Cinderella takes a year off

2009 is not the year of the glass slipper, the pumpkin carriage or the charming prince.

Cinderella has taken the year off – perhaps she was involved in a round of Disney layoffs? – from the latest edition of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and college basketball fans should be happy about that.

With the exception of Wake Forest (thanks for blowing up my bracket, Demon Deacons) and Washington, the top four seeds in each region are alive and well after this weekend’s second-round action. Lute Olsen-less, Arizona has snuck into the Sweet 16 as a 12 seed and that-school-that-shouldn’t-be-named completes the bracket as a five seed.

Such results, of course, are exactly on par with what the NCAA selection committee was looking for when it developed the bracket two weekends ago. It’s also a nearly complete way for fans of all of these good teams to find out who’s the best of the best without the Stephen F. Austins of the world getting in the way.

But is that really what college basketball fans want?

Sure, it’s great that all of these teams made it through the first two rounds of play in what is likely the toughest postseason experience of any sport.

The outcome of the Final Four in Detroit has all but guaranteed itself as a match of the college titans of 2008-09 without Siena – or freakin’ Cleveland State – messing things up and leaving open a door of “what if?” for the coming national champion.

In other words, we’re going to find out if the heavily self-promoted Big East (it still could easily end up with each of the Final Four spots) can fit its billing. We’ll also see if the Big Ten with Michigan State and Purdue (gah!) can be a legitimate contender despite the onslaught of nationwide hatred for the conference because it plays something called defense.

However, the NCAA has likely lost a nice dose of the extremely casual observers who pull for the underdog, whether it be Cal State Northridge or East Tennessee State. There will be no George Mason or Davidson this year to rope in fans who suddenly feel the fire of a no-name taking down a big name.

I encourage you, though, to join in on my anti-Duke sentiment. Any Blue Devil defeat has the same feel of a Cinderella story, right?

You can probably blame the lack of underdog stories on the selection committee’s job well done, or just plainly on the fact that outside of the top 20 teams, there really wasn’t a whole lot of great basketball this season.

Don’t get me wrong. The coming matchups hold a lot of intrigue and will certainly be closely contested ball games. They’ll be fun to watch.

Next year, though, I’ll be hoping Cinderella makes an appearance.