I Move to Discontinue the Phrase 'This Year's George Mason'

How about we just let last year's George Mason be last year's George Mason, and whatever mid-major team makes a run through the tournament, we'll call them, "This year's" whoever. Not only is it cliché and tiresome at this point, it's also slightly insulting to the teams involved.

George Mason got to the Final Four last year because they were good. Virginia Commonwealth won last night because they were good. These were not supernatural occurrences. Teams who play well enough to earn wins like that deserve their name on this wins. If, for example, Kansas runs through the tournament this year and wins the whole thing, no one's going to call them "This year's Florida."

There's no need to call VCU "this year's George Mason." Mid-majors are capable of winning games sometimes ... by slapping that label on VCU, it sort of lumps all these mid-major victories together, as if it's some random happenstance occurrence that came about because the Mid Major Fairy waved his wand and the cute little guys got to play with Flubber on their shoes, and with a particularly hairy Michael J. Fox in the line-up.

It's not the case. VCU won because they played with no fear, had the athleticism and the nerve to pressure and hassle Duke all night long. They played a completely different style than George Mason, and they deserve their own props. If you have to label them somehow, just call them the team that whooped Duke.