If Butler's financial windfall for reaching the Final Four is anything close to the boost George Mason received, the Bulldogs will be sitting pretty for the next few years.

How pretty? Enough to pay for Miramax.

According to a story from the Epoch Times, when George Mason made its Final Four run in 2006, the university's had a boom in applications, ticket sales and media coverage. And it wasn't a small bump, either. The school completed a two-year study in 2008 that found:

[R]equests for information about GMU jumped by 350 percent. Applications from out-of-state students swelled by 40 percent and all freshman year applications increased by 22 percent. Computer-generated applications rose by 52 percent and alumni interest in the school jumped by 25 percent.

Most importantly, GMU earned roughly $678 million in totality, factoring in free local, regional, and national print and electronic media coverage, due to its game exposure.

More well-known schools don't receive the same kind of bump, but it's no secret that winning does pay off. When Kansas beat Memphis for the 2008, the school's merchandise sales topped $47.3 million, of which the school and the athletic department retained about $2 million.

That's the power of winning, and winning in the NCAA tournament. Why else do you think everyone wants in?

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Chris Steppig / Reuters Watching Duke's Kyle Singler and Butler's Gordon Hayward play each other again next season would be a delight to college hoops fans.

Those eager to watch Duke-Butler rematch – judging by the TV ratings, there are plenty – may be in luck.

Bulldogs coach Brad Stevens says the schools are trying to schedule a game for the 2010-11 regular season. It'll probably be Top 5 showdown and a hit among fans.

"We have been approached about that but it all depends on the times and the dates," Stevens said Friday. "I think very few people want to play Duke, but if you have to play Duke in the national championship, you'll take it. Our hope is that this translates into more opportunities on neutral courts and getting home-and-homes, like Gonzaga."

It's not like Butler has previously scheduled cream puffs, either. The Bulldogs lined up non-conference games against Ohio State, Xavier, Georgetown and played Minnesota, UCLA and Clemson in the 76 Classic.

A game against Duke would be must-see viewing next season. That's not always the case in championship rematches, but every game was eagerly anticipated.

Since 1980, there have been 11 regular-season championship rematches between non-conference foes (Georgetown-Villanova in 1986 and Kansas-Oklahoma in 1989 were going to happen no matter what) and six were double-digit victories.

This season's North Carolina-Michigan State rematch was one of the few times the game actually came down to the final minutes as the Heels hit some key free throws for the home victory (and perhaps their best win of the year).

A 2007 rematch between Ohio State and Florida? Not nearly as good. Butler-Duke would be fabulous.

The rematch list:

North Carolina 89, Michigan State, 82 (2009-10 season)
Ohio State 62, Florida 49 (2007-08)
Florida 76, UCLA 66 (2006-07)
Illinois 68, UNC 64 (2005-06)
Indiana 80, Maryland 74 (2002-03)
Michigan State 99, Florida 83 (2000-01)
Connecticut 71, Duke 66 (1999-2000)
Arizona 89, Kentucky 74 (1997-98)
Kentucky 87, Syracuse 53 (1996-97)
Duke 79, Michigan 68 (1992-93)
Michigan 91, Seton Hall 86 (1989-90)
Houston 76, N.C. State 64 (1983-84)

(There were two unscheduled rematches that occurred, both in the Final Four. Duke got revenge vs. UNLV in '91, while Florida trounced UCLA again in 2007.)

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Everyone wants to give Butler a big hug.

The run to the title game has spawned Bulldogs fans all over the country, including President Obama. As Butler coach Brad Stevens makes the rounds this week (and likely gets asked about Oregon's vacant coaching position), it was nice to see him shoot the breeze with another Indiana guy, David Letterman.

The Late Show host toned down the sarcasm when Stevens taped an appearance on Monday night's show, gushing with praise for the Bulldogs' season. Even when Stevens lamented that Butler couldn't pull off the win, Letterman wouldn't have it.

"Ah, you know, you got to stop worrying about that (the score) because what you did for your team, for your university and for your community and the nation at large is a victory and just don't ever forget that, by God," Letterman said.

Then he made quite an "offer" of his own: "I'll give you a year of my pay if you take the head coaching position at Ball State."

Stevens laughed, then praised Ball State coach Billy Taylor. (Letterman is a Ball State grad.)

"He's going to get it done up there."

That Brad Stevens. Always cool under pressure.

(H/T for the video: The Dagger)

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Butler truly struck a nerve with hoops nation. Even the first fan called to offer his congratulations.

To be fair, President Obama called Butler and Duke on Tuesday, which must've been a boost for both teams. But I can't remember the president calling the runner-up very often. Even better, the Bulldogs also got a hoops invite.

"Pres also called Coach Stevens and spoke to Butler players on speaker —told 'em they played a great game, hoped to shoot hoops w/ them," press secretary Robert Gibbs tweeted.

Now, Butler coach Brad Stevens is using that as motivation for next season.

Duke was back in Cameron to celebrate with its fans, who had a simple message for junior star Kyle Singler, the Mop of the Final Four: Don't go pro.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Rob Dauster

That is the only way to put it.

I'm not talking Jennifer Hudson's performance itself, although that has been ripped to the point that CBS actually put out a press release addressing it. I didn't think she did all that bad.

No, what I hated what the editing job done by, well, whoever puts it together.

According to Deadspin, only once in the previous 23 One Shining Moments was any screen time given to the singer, eight seconds to Luther Vandross in 2003. Hudson got 12 seconds, which in and of itself wouldn't be a problem.

But what about the snubs?

Where is Ohio's win over Georgetown? Where is the game-winner from Quincy Pondexter? Where is anything -- seriously, anything -- from the best game of the tournament, the two overtime thriller between Xavier and Kansas State? Jordan Crawford's 35 footer to force the second overtime was the best shot, and the best call, of the entire tournament.

And what happened to "the ball is tipped" line? Give me a close up shot of a jump ball, not a close up of Hudson flicking her fingers.

Was a seventh place finisher on American Idol really worthy of that much TV time? This is One Shining Moment, not a remake of "Dreamgirls." The Final Four isn't the Grammy's. Give me some basketball highlights.

Anyway, here is the video, watch at your own risk.

You can find more of Rob's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @ballinishabit.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Troy Machir

Congratulations to the Duke Blue Devils. You earned it. You might not have deserved it, but damn, you earned it. Butler, you did an admirable job in defeat.

- What.A.Ballgame.

- Are you kidding me? It's never too early; Not even for a top-50

- Hell, let's look at Bracketology for 2011

- Nolan Smith is returning to Duke, Singler is not sure yet

- Cameron Indoor Stadium was obviously going crazy; court-storming without a team

- Butler did have two chances to win it after all

- A great, great, great story a mother who finally got to see her son play

- This might mean just a bit more to Nolan Smith

- Old dog, new tricks

- Clemson's Oliver Purnell will be the new DePaul head coach

- "One Shining Moment" just isn't what it used to be

- The 24-best "One Shining Moments" from this years tournament

- Not all Dukies are bad people

- UCLA reserve forward Mike Moser is transfering

- Texas A&M is giving Mark Turgeon a raise

- Who is next for Boston College?

- It was a busy day for the Hurley family, says Adam Zagoria

- A source named "Bubba" says Coach K didn't laught at his joke

- Associate AD at Kansas steps down

You can find more of Troy's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @BIAHtheTrizzle.

What does a player say after a game like Duke's 61-59 win against Butler?

For that matter, what can a Butler player say? Other than wishing Gordon Hayward's last-second shot would've gone in, there's little to talk about other than heartbreak.

Well, except for point guard Ronald Nored, who maintained a fairly upbeat attitude about the Bulldogs' run. He wants Will Smith to play him in the movie.

Funny thing is, Duke's players had essentially the same reaction to the game and seemed just as tired, but a different emotion bubbled up: Relief.

The Devils persevered and talked like they'd been through a war. (The Butler defense is pretty good...) They had the same feeling about the last shot, and the game in general. They celebrated the win, to be sure, but it's amazing to see how glad they were to done playing Butler.

Makes me wish the game had gone to overtime.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Chris Steppig / Getty When Jon Scheyer's blocking shots, you know Duke earned it.

No matter what you think of Duke – trust me, everyone has an opinion – and no matter what you thought of their 61-59 victory against Butler in the NCAA tournament title game, there's really only one thing to do.

Give the Devils their due.

The Internet chatter after Monday's night game centered around three things: Where it ranked among other Big Dance Classics (high), if this was the last truly great tournament before expansion moved in (possibly) and where Butler and Duke will figure in next year's title chase (prominently).

OK, there was a fourth topic, namely that only Duke fans were rooting for Gordon Hayward to miss his last-second shot.

Part of me agrees with that sentiment. Butler played well enough to win. If just one or two of those point-blank misses drop, perhaps the Bulldogs get their One Shining Moment and the viewing public gets their much-anticipated sequel to "Hoosiers."

But it didn't happen. And however Duke pulled it off – because of the Big Three, Brian Zoubek or the second-half rebounding – it was the better team. Maybe not a great team, but the best this season had to offer.

Maybe that's what's eating at everyone.

Duke's potential was staring us in the face all season. Perhaps Kansas, Kentucky and Syracuse flashed more NBA talent, but the Devils were never out of the Top 10 in the AP poll this season. They nabbed the top spot in kenpom.com's ratings back in late February – much to the disgust of readers and hoopheads – and stubbornly clung to that spot through March.

"How can this be?!" we all asked. This was a team that didn't win a true road game until late January. It was embarrassed by Georgetown (in front of the President, no less). It lost to N.C. State by 14. During a "down" year for the ACC, it couldn't even win the regular-season title outright.

Yet here's Duke, standing atop the NCAA tournament yet again.

Maybe we didn't want to believe it. I know I didn't. It was hard to see how this team that was so unimposing could be counted among the NCAA's champions. But it is. It succeeded where other teams failed and played its best when it mattered most.

That's the tournament in a nutshell. Sometimes the "best" team doesn't always win, but that's for the rest of us to argue about later.

For now, tip that cap to Duke. The Devils earned it.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Sometimes it's nice to filter out the noise. It's not easy during the Final Four, either.

Endless demands on the players and coaches – press conferences, TV interviews, adoring fans – result in a blur of days and similar soundbites.

So when you can watch a video that breaks from the pack and offers a series of direct questions that deal with more than just the game, you watch.

On that note, here are two, both from ESPN's Andy Katz, who talks with Butler coach Brad Stevens and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. The videos don't offer any huge revelations, but there are some good nuggets in there. So carve out 20 minutes and watch 'em.

What else are you gonna do at halftime?

The Butler frenzy is in full swing.

A noon pep rally at Indianapolis' Monument Circle drew more than 2,000 fans – and this was without the players present. (Some were back in class.) A championship rally would draw at least 10 times that amount, and not just because Butler canceled classes on Tuesday.

But my favorite aspect is that Butler fans are popping up all over the country.

The Butler alumni association has posted a list of sites in various cities where fans can cheer their Bulldogs Monday night. At this posting, there were 30 cities on the list. More will probably be added.

My guess? Non-Butler alumni also will be going to be popping up at those spots to root against Duke.

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Discussing race in sports isn't for everyone. Nor should it be written by just anyone.

Thankfully, this isn't one of those times.

An excellent feature by Yahoo! Sports writer Jason King takes a look at the national title game between Duke and Butler, in which seven white players could play a key role. Five may be on the court for tip-off, the most since Kentucky-Utah in 1998.

With that many guys involved, it's hard not to talk about race. Especially if it even matters when it comes to playing hoops.

I have no need to spend time here discussing the merits of race in basketball other than to say the best players are usually out on the court, regardless of race. I could care less how a player looks. If they can play, good enough for me.

But I do encourage you to read King's story, which is focuses on the white guys who can play and the stuff they hear from critics.

"I don't like it when people make a big deal about me being white," Duke's Jon Scheyer told King. "But that's just the way it is. Ultimately, as long as you keep winning, how can people keep saying that?"

Mike Miller's also on Twitter, usually talkin' hoops. Click here for more.

Editor's note: March Madness is too much for any one person to handle, so I'm adding help. The guys behind Ballin' Is a Habit, Rob Dauster and Troy Machir, will be contributing throughout March and into the Final Four, both with content from their Web site and original articles for us. This post originally appeared at BIAH.

By Troy Machir

To all Butler and Duke fans, I have only this to say: Today is yours. Carpe Diem.

- If I didn't know any better, I'd think Coach K and Brad Stevens are in a bromance

- Stevens is a quick learner

- I wonder how many of these I will read in the next 12 hours

- History in the making

- Ten things to watch for in the National Championship game
- Singler versus Hayward is an extraordinary matchup

- Ryan Fagan gives three reasons why both teams will win

- What would make "the boy wonder" leave Butler?

- Fans weigh-in on tournament expansion talk

- Greg Doyel details the day when Duke turned heel

- The Butler bandwagon gets bigger every day

- Anybody BUT Duke

- Butler is more "playoff-ready" than you would think

- Duke is trying to give Tobacco Road it's second back-to-back championship season

- I know what CBS is thankful for...(Oh. Sorry. Wrong holiday)

- Mike DeCourcy provides the keys to the game

- Andy Katz explains why Shelvin Mack is at home at Butler

- Dick Vitale using catch-phrases? Now I've seen everything

- Defense wins (will win) championships

- A good-read. Not sure how I missed it.

You can find more of Troy's writing at Ballin' is a Habit and follow him on Twitter @BIAHtheTrizzle.