GMU NCAA Run Greatest Ever: All They Did Was Knock Off Three of the Last Six National Champs

WMAL News ^ | March 27, 2006 | ANDY KATZ

[Ligeia]

George Mason's Sammy Hernandez (50) and Tony Skinn
celebrate their overtime victory over Connecticut
during the fourth round of the NCAA basketball
tournament in Washington, Sunday, March 26, 2006.
George Mason defeated Connecticut, 86-84
to advance to the Final Four.
(Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage, the much-maligned NCAA Tournament selection committee chair, stood up to observe George Mason's on-court celebration Sunday afternoon and said, "Maybe we seeded them too low."

He was kidding. But even if George Mason was a single-digit seed instead of a No. 11, that probably wouldn't matter for historical purposes. This was the greatest run ever to the Final Four. End of discussion.

It's hard to gauge what this historic win has done for this university located just 20 miles from here, one that is named after one of the founders of the U.S. Constitution, an idealist who refused to sign the document because he wanted the abolishment of slavery included (history lesson courtesy of head coach Jim Larranaga). Given that history, though, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the basketball team that bears George Mason's name would have plenty of passion.

The Patriots were one of the last five at-large teams to make the field, and all they did was knock off three of the last six national champs: Michigan State (2000) in round one (without suspended second-leading scorer Tony Skinn), North Carolina (2005) in round two and Connecticut (2004) at the Verizon Center in overtime in the Elite Eight. Wedged in there was Missouri Valley champ Wichita State in the Sweet 16.

Let's go over this again: The Patriots took out Tom Izzo, Roy Williams and Jim Calhoun, the latter a Hall of Fame member and the first two likely to be enshrined some day.

"I don't know if I've ever seen anything as remarkable," Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese said as he watched Larranaga, his good friend, cut down the nets at the expense of his league's best team. "Connecticut played well but George Mason played out of [its] mind. It reminded me of the night Villanova beat Georgetown [in 1985 to win the national title]." "They had to take on Michigan State, Carolina, a really good Wichita State team and the University of Connecticut in overtime," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said afterward. "I feel very, very positive for Jimmy, who is a friend of mine. I wish them well and they will really enjoy the Final Four."

Continue

[subterfuge]

Who's that cute girl that plays for the florida men's team ?

Ha! Hilareous! You mean that kid that's on the cover of Sports Illistrated? Fench Open winner Yannick Noah's son? Oh, that's Joakim Noah--and he's coming back next year and maybe the year after that!

Next year, we will be loaded. We will show no mercy. You better hope Florida wins it this year, cause Eddie Munster aint going to get one in a long time!

Aack! We lose a backup post player to graduation and the guys coming in are better than him already. "Eddie Munster"? Are you a closet Kentucky Wildcat fan?

[Ligeia]

Alumni Association -- scroll down to find locations all across the country to watch the game GMU Watch Party Sites

[Perdogg]

I think I will watch the game at Crystal City and stay for the show! ;)

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With a good chunk of Maryland and the Potomac river between me and Virginia, I'll be watching in the Old Line State. That's fine, since our starters are former Maryland high school players who found their spotlight in Virginia at GMU.

There is great local basketball talent here, and my hat is off to Coach Larranaga for finding some of it to assemble the "kryptonite kids". Michigan, WSU, UNC, UCONN all thought they were supermen... I bet Florida thinks they are supermen, too... hehehehe.



George Mason University used to be the best school no one ever heard of. Now, GMU is America's team. They're like George Mason himself, the most important patriot no one ever heard of, until now.

Dare we dream? National Champions? Yes, we dare dream. GO MASON!!!

[Ligeia]

You're brave!

[Ligeia]

I'll be watching in the Old Line State.

There are 5 Watch Party sites in Maryland! I bought my Kryptonite Kidz t shirt with GMU written like the Superman logo from Modell's. I'm ready for the big game! Like you, I'm enjoying the founding fathers history lesson. I can't imagine we'll beat the Gators, but it's been fun!

[Perdogg]

;)

[Ligeia]

Mason mania just rolls along
By Gary Emerling
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
April 1, 2006


ON THE ROAD TO INDIANAPOLIS -- George Mason's improbable journey to the NCAA Final Four has become a ride to remember for more than just the basketball team.

"This is by far the best thing I've ever done as far as school goes," said Jacob Jenkins, a junior aboard a school-sponsored bus bound for the final games in Indianapolis. "This is everything I wanted to get out of college."

Mr. Jenkins was joined yesterday by about 400 classmates on eight buses packed with everything from lucky sweat shirts to "Kryptonite Kids" cowboy hats for the rollicking, 11-hour road trip into the Midwest.

The antics inside the buses were G-rated but generations away from road trips powered by a cappella singalongs and boomboxes.

Laptops and iPods played Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and other songs that prompted rolling dance parties.

The caravan was barely off the Fairfax campus before students on one bus started singing what has become the Patriot's theme song: Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer."

* snip *

http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20060331-105444-7322r.htm

[Ligeia]

Patriots primed for next obstacle
By Jon Siegel
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
April 1, 2006


INDIANAPOLIS -- The George Mason band blared as the cheerleaders danced and shook their pompoms. Thousands cheered as the Patriots took the court inside the vast RCA Dome for their final preparations for the Final Four.

Sophomore guard Folarin Campbell led the Patriots onto the floor yesterday, and senior guard Lamar Butler began the layup drill as George Mason's historic and previously unimaginable journey through the NCAA tournament continued.

"It felt like any other practice, other than there were 20,000 fans out there," George Mason forward Will Thomas said.

The Patriots -- who had never won an NCAA tournament game before this run and surprised many by making the tournament at all -- will try to pull off another upset when they play Florida for the right to advance to Monday night's national championship game.

"It's been an absolutely magic carpet ride," Patriots coach Jim Larranaga said. "On the Wednesday just before we left for the first round [in Dayton, Ohio,] to play Michigan Sate, I brought the team together at the halfcourt circle as we do at the end of every practice. I told them, 'I'm going to have more fun than any other coach in the NCAA tournament, and I want you guys to have more fun than any other team.'?"

The Patriots have followed their coach's instructions. After being selected as the 11th seed in the Washington, D.C., Region and knocking off Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State and top-seed Connecticut, George Mason is now one of four out of 334 Division I programs still playing.

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http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20060401-120707-8063r.htm

[Ligeia]

GMU grads stay true to team in thick, thin
By Kara Rowland
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
April 1, 2006


The Fairfax Social Club is no group of sunshine Patriots.

Through ups and downs, in good times and bad -- such as when Tremaine Price's pass to George Evans rolled between his legs and out of bounds in the last minute against the University of Maryland in the first round of the 2001 NCAA men's basketball tournament -- the die-hard fans of the green and gold have been there every step.

For the FSC, tonight's Final Four appearance is merely confirmation of a truth they have known for years. It's just that, now, everyone else knows.

"It's not just the fact that we're ecstatic to get in the Final Four, we're excited about Coach L [Larranaga], about these guys who weren't even looked at by a major school and they came here -- housewives in North Dakota know about George Mason University now," said Yamah Tabibi, 33, a 1997 graduate and campus recruiter for a consulting firm.

A group of about 10 thirtysomethings who graduated from George Mason in the mid-to-late 1990s, the Fairfax Social Club transcends race, religion, occupation and even location -- there are members in San Francisco and Orlando, Fla. -- in pursuit of a common dream: Patriots basketball glory.

At Brion's Grille in Fairfax Thursday night, the friends celebrated after securing tickets to see their team make history in Indianapolis when they play the University of Florida tonight.

"This is what, eventually, we were all together for," said Michael McNutt, 32, a 1995 graduate who works as a meeting and events manager.

*snip*

http://www.washtimes.com/business/20060331-101325-4137r.htm

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Six hours to go...

MASON NATION - GO PATRIOTS

[Perdogg]

Have you got your t-shirts? I went by Dick's Sporting goods there were some nice Mason "Kryptonite Kids" tees?

I don't know who to go for, Eddie Munster and the gators or the GMU kids?

I guess since I am in Fairfax I should go for the home team.

[Ligeia]

Congratulations to our players for an amazing season! Definitely one we'll always remember.

[dfwgator]

But they couldn't beat the Mighty Gators!!!!

The Gator is hungry, and nothing would taste better than some Bruin meat.

[Ligeia]

Yep, the Gators outplayed us. Congratulations to you and Gator Alley.

[rhema]

I'm consulting Granny next year before I make my picks.

[Ligeia]

Cute, thanks!