MEH, doesn't bother me. No doubt I'm in the minority but never a big fan of the whole Cinderella thing anyway. Always seemed more like a media thing than reality. Cinderella coaches have typically moved on after a good season, now the players get to and so it goes.
See full story from this timely article from The Athletic. Hopefully link still works . . . Article is free but solicits your patronage at the end. This NCAA Tournament doesn’t need a Cinderella — it’s got monster leagues and matchups We’ve got gobs of chalk, a dominant conference being a dominant conference, nothing resembling a Cinderella and just one finish that might qualify for future men’s NCAA Tournament montages — but what a finish, Maryland’s Derik Queen off the glass at the buzzer to keep the “Crab Five” alive and send the lowest remaining seed home. It was not a vintage first weekend, yet it was nonstop fun, the mark of an untouchable sporting event. A non-traditional star helped. Players and coaches rule March, Read in The Athletic: This NCAA Tournament doesn’t need a Cinderella — it’s got monster leagues and matchups — The Athletic
In fairness we did have a 12 seed lose because a guy ran a half marathon on his way to the winning shot.
I think it's an overreaction but, even if it isn't, I guess I don't care that much. I've LOVED getting to watch some nobody team take out a 1, 2 or 3 seed in the first and/or second rounds (with a couple of exceptions I guess). I love it! But then we get to see them lay an egg, or at least lose, to some bigger/better team/program down the road. It always happens it's just a matter of how far. And, from my perspective, I don't care as much about the games, later in the tournament, if it's a a bunch of double digit seeds. If most people are honest, they want a pretty chalky end to the tourney.
I mean, really? I don't doubt y'alls players love the program and the university. But let's go back in time one year and have Golden decide to eliminate NIL for UF players and given each player the ability to transfer anywhere, restriction free. How many of those guys are on the team this year? I think it's a false dichotomy to an extent at least.
Our guys talk about each other and the team. Their guys talk about money. I've never heard one of our guys outright say they're here for the money or even talk about money at all, especially unprovoked. Of course nobody is playing for free anymore, but I think his point is still valid.
Yeah when we were Cinderella with Lon Kruger and everyone belly ached when he jumped and enter Billy Donavan.
I don't see a huge difference between the NIL and those programs that paid players pre NIL under the table, they always got the best players then and they still get the best players. It was pay for play for decades, it just wasn't out in the open. The top of the food chain hasn't changed much if at all. Just because there's no Cinderella this year doesn't mean there won't be any again, or at a reduced pace. Florida Atlantic was just in the Final Four 2 years ago.
I don’t think it’ll really die. There’s soooo many good basketball players that don’t get highly recruited so they are still going to catch on somewhere. Teams aren’t cinderellas because they are perennial powerhouses, they catch lightning in a bottle and then move back to “who is this?” Yeah people might take their stars but how many Cinderella’s repeat?
Honestly right now we are seeing the Covid guys in basketball graduating. All recruiting came via film. So it’s just the universe catching up with it self this tournament if you ask me. Yes, NIL plays a part, yes the portal plays a part but really great players ended up at lower schools and knew they had a better shot somewhere else. Just look at our team for proof.
Not many excellent mid-major players are going to remain at their schools when big schools with deep NIL pockets come calling.
3 of 5 FL starters were transfers. 4 of 5 starters for Bama, Auburn and TN were transfers. The people that played for Cinderella teams now are transferring to the SEC. I’ve actually enjoyed the better more predictable better matchups. Unless FL was involved I had little interest in the tourney because at times it was almost random.
