Fan bases swell swiftly in the midst of March Madness. Case in point: Saint Mary's, a school with fewer students than Villanova had fans at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., last weekend.
The 10th-seeded Gaels became a national story with upsets of Richmond and Villanova. They were as colorful as they were successful with a supporting cast of 3-point shooting Australians, one of whom wears a bicolored mouthpiece, and a star in center Omar Samhan, whose NBA-caliber game has been enhanced by musical accompaniment, "Mister Sandman."
By the time they arrived home to Moraga, Calif., they had a police car and fire truck for escorts, as well as the kind of national following that invariably attaches itself to an underdog on the rise.
At the other end of the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16 spectrum, you have Tennessee, which didn't upset anyone in the first two rounds and provided no captivating storylines in the process, unless you're partial to retold tales (i.e., UT's resilience from mid-season attrition).
In fact, as colleague Mike Griffith pointed out in Tuesday's News Sentinel, the national media's assessment of the Vols' tournament success could be summed up with: "What are they doing here?" They might as well have advanced by forfeit.
That's why I was surprised by the take of my friend, Mike, an ardent sports fan from Louisiana. He began following the tournament with no preconceived allegiance. Now, he's championing the Vols for the Final Four.
You could attribute his counter-view as a symptom of March Madness, or perhaps assume he appreciates all the elbow room still available on the UT bandwagon. But he has a history for not following the sports fan herd.
For example, he didn't even care that one of St. Mary's Aussies had a bicolored mouthpiece. He found Bruce Pearl's coaching and UT's determined play in the first two rounds more compelling.
Whether you watch UT from near or far, you would conclude that Pearl is hotter than his team right now. He has transformed UT basketball program from missing in March to a tournament regular. And his latest tournament venture was preceded by a mid-season calamity, highlighted by the dismissal of Tyler Smith, the team's best player.
Yet this isn't all about coaching. It's also about a team that has grown increasingly comfortable in its own skin and seems undeterred by disasters - such as the 29-point loss to Kentucky in the semifinals of the SEC tournament - or the criticism that follows posthaste.
Even at their best, the Vols are aesthetically challenged. But winning ugly has become their badge of honor; defense and depth, their winning edge.
From UT's current perch on the NCAA bracket, the Final Four isn't just sports fantasy. It's conceivable that a team good enough to upset Kansas and Kentucky, albeit at Thompson-Boling Arena, could beat Ohio State on Friday and the winner of the Michigan State-Northern Iowa game in the St. Louis regional.
Alex Herrmann, a 17-year-old from Chicago, has predicted as much. This bears mentioning since Herrmann, who is autistic, has gained national attention by predicting every game correctly through the first two rounds. His Final Four picks: UT, Kentucky, Purdue and Kansas State.
My friend, Mike, is looking even further ahead. "I would like to see them mess up Kentucky," he said, ignoring the result of their last meeting and referencing a match-up that couldn't occur until the championship game.
March Madness: He has it bad.
John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 43
tnaseevol writes:
I am ready for Friday night!!!!
GBO beat OSU
BillsBrother writes:
The Vols CAN win these next two games.
MemphoVol writes:
Tn vs KY in the finals. I haven't dared allowed myself to even go there! But wouldn't it be cool!
jclowers writes:
In all speculation: I would love to see TN vs. KY in the national title game for many reasons, not the least of which because it would mean the Vols are in the title game. However just from a basketball standpoint that game would be even bigger than Tenn vs. Memphis #1 vs. #2. A new chapter in the TN/KY rivarly, Bruce Pearl and Calipari matching wits and verbal barbs leading into it, the aftertaste of the 29 point beat down in the SEC title game, the fact that there were numerous shoving matches and that Chism and Orton might be ready to brawl, JP revenge for the P.J. comment, that no-one would give Tennessee a chance, etc. etc. BUT first Tennessee needs a little bit of revenge against Ohio State Friday and to handle their business against either Northern Iowa or Michigan State. Both games are winnable the only teams that have seemed unstoppable this year were Kentucky and Kansas and Tennessee beat them both and one of them is gone. Tennessee can get to the Final Four and play Cuse or K State or whoever in another winnable game to get to this dream matchup. A tough road, but doable this team just needs to play defense and ride Chism, JP, Bobby and hopefully Hopson.
Then again, Kentucky still has to win their games to get in. I hope the autistic kid is right...until he gets a couple things wrong in the Final Four. Go Vols
GoUTVols3 writes:
win and im going to louis for sunday come on orange lets do this
bigorange61 writes:
I hope we get to the final four, but want no part of Kentucky. I'll be for Kentucky if the Vols don't make it.
Volfanstuckinmemfo writes:
For the sake of my bracket, I hope it's the Vols and WVU, but I'll take whatever I can get as long as it's the Vols v somebody
UTVOLSRROCKN writes:
We WILL get to the Final Four and I would be more than happy to play KY again. Even though they opened up a can of whoopazz against us in the SEC tourney....they CAN be HAD and WE are to team to do it. However, if things don't go our way, I like you,will pull for KY if the Vols don't make it, but its OUR time and OUR year to make even MORE history! GBO!!!!!
rocky_topper writes:
These men can do it. If making history won't get this team ready to play, nothing will. Bring it guys!!!!
GBO!
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Slurp.
Maybe pigs can fly.
GBO.
richvol writes:
There has never been a better setup for us to advance to the final four. Can we take advantage? The stars have aligned for us to have the least brutal path we have ever had.
ODA751 writes:
Great post. I almost spilled my coffee. Thanks for making me laugh out loud.
AtLeastMyTeamHasPerfectSeasons writes:
Dang! If the Vols were to play KY in title game, that would be bigger than the football team playing Bama a 2nd time in the SEC championship game in ATL.
VOLsince68 writes:
I've been dreaming for a chance for the Vols to make it to the Final Four for most of my life. I do believe this is the best opportunity we've ever had to do that; even though we had an more talented team when we played OSU in 2007.
If we were to somehow make it to the NC game against KY (or anyone else for that matter).....well I'm already having a hard enough time concentrating at work now. I might as well quit if that happens..........
We can do this!
GO VOLS!!!!!!!
oldbasshead writes:
May the best team win. If OS is better than UT, then they should win. However, we all know that if UT plays to their potential, UT should be the better team.
finn writes:
I hope Bruce and the team channel all this national media bias and go out and absolutely destroy every team standing in their way. I personally don't get it but there really does seem to be a complete and utter lack of respect for everything the team has done this year. I just hope paybacks are hell!
UrbanFavre writes:
No, honestly I can't.
easleychuck writes:
Not pulling for Calcheat ie., UK under any circumstances, even against Duke.
Go Vol!
givehim6 writes:
Ha John, sounds like your friend needs your job , we might get better reviews.
volonthehill writes:
Are you Dennis Miller?
VOLinAthensGA writes:
Let's dream an Big Orange dream:
UT in the final four!!!!!!
doctorvol#211700 writes:
I'll choose to not be for Ky
VolunteerLifer writes:
We were picked to be upset in both previous rounds by media darling underdog cinderellas. Now we are picked to lose to a media darling favorite, OSU. Does that mean if we win we will become a media darling underdog cinderella in subsequent rounds of the tourney? I won't hold my breath.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
Who'd have thought it! A contemporary sailor who is a classical scholar! Well played, sir, well played!
RockyTopRenegade writes:
Help me out here...is the pig wearing a sweatband?
VOLSGURLINCHARLOTTE writes:
VOLsince68 - I started pulling for the VOLS in 2006 when I met my husband who is from Tennessee and I am convinced he and his entire family bleed orange. I have come to absolutely love UT football games and can't wait for football season to arrive. I have never really been a fan of basketball, even though I grew up in ACC country. However, this year I have found myself so amazed at everything this team has done and have not missed watching or attending a single game. I totally understand where you are coming from about not being able to concentrate at work and I am not sure how I will ever make it through the day tomorrow. I just have a feeling this is a special team and our year to make magic happen. GO BIG ORANGE!!!
CrankE writes:
You know, for an opinion piece, shouldn't this actually have...an opinion? (As opposed to merely writing about the opinions of Griffiths and that other kid.)
Regime change at KNS!
GreenbackMike writes:
That is the only way it could be!!
This Orange Kool Aide is tasting better and Better each Day. Do you think Peyton would throw a party if we make it to INDY?
schymtz writes:
Go Vols! BEAT Ky!!!
Anybody else heard the age-old definition of a "buckeye" as a "worthless nut?"
jcherrie#219531 writes:
That's a very good prediction - very good. Yeah - very good.
Judge Wapner is on. He's a very good judge. Yeah.
VolJunkie writes:
The Vols CAN win these next four games ...
Is it Friday yet?
Go Vols!
VolJunkie writes:
Waffle House shift change ...
Go Vols!
johnlg00#206211 writes:
No, we will be considered a speed-bump Syracuse, UK, or Duke must get over on their way to a championship. We will be an underdog in every game from now on, except maybe against No. Iowa, but not the lovable kind every uncommitted fan falls in love with. We will have everybody in the stadium not wearing Volunteer Orange against us against No. Iowa. Against everybody else, we are just party-crashers determined to spoil the fun of our betters. Works for me! GBO!!! TCB!!!
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
The perfect song for the 2010 version of the Vols basketball team would be "Shine" by 3 Doors Down. The words in this song are perfect because they tell the story. A line in the song is.."you're about to make history and people will remember this day because it's you're time to Shine". The wording is pretty close.
VOLS 75
Buckeyes 70
Makin' History, Baby!!! WOOOOHOOOO!!!
ProwlinAndGrowlinSmokeyDog writes:
Correction: 2009-10 Version..sorry about that. Just excited!!!
jcherrie#219531 writes:
Definitely. Definitely sucks....
manoffewwords writes:
Alex can't be wrong !
jesusvol4 writes:
It would be great to see TN-KEN in the NCAA Championship! Hey, it could be a giant step in getting the fanbase for our basketball program feeling a BIG ORANGE BASKETBALL addiction! We may not have to think of Kentucky fans outnumbering us at a game in Nashville again....... Lets go VOLS! BELIEVE and ACHIEVE!
Down_The_Field writes:
alex is the man!
for those of us who have special need children, this story is priceless.
jhayes0926#638474 writes:
I would much rather play Cornell than Ky in the finals. It is not as macho as saying "I want KY's azz again!!", but I would much rather win the championship than take on a team that just beat me by 29 3 weeks earlier.JMO
my3cents writes:
Absolutely agree!
And those who feel the need to poke fun at an autistic child who is showing them up should show a little more class.
DarthWilson writes:
Nice. Let's make fun of the autistic kid. Grow up...
DarthWilson writes:
JA, good piece. As if I wasn't already fired up for friday now I don't know how I will get any sleep.
GO VOLS!!!
BEAT OHIO ST.!!!
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