Too bad the controller cable is so short.

You can get fairly inexpensive extension cords for the GameCube controllers at lots of stores (Radio Shack included, in our case). We got a couple of those extension cords and are very happy with them. We also got a Wavebird recently, so that also really rocks.

The only thing about the wavebird is that it doesn't have vibration. But I turn off vibration in most games anyway because it bugs me. I seem to recall that Zelda Wind Waker actually uses vibration to signal the presence of some element, but I don't remember what.