After uncovering the ESPN.com supercomputers from the deluge of Cinderella Watch email, we've skimmed off the best responses for your enjoyment and edification.
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Last week's results
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"I am insulted to see the likes of Utah St., Boston College, College of Charleston, and South Florida as representatives of ESPN's Cinderella Watch. These teams are far from a true Cinderella story. Missing the NCAA or NIT Tournaments are a bad year for these squads. How about starting the season with a goal of being invited to your own conference tournament? The true Cinderella story this year are those mighty Anteaters of UC Irvine. We are currently 11-2! Our best start in over a quarter of a century. If we continue to expand on our current seven game win streak, ESPN, the NCAA Tournament Committee and the NIT Tournament Committee better take notice of our profile. And, being Anteaters with our large noses, we have a significant profile that can't be missed. If UC Irvine is not included in your next Cinderella Watch, you might as well rename this as Dumbo Watch. We have felt the pain for many, many years. No team or its fans have suffered to the degree that we have. We are having a great season and we deserved to be recognized as a true Cinderella story."
John Nishikawa,
San Francisco, Calif.
"Georgia State is definitely the true story of a Cinderella team. Located in downtown Atlanta with a campus flanked with concrete and skyscraper buildings, Lefty Driesell has resurected the losingest program in NCAA history into a true contender. This team showcases heart, desire, athleticism, inside and outside scoring not to mention stifling defense that causes about 20 to's a game! Down from the depths they arose to cast shadows over the two premier colleges in the area: Georgia and Georgia Tech, although Tech is playing well GSU succeeded where Tech failed by beating UGA at Stegeman Coliseum 91-79 ... and it wasn't even that close! Sit back relax and enjoy ... this team will get theirs come March!"
Lance Von Vogt,
Atlanta, Ga.
"Georgia Tech ... why? Very simple, start with the losses:
Iowa: always a good program.
Georgia: One of your Cinderellas. Only lost by 5.
Stanford: No. 1 team in the nation.
North Carolina: Tough in conference loss to a top 10 team.
Maryland: Tough in conference loss to a top 20 team.
Now the Marquee wins:
UCLA: Always tough.
Kentucky: Having a down year in part because of the loss to GaTech. Still a marquee win.
Virginia: Awesome win over a top 10 team.
Wake Forest: 2nd win in a row over a top 10 team.
These marquee wins are much more impressive than the ones your current Cinderellas have. Actually there is no comparison. This team was supposed to be in a rebuilding year under a new head coach (Paul Hewitt) and it is hanging tough in the best conference in the nation. Georgia Tech needs to be added to your Cinderella teams.
Robert Miller,
Hudson, N.Y.
"Look out, its been three years since St. Joe's went to the Sweet 16, but all of a sudden they are 13-3 (the three losses by a combined nine points) and they are undefeated in the A-10 with a key matchup at Temple coming up. They have an outstanding freshman point guard, in Jameer Nelson, but most of they are scrappy with a lot of a heart. In a weak A-10, they could come out of the conference and get a decent seed in the tourney, if they continue this pace."
Paul Capozello,
Philadelphia
"Holy Cross: 14-4 overall, 4-0 conference. Quality wins over Fordham, UMass, Manhattan. Tough losses to Providence and Princeton. This team was 10-18 last year, and has done it with defense and desire this year. They rebound and hustle, with no real stars."
Andrew,
Poughkeepsie, N.Y,.
"How can you not mention the job Dan Monson has done at Minnesota. He's taken a team with virtually no stars and made a 15-3 team with a winning record in the Big Ten and with only one loss by more than 10 points."
Ryan Olson,
Crookston, Min.
"What can you say about a team that has won 23 straight conference games in a row. Sure, the Big West isn't the most competitive basketball league in the country, but most good teams would falter at least once or twice on the road. Utah State has a big, talented front line that can compete with most any other teams in the country. They also have a few long-range weapons to counter any double teams on their post guys. Look out in the tourney, if we get the seed we deserve this year!"
"Though they lack in wins over big-name teams, Western Kentucky could well be a Cinderella team. They certainly have an X-factor in big man Chris Marcus."
Jeremy Williams,
Bowling Green, Ky.
"My Gonzaga Bulldogs are in a tough spot. Given their successes the last two seasons, it's tough to call them a Cinderella at any point in the season. On the other hand, they can't garner any national recognition unless they score a few huge upsets during pre-conference play and enter conference play with only one or two losses. Now that they're 11-5 and on top in the WCC with a healthy Dan Dickau, is there a spot on the Cinderella watch for this team in limbo?"
"There is one team in the A-10 that seems to be left off everyone's list. St. Joe's is the most balanced team in the conference. We are beating up on everyone from Colorado, to Dayton, and Temple. If we are not ranked after beating Xavier on sat. then the polls are a joke."
Michael Kearns,
Philadelphia
"I find it hard to believe that the Indiana State Sycamores are not on your Cinderella Watch. Wins over quality teams such as IU, Butler, and Austin Peay should definitely merit consideration. A 13-4 overall record and a 5-1 record in the most underrated conference in the nation also help the Sycamores."
Willie Lesko,
Terre Haute, Ind.
"The Providence Friars are looking astonishingly good; I didn't expect much after they expelled several players.
Win over Connecticut suggests they're for real."
Jim Collins,
Wilmington, N.C.
"You gotta take a look at BYU. After soundly beating a San Diego State team with lots of desire to win their first MWC game, BYU trounced UNLV Monday night on national TV. There was so much energy in the Marriot Center Monday night, it felt like a March game. The Cougars are out to prove themselves worthy and will do so against Utah on the 29th, again on national TV, not a normal experience for a team that three years ago went 1-25. Their last defeat was a 3 point loss to a tough USC squad that was ranked pretty highly at the time. Watch out for the Cougars, they haven't proved themselves yet, but are on their way to a very respectable season and a shot at some upsets in March."
David Wilson,
Provo, Utah
"How in the world is St. Joe's (Pa.) not in the Cinderella Watch? Is it because they are too good? They marched into Temple and beat them by 22! They (were) undefeated in A-10 conference play, and 14-3 overall! This team is for real! Get them on the watch before they go from Cinderella to contender!"
"Where's UTEP on your list? The Miners are far exceeding this season's expectations! Yeah, yeah, RPI, smuckPI. ... The Miners will be dancing come March!"
Rick Salcedo,
San Antonio, Texas
"Hey guys! Take a look at the South Alabama Jaguars. They've already beat a couple of tourney quality teams (Auburn and
Marquette), and came 2 minutes from beating Indiana. We will be in the NCAA Tournament because the Sun Belt Conference Tournament is being played on our campus, and we DON'T lose in the Jungle (86 percent home win percentage at the Mitchell Center; one conference loss). Keep your eyes on those guys, you'll be seeing a lot of them in March."
Charlie Robinson,
Mobile, Ala.
"How can everyone over look SMU?!? With a preseason all-American pick and two preseason All-WAC players they are definitely on their way to the tournament. While they have some minor setbacks, such as the recent loss to Fresno State, the Mustangs have also had some very close games with big names such as Tennessee and Oklahoma. These guys are just warming up, by March they'll be on fire."
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Cinderella Watch
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