Mid-Majors & Lee Majors: A Comparison

The mid-majors have had a huge impact on the NCAA tournament thus far. George Mason knocked off Michigan State and defending champion North Carolina to reach the Sweet Sixteen – very close to home in Washington, D.C. They will meet revenge-minded Wichita State on Friday in a rematch of last month’s Bracket Buster showdown. One night earlier, the Bradley Braves take on top-seeded Memphis after taking down Kansas and Pittsburgh.


As a result, the mid-majors will have a starring role in the CBS lineup on Thursday and Friday. They will thereby emulate Lee Majors, a prime-time mainstay throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. The mid-majors and Lee Majors share numerous similarities, as shown below.


Lee Majors: Cast member on The Big Valley
Mid-Majors: Wichita State and Bradley are members of the Missouri Valley

Lee Majors: Played Heath Barkley on The Big Valley
Mid-Majors: Bradley alumnus Hersey Hawkins played with Charles Barkley in Philly

Lee Majors: Best known as Steve Austin, The Six Million Dollar Man
Mid-Majors: George Mason neutralized Tyler Hansbrough, a future multi-million dollar man

Lee Majors: Steve Austin was put back together by surgeons
Mid-Majors: Wichita State was put together by coach Mark Turgeon

Lee Majors: Steve Austin: “Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.”
Mid-Majors: Better than they were before. Better, stronger, faster.

Lee Majors: In carrying out government missions, Steve Austin was a patriot
Mid-Majors: George Mason’s team is known as the Patriots

Lee Majors: Steve Austin teamed up with Jaime Sommers, a/k/a The Bionic Woman
Mid-Majors: Bradley’s leading scorer is Marcellus Sommerville

Lee Majors: Appeared on millions of lunchboxes during the heyday of The Six Million Dollar Man
Mid-Majors: Wichita State alums Dan and Frank Carney provided lunches to millions by founding Pizza Hut

Lee Majors: Starred as The Fall Guy
Mid-Majors: George Mason guard Tony Skinn caused a guy to fall, after punching him in the family jewels

Lee Majors: Played a character named Colt on The Fall Guy
Mid-Majors: After playing basketball at Bradley, tight end Marcus Pollard spent ten years with the Colts

Lee Majors: Co-starred on The Fall Guy with Heather Thomas
Mid-Majors: George Mason’s starting lineup includes Will Thomas

Lee Majors: Is currently on marriage number four
Mid-Majors: George Mason eliminated two of last season’s Final Four

Lee Majors: Ex-wife Farrah Fawcett was featured on a famous swimsuit poster
Mid-Majors: Wichita State alumnus Xavier McDaniel was often posterized by Michael Jordan


It remains to be seen whether the mid-majors can continue their heroics later this week. If they do, chances are they’ll be running in slow motion and making bionic sound effects.