Mascot Madness: Final Four

One of the great things about March Madness is that there are so many small-name teams that you have never heard of playing on the big stage. What makes this so great is that with 314 possible contestants, we are bound to have a handful of interesting nickname/mascot combinations in the tournament year in and year out.

After all, isn't that what you look forward to the most? Spending Thursday afternoon watching The same old plain-Jane blue-and-white Kentucky Wildcats battle The silver-green-and-red Highlanders of East Western Poly Tech State?

It is common knowledge that we here at BIAH are the leaders in unnecessary college basketball information. Since we have this 64-team bracket in-front of us, we decided to try and determine the best mascot in March Madness.

Each day we will reveal a new portion of our bracket, leading up to the Championship game on April 5th, when we determine the best mascot in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

In case you are checking in for the first time, or if you just want to relive some of the memories, here is exactly how we got here:

Round 1: Midwest
Round 1: West
Round 1: East
Round 1: South
Round 2: Midwest and West
Round 2: East and South
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight

Here we are, the Final Four. The promised land.

National Semifinals

#4 Vanderbilt Commodores vs. #11 San Diego State Aztecs

This is the match-up we have all been waiting for. The natives finally get to face-off against the snobs that stole their land in the first place.

The Aztecs come out fired up, wielding dual-tomahawks and firing off flaming arrows every chance they get. Armed with the most hi-tech defense system money can buy, Commodore 64, Vanderbilt thwarts SDSU's initial attack.

This one turns into a slobber-knocker for the ages. With every attack the Aztecs launch, the oil-tycoons are able to counter with their own. This one comes down to determination and pride.

The Aztecs want this one bad, really bad. But like we've seen over and over, money equals power. The Aztecs run out of firepower, and the Commodores are able to overwhelm the natives and once again force all of them into slavery.

Winner - #4 Vanderbilt Commodores


#7 Richmond Spiders vs. #16 East Tennessee State Buccaneers

This one is over surprisingly quick.

While the Buccaneers are in town re-stocking for their next voyage, a group of spiders create a nest in the hull of their boat. Fast forward two weeks and nearly the entire crew of Buccaneers are dead from black-widow bites.

After all, it is a well-known fact that sea-going people have weak immune systems due to poor nutrition and health care. It is also true that spiders do in fact nest in the hull of boats, making this match-up one that could have actually taken place when pirates roamed the seven seas.

The spiders might be small, but they are seriously poisonous. It will be the web-slingers against the robber barons for the National Championship game.

Winner - #7 Richmond Spiders

Next Round: National Championship Game
#4 Vanderbilt Commodores vs. #7 Richmond Spiders