Why not us?Its a curious question for a club, seeking to break Australias most famous sporting hoodoo, to be asking. But its the catchcry driving Cronullas quest for a maiden NRL title.Drive into the Sutherland-Shire area of Sydney and the saying is plastered across billboards and signage accompanied by pictures of the clubs heroes.What originated as a rhetorical question posed by senior players in the inner sanctum during a team truth-telling session, has grown to become their slogan and de facto marketing tagline.While its been pilloried in some quarters as corny and passive, to those that matter, the 17 players who will take on North Queensland in Fridays preliminary final, it makes an important point.People see these other sides are doing really well because they have your Thurstons, your Taumalolos, your Cronks, your Smiths, youve got that Canberra side that is just rolling, says Sharks fullback Ben Barba.I just dont see why it cant be us.It would be unreal for this area.It started creeping in when we started going on that (15-game) winning run, everyone started saying they should lose this next game. So we sort of said why cant we keep winning?. Nothing says we cant win it. It stuck with us.So here are the Sharks, one game away from a grand final, and you cant blame the blue, black and white faithful for daring to dream.After 50 years without a premiership, losing their first grand final appearance in 1973, drawing with Manly in the 1978 decider and then losing the replay three days later, winning the 1988 minor premiership and then going out in straight sets, falling short in the 1997 Super League final - Sharks diehards have had to wear a lifetime of heartache and Harold Holt jokes.Why cant we do it? Theyve been minor premiers, theyve made grand finals. Its just something different, prop Sam Tagataese says.We believe we can do it. Its just twisting the words - I believe we can do it.So Shane Flanagan has them believing and in recent weeks the coach has been bringing in some of the clubs greats to address the players and instil in them the depth of their passion that comes with half a century of falling short.He invited the likes of former halfback and Rothmans Medal winner Barry Russell, who spoke of his lifetime of regrets at not doing that little bit extra to win the clubs maiden title.Theyve come in and theyve been really passionate. I think its put a bit of passion into the boys and its stuck in them, prop Matt Prior said.(Russell) just said he wishes he could go back and just couldve done something a little bit more, done something better, because he feels like hes regretted that moment ever since. Thats coming from a bloke whos 50-years-old and still looks back.It resonates with us, we dont want to be in that position in 20 years thinking what if we had done this?. 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Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. LAS VEGAS -- With six new players donning a Butler uniform this season, coach Chris Holtmann isnt sure what to expect from his Bulldogs.Some have labeled this season as a rebuilding year. Holtmann shrugs it off with a wait-and-see attitude.He may not have to wait any longer, as his Bulldogs showed plenty of resolve Friday night in a 69-65 victory over No. 8 Arizona in the championship game of the Continental Las Vegas Invitational.Kelan Martin had 16 points, while Andrew Chrabascz had 14 points and seven rebounds to lead Butler (6-0), while Avery Woodson contributed 13 points, Kamar Baldwin had 11 and Tyler Wideman had eight rebounds.Chrabascz was named MVP of the tournament.Its too early to tell what this years going to look like, but what we know is weve already had some good moments this year, said Holtmann, who is in his third season at Butler. Time will tell. Were just trying to kind of grow as a team and figure that out.This was really important for us, because we had some shaky moments for sure in that game. I think our guys found their composure at the right time, and we played well in stretches. But I think Arizona did too. I give them a lot credit, theyre a good team and really well-coached. Its a quality win for us.The Wildcats, who fell behind by as many as nine points with 14 minutes to play, used a 15-2 run to regain momentum to get back in the game before Butler made a final run down the stretch.Freshmen Lauri Markkanen and Kobi Simmons led Arizona (5-1) with 15 and 14 points, respectively.Trailing by four points late, the Bulldogs went on a 9-2 run, highlighted by Widemans dunk with 29.3 seconds left that gave Butler a 65-63 lead. His ensuing free throw made it 66-63.Both Holtmann and Chrabascz said there was never any sign of panic on the Bulldogs part, even when the Wildcats were ahead by five with 3 minutes left.We just said lets just find a way to do what we do and hope it works -- it was as simple as that, Holtmann said. Players make plays, and they did. We told them to move the ball offensively, we did a little bit of a defensive switch late, we just really focused them on the possessions at hand.Chrabasczs layup with 1:38 left cut Arizonas lead to two, and moments later two free throws by Baldwin tied the game at 63-all, leading up tto Widemans go-ahead dunk.ddddddddddddThe Bulldogs set themselves up with momentum at the close of the first half, when Sean McDermott took a pass on the run from Tyler Lewis, and banked in a soft jumper high off the glass to give Butler a 36-34 lead.After Arizona tied the game at 38-all less than 2 minutes into the second half, the Bulldogs went on an 11-2 run to move ahead 49-40 and seize control of the tempo. The momentum shift visibly frustrated the Wildcats, who committed five turnovers inside the first 7 minutes of the second half.BIG PICTUREArizona: With time to regroup after a rugged start to the season, the biggest question remains when Allonzo Trier will make his season debut. The sophomore guard did not travel to Las Vegas with the Wildcats, and hes now missed the teams first six games for unspecified reasons. His absence has left Arizona with eight healthy scholarship players. Trier averaged 14.8 points as a freshman.Butler: The Bulldogs received 14 votes in last weeks poll, but after knocking off Arizona to remain undefeated, one must wonder if theyve done enough to make their first appearance in the Top 25. Three of Butlers six wins have come against Power 5 Conference teams: Northwestern (Big Ten), Vanderbilt (SEC) and Arizona (Pac 12).POLL IMPLICATIONS: With the loss, the eighth-ranked Wildcats will likely drop out of the Top 10. Arizona has been ranked in the Top 25 for 81 consecutive weeks, the second-longest streak in the nation behind Kansas (145 weeks). Since the start of the 2012-13 season, the Wildcats have spent 60 of those weeks ranked in the Top 10.TURNING POINT: While it was Widemans dunk that gave Butler the lead again, the key moment came with a little more than 3 minutes to play, when Markkanen fouled out, leaving Arizona without its key presence in the paint. Going into the game, the 7-footer from Finland led the team with 18.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.UP NEXTArizona: The Wildcats wont play again until Nov. 30, when they return to the McKale Center to host Texas Southern.Butler: The Bulldogs have little time to rest, as they head to Salt Lake City for a Nov. 28 date with Pac 12-member Utah. ' ' '