YOU'D THINK THE AUSTRALIANS JUST WON THE AMERICA'S CUP. That's ESPN's Mechelle Voepel. Ball St.'s upset is tourney's biggest ever.

This is more "historic" because of what it indicates about the sport overall (hooray for the little guys' taking another big step) and the fact that it involves the sport's most historic program.

Regardless of Tennessee's flaws. Regardless of how Summitt's program had its lowest seed ever. Regardless of Kelley Cain's being injured (she had scored 10 points when she was sidelined) and missing the second half of Sunday's game.

We're talking "historic," and to qualify, you know Tennessee had to be involved. With all due respect to Stanford, which has won two NCAA titles, and to this year's No. 1 seed and overwhelming favorite, UConn, Tennessee has won more championships, been on top and represented the term "entrenched" more than any program in this sport.

Even people who know nothing else about women's basketball -- not one other thing -- know about Tennessee.

In much the same way that people who know nothing else about sailing know about Dennis Conner.

At her own site, Ms Voepel explains the work that's involved in obtaining Tennessee-style success.

This is a woman to whom nothing has ever been handed. She’s earned every bit of what she has. From the time she grew up toiling on her family’s farm to now, in 2009, when she likely won’t sleep very well the next few nights in her home on the Tennessee River.

I’ve heard other coaches talk with some envy about Summitt, and I always want to ask if they really want to live with the load she carries.

If they want to have to smile, shake hands, listen to strangers attentively and be “at their best” every time they step outside their homes, because that’s what Summitt has to do. If they want to live with the expectations of thousands of people who think national championships are just their right for being Tennessee fans. If they want to have a bulls-eye on their backs for every game, even in a season such as this where the pressure should have been off.

Or at least off a little. For pete’s sake, the program had just won back-to-back national titles - increasing that total to eight - but then lost all five starters. This was a team with six rookies and one redshirt freshman.

I would note some management issues in the final paragraph. It's no secret that players use up their eligibility and graduate, or that some of them might be tempted by a professional contract. At the New York Times, Jere Longman points to the same thing.

“I like our personnel,” Summitt said in our conversation. “The difficult part for me is that young kids give in to fatigue. The hardest part is to have players come into the program and not understand our culture and how hard you have to play.”

Coach Summitt made a similar observation at the press conference, noting that some of her recruits spent no time in the gym last summer, and observing that three new recruits would be arriving. Sounds like there will be a cutdown day. But these are players she recruited, and not out of the registration line the way the Wisconsin crew used to do.

On to the game breakdown: that injury to Kelley Cain is nontrivial. Get the ball inside, if the shot is there, otherwise kick it out to a perimeter shooter, rebound aggressively. Iowa State probably has tape of this game.