FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season 1
DUNK CITY Men s basketball team makes historic romp to NCAA Sweet 16 In a bracket-busting burst of talent and heart, Florida Gulf Coast University s Eagles made a historic run at the NCAA Division I title before coming up short of the Elite Eight with a 62-50 loss to No. 3 University of Florida. It was, nonetheless, a glorious romp. As ESPN.com so succinctly put it: In this year s NCAA tournament, Florida Gulf Coast University is Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel, Mulan, Aurora, Belle, Tiana, Rapunzel, Jasmine and Pocahontas all rolled into one. The Eagles won the Atlantic Sun Conference championship against Mercer, then, as the No. 15 seed, trounced both Georgetown and San Diego State, landing a spot in the coveted Sweet 16. The Eagles were the first 15-seed to ever make it to the Sweet 16 and they did it on nationally televised games watched by millions of spellbound fans who quickly found out who and what FGCU was. Although the team s amazing streak ended in Texas with Florida s win, it hasn t diminished the fervor for a team now known nationwide as Dunk City. The men s highflying yet humble style captured the hearts of spectators. The Eagles remarkable run spawned a viral video hit, Dunk City, created by FGCU students, brought a national array of news media to campus including an early morning cheer-off on NBC s Today show and prompted the Florida Legislature to issue a proclamation praising the team and all it did to bring positive attention to the university and the state. n 2 2012-13 men s basketball season DUNK CITY
Basically, they re just a bunch of laid-back, couldn t-care-less Florida kids who are laying waste to everyone else in the tournament. Will Leitch, New York magazine DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season 3
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The school didn t exist when any of the Eagles current players were born. ESPN.com Fandom Playbook DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season 5
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The Eagles didn t just act like they were having fun during March Madness; they were having fun. Doug Brodess, Bleacher Report DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season 7
OFF THE COURT THE TEAM I m glad we put FGCU on the map. We are no longer in Fort Myers. We are in Dunk City. FGCU forward Eddie Murray We all knew that this was a great university. It s just that the rest of the nation didn t know yet. FGCU guard Sherwood Brown We re pretty much best friends and hang out on and off the court. We have fun out there. FGCU forward Chase Fieler We are a family on and off the court. We are like best friends and when you have that chemistry off the court it translates to on the court. FGCU guard Brett Comer Our goal was to make history, and we did it. We re going to the Sweet 16. FGCU Coach Andy Enfield INTERVIEW REQUESTS The Wall Street Journal New York Times Associated Press ESPN Forbes Inside Edition New York Post MSN Money Sports Illustrated CBS TNT Dunk city rap video www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7mwgx0x25yo HEADLINES MARCH MAGIC. FGCU s shocking upset captures attention of nation The News-Press Florida Gulf Coast a Cinderella team for the 1% USA Today (RE brackets) COACH s CORNER If we weren t playing them, I would probably be a fan. San Diego State coach Steve Fisher, who interviewed with FGCU in 1999 8 2012-13 men s basketball season DUNK CITY
Where in the hell is Florida Gulf Coast at? Charles Barkley, basketball Hall of Famer and network analyst (Editor s note: Now you know!) 1.3 percent of Men s FGCU apparel sales in bracket users March 2013 increased on CBSSports. com picked FGCU over 1,732% Georgetown. compared to March 2012 FGCU was the lowest seeded team ever to make the Sweet 16 TWEETS Of 8.15 million brackets filed on ESPN.com, only.95 percent (77,425) had FGCU making the Sweet 16 368,888 tweets sent about the FGCU/Georgetown game* At the peak, 14,957 tweets per minute were flying out. If the success of our basketball team gets people to check out the university, I m fine with that. It s all about visibility. When you get into the national limelight, people and parents are saying, I want to find out more about FGCU. There s a lot to be said about Americans really favoring the underdog. We like to see those who are typically not on top aspire and be successful in reaching the top. I think that s in a lot of ways why we have become, at least at this point, America s team for the NCAA tournament. Dr. Wilson G. Bradshaw, FGCU President March 25, 2013 BY THE NUMBERS Rapper Lil Wayne: @LilTunechi: How kome (SIC) Florida Gulf Coast didn t have any plays on Sportscenter top ten plays?!! 1 of those lobs should ve made it! Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria: @Evan3Longoria: Congrats Florida Gulf Coast College on the upset of Georgetown! Screwed up my bracket but its all good! #floridarepresenting Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN college football analyst: @kirkherbstreit: Nobody I mean NOBODY had Florida Golf Coast!!!!! My bracket is officially done!!! Dana O Neil, ESPN college basketball reporter: @ESPNDanaOneil: Harvard was founded in 1636. Won first tourney game in 2013. FGCU founded in 1997. Won first tourney game in 2013. Jerry Ferrara, Turtle from HBO s Entourage : @jerrycferrara: Florida gulf coast got some swag goin on. #tweetsineverthoughtidright LeBron James: @KingJames: Somebody told me Fla was a football state! Wouldn t be able to tell right now. Congrats to The U (of course), Fla Golf Coast and UF!! Dick Vitale, ESPN: @DickieV: Do u realize that FGCU has ONLY been eligible 4 tourney the past 2 yrs. Incredible A magical moment 4 school! *Source: NCAA Items on these two pages are from The News-Press, FGCU s Eagle News and USA Today DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season 9
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FGCU opened its doors just recently, in 1997, so unless you are 16 years old or younger, don t say you have been an FGCU fan for life. ESPN.com Fandom Playbook DUNK CITY 2012-13 men s basketball season 11
OVERTIME ESPY AWARD CAPS A STELLAR SEASON Fans enthralled by FGCU s spirit and swagger last March showed the love again months later during online voting for ESPN s annual ESPY Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements in sports. When the results came in, the Eagles won Best Upset for their bracketbreaking win over Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Above: FGCU s Dunk City stars pose for photos on the red carpet outside the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles before the awards on July 17. Right: Former coach Andy Enfield joined players on stage to accept the award before a star-studded crowd. SUPPORT DUNK CITY Go Eagles! For a schedule of basketball games, ticket information or to support athletics, visit www.fgcuathletics.com. Documentary a slam dunk Watch WGCU-TV s Dunk City We are FGCU at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=bgb_cpgzj5m Photographs in this section courtesy of FGCU Athletics, Mitchell Leff, Associated Press, Jordan Strauss and John Shearer/Invision/AP, The News-Press Media Group and G Photography 12 2012-13 men s basketball season DUNK CITY