Rooting interest

The omnipresent question of who to root for once your bracket sports more red than green is even more pertinent in this year's tournament.
For those of you lucky enough to still have your pick competing for the National Title, I applaud you. My pick, the Kansas Jayhawks, supplied me only with utter disappointment, not the jubilation I anticipated while filling out my bracket. All of you who chose Kentucky, Syracuse or some other team still in contention, you enviably have a team to cheer on as the rounds progress. 
I am here to offer a suggestion for the countless people that saw their dreams of bracket supremacy dashed by the Panthers of Northern Iowa, or even earlier when Ohio shocked third-seeded Georgetown. As much as it may pain you, I implore you to cheer on your WCC brothers, Saint Mary's.
With the Toreros disappointing season mercifully concluded and perennial tournament contenders Gonzaga out of the Big Dance, the Gaels stand as the sole WCC representative on this, the most prominent of national stages in college basketball.
Why should you root for the team you hate so much? Their success in the tournament legitimizes our entire conference, and therefore us as well. If the Gaels manage to pull off a miraculous third straight upset, they will be one of the biggest stories of the year in sports. This will help bolster the WCC's status as one of the fastest rising conferences in all of college hoops, and will keep us in mind come selection time next year and beyond.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this possible newfound fanship is the fact that Saint Mary's actually has a reasonable shot at advancing to the Elite Eight, and perhaps further. They are set to play a Baylor squad in the Sweet 16 that has looked less than worthy of the three seed they were awarded by the selection committee. With single digit wins over Sam Houston State and Old Dominion, the Bears have limped into the third round thanks, in large part, to a very kind schedule.
Star guard LaceDarius Dunn will present the biggest matchup problem for the Gaels, but they have a matchup nightmare themselves in 6'11" beast Omar Samhan. Against tournament teams this year, Samhan has averaged a staggering 24 points and 12 rebounds through eight games. He plays his best when the stakes are highest and the tilt against Baylor will be the biggest game of his career.  
While it may be awkward to cheer on a team that has earned only your disdain and ridicule throughout the years, it is certainly in your immediate interest to see them advance as far as possible. Their run, however long it may last, is a key factor in seeing the Toreros back in the tournament. That way you won't have to worry about who to root for any longer. 
 

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