No detailed X’s and O’s breakdown today. You can get that anywhere else in serious information-overload all over the net. There are previews everywhere. No, instead, a simple tribute to David over Goliath. Because even though we’re a 4-seed, and many believe that we are simply exactly where a 4-seed should be, still, let’s be honest. It’s Washington State vs. North Carolina.
First, though, who was Goliath?
- Born: c. 1060 B.C.
- Birthplace: Gath, Palestine
- Died: c. 1030 B.C. (killed in battle)
- Best Known As: The giant slain by David’s slingshot
Goliath was a giant soldier from Gath in ancient Palestine, according to a famous story in the biblical book 1 Samuel. Listed at roughly 9 FEET tall, an imposing figure no matter the era. The 17th chapter describes an armed clash between the Philistines, led by Goliath, and the army of Israel. Despite Goliath’s intimidating size, the unlikely Judean boy-hero David meets him on the field of battle. David slings a fatal stone that hits the giant between the eyes and fells him. David beheads the fallen Goliath, Israel wins in a rout and David goes on to become king. In sports, politics, business and other arenas, a competition between seemingly mismatched opponents is sometimes described as “David and Goliath” or “David versus Goliath.”
So clearly it’s happened before (if you believe in such things). Here’s some of the biggest NCAA versions of Goliath to fall to David over the years:
Chaminade over #1 Virginia in 1982. Virginia had Ralph Sampson, but were shocked 72-70 by a school that still nobody knows where they are, or how it happened (Chaminade beat them in Hawaii by the way).
Villanova over Georgetown (sorry Reep). Easily one of the most stunning upsets of all-time, the scrappy Wildcats play nearly the perfect game, including the 2nd half where they shot 90%! The only miss was a block by Ewing. This was pre-shot clock days, and some to this day claim that the clock was introduced because of this game. Villanova was an 8-seed by the way, still to this day the lowest seed to ever win the NCAA title.
George Mason topples #1 U-Conn. Mason was loaded with patience and experience, and U-Conn was loaded with NBA first-round draft picks in Rudy Gay, Marcus Williams, Hilton Armstrong and Josh Boone. U-Conn survived an OT win over UW to get to the Great 8, and everyone thought they were home free to return to the Final Four if they could kick the pesky upstarts from nowhere to the curb. DENIED.
Hmmm….maybe this is our best hope? Isn’t UNC loaded with NBA draft picks? Don’t they like to play fast and will try to run, run, run us back to Pullman? Hmmm.
Stanford over USC this year. Almost a 40-pt dog, on the road, and the Cardinal shock the Trojans. NOBODY saw that coming, yet it happened.
One of the the biggest upsets in terms of name/shock value? App State – Michigan last year. App State blocks the field goal heard ’round the college football world, as fans all over the country break out in a spontaneous cheer in the 34-32 stunner.
Maybe my favorite of all-time? Hickory winning the state title in Indiana, led by Gene Hackman. How inspiring is that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3E3bEH1Ov8&hl=en
(gotta love the “let’s win this for all the small schools”!)
So there you have it. It’s been done before. Will it happen again??
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