i think what butler is doing might be the most amazing thing in the history of sports

last year butler won the horizon league, earned a 5 seed, and put together a miraculous run through the NCAA tournament, coming within a few inches on a half court heave of winning the national title.  and for the record, if that gordon hayward shot goes in, it's one of the top 5 sports moments EVER.  nobody team beats perennial giant (duke) on a half court buzzer beater to win the national championship?!  are you kidding me?! that's a disney movie, not real life.  but the shot missed, and the bulldog's magical ride ended.  still, the fact that they made it that far was remarkable.

this year hayward moved on to the nba, and butler slogged along to a 14-9 record (6-5 in horizon league play) through feb 3.  they lost to evansville, valparaiso, wright st, youngstown st, and wisconsin-milwakee twice.  since then they have won 13 straight games, and are now back in the final four, this time as an 8 seed.  and with VCU up next, they are favored to get back to the title game.

the last time any team from a non major conference made 2 straight final fours was the UNLV runnin' rebels 20 years ago (i can still name that starting 5 off the top of my head, larry johnson, stacey augmon, greg anthony, george ackles, anderson hunt).  that team payed their players, had 4 nba draft picks (and i remember the 5th starter, hunt, being in training camp with the celtics) and was a national powerhouse at the time.  

butler is no '90-'91 UNLV.  either one of their final four runs is a spectacular accomplishment on it's own.  the fact that they have done it twice in a row is totally absurd.  i can't think of anything else like it.  ever.  it'd be like if the pittsburg pirates came out of nowhere to win the world series this year, lost all their best players to free agency, then somehow won it again next year.  but even that seems less crazy.