is Final Four worthy....

For now though, what seemed like fiction for VCU will reach its non-fictional conclusion this weekend.  And whether the glass slipper fits or not for the Rams, the 2011 Tournament will serve as a prelude to plenty more chaotic tournaments.