When the Bulls won an NBA-record 72 games during the '95-96 regular season, Ron Harper coined the famous rallying cry for the team entering the playoffs: "Don't mean a thing without the ring."
We're guessing they don't follow the same thinking in Fairfax, Va.
Two of the rings from George Mason's miraculous run to the Final Four have turned up on popular auction site eBay -- one here and the other here -- just two-and-a-half years after the Patriots shocked the college hoops establishment by becoming the first mid-major in 27 years to make the national semifinals.
The auction description says the rings were "found in a pawn shop in Virginia."
Extra credit goes out to George Mason hoops blogger Ryan Kish, who found the eBay listings and made some revealing deductions from the pictures.
[I]f you look at the engravings the name on each ring reads "Scherrens". No such player had a last name of Scherrens during the 2005-2006 season. But there is a Maurice Sherrens [sic] at George Mason and he happens to be the Senior Vice President. Why would he sell the rings, it's not like he doesn't enjoy sports. And it's not like he needed the money.
Kish makes some serious accusations -- the idea of a university official pawning off a championship ring doesn't exactly promote school spirit -- but the evidence is compelling.
How much, if anything, would you shell out for a championship ring from your favorite team?
UPDATE: A reader and George Mason alumnus informs us the rings belonging to Dr. Scherrens were indeed stolen and it's now a police matter.
Alison Preston
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Comments (9) Add A Comment
I can for a fact as a Mason journalist/blogger, tell everyone that the George Mason Final Four rings were not gold. The Florida Gators, the 2006 Champs were the only team to get gold rings, well, because they won.
The three teams (LSU, UCLA and Mason) all received silver rings, that looked identical to the Gators, ring....only difference was the silver and gold. If Maurice Scherrens did sell his ring, he sold rings that the NCAA did not give him.
Fact is Mason did not get gold rings, they got silver ones. So someone is selling cheap knockoffs of the real deal Holyfield.
Patriot Platoon…
Total Comments (2)
Good info... if it is possible they were given gold rings... who would want one with his name mis-spelled? maybe thats why
zY
Pullman, WA
Total Comments (494)
Why would you want a ring you didn't earn? I have never understood this. I know someone that bought a replica ring for the Pistons when they won, had his name and everything on it, spent thousands of dollars - Why? You didn't coach the team, you didn't play the games, you didn't work in the front office - just seems dumb to me.
motown madman
Dallas , GA
Total Comments (12)
The first post in this comment thread is bogus. ALL the teams were given rings BEFORE the final four was played. Also, the ring in the picture is NOT the NCAA issued Final Four ring. It is a ring the school purchased for the players/coaches/staff/etc at the school.
I have one of the GMU rings and it is most certainly gold. the GMU AD did not sell his rings, they were most likely stolen.
gobosox514
Total Comments (1)
Also, the seller is now only accepting checks or money orders....screams fake!
BMass
Rolesville , NC
Total Comments (1)
Journalist can be such morons! Get your facts straight before you go accusing people of not having school spirit. If you only knew Dr. Scherrens you know that he is Mason's biggest fan and how much he loves sports and basketball! The rings were stolen!
nonyabezwack
Total Comments (2)
Hey numb nuts the rings were stolen!!! I'm glad as that as a journalist you actually checked your facts.
nonyabezwack
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gmucrazy.blogspot.com
Talked with Scherrens yesterday....facts are here
Patriot Platoon…
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For the Record,
Seriously. You morons think blogging is journalism. In journalism there are ethics. All these stories don't even consider the rings could have been stolen (and yes, they were stolen).
Stop giving yourselves the 15 minutes of fame off of established individuals such as Dr. Scherrens at GMU.
If you were a proper journalist your story would maybe have had a more positive angle. Such as he got really lucky that his rings turned up. But instead you actually gave credit to some other moron who could only figure out how much Dr. Scherrens makes annually (from GMU).
Note For the Record: You have to leave your computer screen to actually get information for a proper story. You are a tabloid ****, if I had my way I'd take this and every other novice blog down for your inaccuracies.
Bryan Graham is…
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