If the glass slipper fits...

Well, here we are: the evening before the second weekend of the NCAA tournament and the "Cinderellas" out there are preparing to dance another dance. George Mason, Bradley, and Wichita State... which team, if any, will shake up the dance floor and rise victorious once again?

Now, I don't want to sound like a hard ass who isn't supportive of the mid-major teams in March Madness. If you know me or have been reading my posts, you know I love the mid-majors, I love the underdogs, and I love the "Cinderellas" when March rolls around (particularly when it's my alma mater shaking things up). But this isn't 1998 and Valparaiso isn't doing the hustle out on the dance floor. Similarly, it isn't 1999 and Gonzaga isn't doing the jitterbug on the dance floor either. I don't mean to be disrespectful to the George Mason, Bradley and Wichita State teams, staffs, and fans out there, but I just can't seem to be excited about these Cinderellas.

In the late 90s, I was enthusiastic about Valpo and the 'Zags. I had every bit of interest in their attempts at making the madness more crazy than it usually is. I was so interested that I used to tell my dad I wanted to go to Valpo or Gonzaga for college (well, until I realized these schools were in Indiana and Washington respectively - no thanks). That's how excited I was -- that's how much I wanted to get behind those teams, even if they screwed up my brackets.

There are many a expert out there who think these three teams can continue to make some headways in round three and possibly round four of the tournament. But I wouldn't stake my claim in that. I don't have any factual reasons as I normally do, it's just a gut feeling, an intuition, and I can't ignore that.

The saying goes, "If the shoe fits, wear it." And people out there will use this whimsically piece of advice in many a situation. But I have to wonder in this case, does the glass slipper fit? I think not. But if it does fit, who will wear it? And who will get tossed off the dance floor?

Nevertheless, I'm still curious and interested enough to find out. Here's to week number two of the most wonderful time of the year. Happy spectating!