2016-2017 Arizona Basketball

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:02 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
prh wrote:
EVCat wrote:Oh...and to this day, I won't buy an LG product because of that bullshit upset commercial they ran a couple of years back about them winning some consumer report survey being a bigger upset than Santa Clara over Arizona in 1993, followed by footage.

Nope. Twice, I have gone with the more expensive Samsung phone. And I waited with no washer for 2 days to have a Samsung shipped in when the store only had LGs.
They also had a commercial during the tourney a couple (3?) years ago for their TVs which had footage of the Illinois game
For about a year after the Illinois game, I had a visceral negative reaction to Bill Murray any time I saw him.

Expect to see a lot of him on Thursday.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:08 pm

EVCat wrote:
Longhorned wrote:EVCat, et al., Bear Down Wildcats: A Shared History of Shock, Depression, and Self-Destruction (Tucson, 2017)
This would make a great read.

It might get a horror section placement. Seriously...this is why you will rarely see me in a game thread. I just...can't.

My first reaction of note was 1989. I was hurt by 1988 but it was all so new. I sat in a dark room and cried (not sob, just tears) after the 1989 game. I just thought "that's it. What a run. Sean is gone...it is over." I had no idea how big this would become.

(I need to step away and let some other people contribute. I could do this all day. Wait...I have).

I was hosting in my swank apartment at The Hollows. As UNLV's final possession was underway, I shouted to Keith, "Take off your shoes!!!" Without hesitation, he threw off his shoes.

Swish!

It was all my fault.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:09 pm

Alieberman wrote:This thread is not only helping to pass the time until Thursday night at 7:09pm but also helping easing the cost of my mental therapy for the week.

Therapy? If any one of us were good for anything, this support group would involve half an effort to overcome this illness.

scumdevils86 · Post by **scumdevils86** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:20 pm

WildcatStunner wrote:
rgdeuce wrote:
WildcatStunner wrote:2005 E8: Broke my right hand slamming it into the table. Very stupid on my part.
holy shit

To be fair, I was 19, we do stupid stuff when we are young. I didn't intend to break it. Just one hard slam was all it took. I noticed that as I get older, I do not rage as much with the losses. I tend to become more morose and just shut myself off from all media and social situations for a bit. The level to which this happens depends on how we lost and how high the stakes are.

Indeed. I used to get a lot more ANGRY but now I just get anti social and quiet. Also you must be the same age as me. I was 19 and a freshman during that 2005 game.

qwertyus · Post by **qwertyus** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:26 pm

Bah, you guys are silly. You shouldn't break things. That'd be dumb. Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?

Right after we lost to Wisconsin the 2nd time (2015), my parents Skyped me (Dad's a Wisconsin alum, and he knew I'd be unresponsive while the game was on). My mom saw my face and said "Oh, are you mad that your team lost?", Dad laughs and says "On Wisconsin!", so I hung up the call (and didn't talk to my parents for two weeks), took a bat, and whaled on a tree trunk ineffectually for like 15 minutes. Like a normal person.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:35 pm

Olsondogg didn't believe I threw an entire pizza across my living room after the '15 loss until I showed the pictures of my drapes.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:37 pm

qwertyus wrote:Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?

The first time I read this sentence, I thought you were advocating taking my anger out on a normal person. I mean, I'm a big Arizona fan and all, but I can't get behind beating my wife when we lose.

Then I reread your post and I realized what you meant. So, I'm sorry for my judgment of you.

baconus66 · Post by **baconus66** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:45 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
qwertyus wrote:Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?
The first time I read this sentence, I thought you were advocating taking my anger out on a normal person. I mean, I'm a big Arizona fan and all, but I can't get behind beating my wife when we lose.

Then I reread your post and I realized what you meant. So, I'm sorry for my judgment of you.

I'm glad i'm not the only one. I thought you were saying normal people don't feel pain and I was very confused

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:47 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
qwertyus wrote:Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?
The first time I read this sentence, I thought you were advocating taking my anger out on a normal person. I mean, I'm a big Arizona fan and all, but I can't get behind beating my wife when we lose.

Then I reread your post and I realized what you meant. So, I'm sorry for my judgment of you.

I still thought that until you explained it here. I thought the tree was a kind of nature personified, a substitute for an innocent person.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:48 pm

baconus66 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
qwertyus wrote:Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?
The first time I read this sentence, I thought you were advocating taking my anger out on a normal person. I mean, I'm a big Arizona fan and all, but I can't get behind beating my wife when we lose.

Then I reread your post and I realized what you meant. So, I'm sorry for my judgment of you.
I'm glad i'm not the only one. I thought you were saying normal people don't feel pain and I was very confused

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:50 pm

Longhorned wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
qwertyus wrote:Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?
The first time I read this sentence, I thought you were advocating taking my anger out on a normal person. I mean, I'm a big Arizona fan and all, but I can't get behind beating my wife when we lose.

Then I reread your post and I realized what you meant. So, I'm sorry for my judgment of you.
I still thought that until you explained it here. I thought the tree was a kind of nature personified, a substitute for an innocent person.

In a way it is. See, Deron Williams isn't usually actually there to beat, so you have to create a voodoo version that you can beat.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:15 pm

In 1989, I had plane and game tickets to go to the Elite Eight game in Denver against what was supposed to be Indiana and Bobby Knight (ended up being Seton Hall).

Then Kenny Lofton tried to take a charge against UNLV. Anderson Hunt steps back and drains a three. I was so depressed I blew off the tickets and a weekend in Denver with my best friend.

qwertyus · Post by **qwertyus** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:16 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
baconus66 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
qwertyus wrote:Why not take your anger out on something that you can't hurt, like a normal person?
The first time I read this sentence, I thought you were advocating taking my anger out on a normal person. I mean, I'm a big Arizona fan and all, but I can't get behind beating my wife when we lose.

Then I reread your post and I realized what you meant. So, I'm sorry for my judgment of you.
I'm glad i'm not the only one. I thought you were saying normal people don't feel pain and I was very confused

Really? Granted, I'm not the most well-spoken, or clear, person on the planet, but is it not common for people to take their anger out on inanimate objects?

Nobody here gets really mad and punches a pillow? At least one of you punched the crap out of a cushion. I hit a tree with a bat. Sure, my neighbors gave me weird looks, but the tree didn't care, and nobody got hurt, so no harm no foul.

Bangkok Wildcat · Post by **Bangkok Wildcat** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:17 pm

EVCat wrote:Last story of insanity...

When we fell down 8 or 10 to St Mary's on Saturday, with about 4:30 left in the first half, I was alone in the house and I paused the game and walked out. Just walked out. Went into my office and started reading a book (on Bob Crane's murder...John Hook of Fox 10 wrote it. Pretty interesting)....

Wow, John Hook! That Dude used to date a very close friend / work colleague of mine while I was at Arizona back in my day.....was just getting his career started in Tucson at that time.....really nice guy considering his celebrity status and hanging out with us college kids.....talk about a trip down memory lane.

Thanks EV

rl2013 · Post by **rl2013** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:26 pm

I'm much younger than most of you. Graduated in 2013 so visceral reactions to some of the earlier stuff doesn't exist.

2011- EE game I was with a bunch of friends at their house. This one I took the best, we had gone on a wild ride, jamelle horne rimmed out a game winner and we had still murdered Duke. Acted like a pretty reasonable dude throughout.

2014- I had graduated and lived in Denver but my GF was a senior at UA. So I came to visit her that weekend and her house was having a house party to get ready for a date dash. I just sat in the middle of the party, staring intently at the TV and since everyone at the party went to UA they would casually drop by and watch for a bit. No one was seriously interested. This was infuriating to me, because there is really nothing worse than a casual fan who isn't very interested watching with you while you're just sitting there dying inside at every made basket by wisco. I still remember the charge by NJ and texting my buddy saying that was the single worst call in UA history. Then, just moments after we loss, one of the frat bros was like "Sucks, Well lets throw on the music!" I couldn't fathom what happiness even felt like, much less how someone could be upbeat after such a heart breaker. That was when I made the decision I would never watch an important UA game surrounded by casual fans. It wasn't good for me or them. I had to go to a freaking date dash after that too. Just sat there numb. How do these people try and have fun at times like this? Luckily my GF at least understands it. She knows to pretty much say nothing after these losses. If she tries to console me it just makes it worse, just need time to mourn.

2015- In Denver at the UA bar. Great atmosphere there, could yell and scream as much as needed and be considered completely normal. At this tavern the tables fill up very fast for UA NCAA tournament games. I got there 3 hours before tip off and remember chatting with another UA fan there who was also as nervous as I was. Refreshing from the year before. I do distinctly remember this lady coming to our table trying to get us to sign up for some Bud Light trip thing WHILE THE GAME WAS GOING. She just continued to keep talking to us while we were obviously engrossed in this game and wouldn't get the hint. I wouldn't even make eye contact with her as I continued to say "no thanks." I also remember the following day one of my friends tried to rib me about the game and I just told him that I am legitimately depressed for days after losses like this. Like, I can't even take it in good fun even though I know he is the one being a reasonable person and I'm the irrational one.

If we make the EE this year I'll be in Vegas, I'm sure I can find some die hards there to watch with.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:50 pm

I have decided I just can't watch these E8 games anymore. Would rather get my wisdom teeth extracted. Sucks but losing the past several just makes it too gut wrenching

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:57 pm

I cant remember if it was after the 14 or 15 loss, but the very next morning at the gym there was an asshole parading around in a wisconsin hat and t shirt. The fact that he was probably in his early 60s was the only reason I didn't say something.... or deck him.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:02 pm

azcat49 wrote:I have decided I just can't watch these E8 games anymore. Would rather get my wisdom teeth extracted. Sucks but losing the past several just makes it too gut wrenching

As painful as it can be, there arent many highs in life that beat the build up of an elite 8 game and the actual game itself. Its like having the best sex of your life and knowing theres a good chance youre going to get chlamydia, for the sixth time. At the end of the day u just gotta say F it and know that antibiotics, or time, heal. In the event things turn out great though, not much can top that feeling

rl2013 · Post by **rl2013** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:07 pm

rgdeuce wrote:I cant remember if it was after the 14 or 15 loss, but the very next morning at the gym there was an asshole parading around in a wisconsin hat and t shirt. The fact that he was probably in his early 60s was the only reason I didn't say something.... or deck him.

Ugh, that reminded me of one of my friends who is from Wisconsin, but went to Arizona and graduated from there. He literally was posting shit on FB like "On Wisconsin! Great win!" and this dude holds a UA degree. Infuriating.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:37 pm

Longhorned wrote:Olsondogg didn't believe I threw an entire pizza across my living room after the '15 loss until I showed the pictures of my drapes.

Not sure you could even tell on your drapes from '07. Marriage does do a man good sometimes.

Now where did I put that image?

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 8:45 pm

Merkin wrote:
Longhorned wrote:Olsondogg didn't believe I threw an entire pizza across my living room after the '15 loss until I showed the pictures of my drapes.
Not sure you could even tell on your drapes from '07. Marriage does do a man good sometimes.

Now where did I put that image?

That pic was taken in Brazil but I wish those drapes were mine.

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 10:36 pm

rl2013 wrote:
rgdeuce wrote:I cant remember if it was after the 14 or 15 loss, but the very next morning at the gym there was an asshole parading around in a wisconsin hat and t shirt. The fact that he was probably in his early 60s was the only reason I didn't say something.... or deck him.
Ugh, that reminded me of one of my friends who is from Wisconsin, but went to Arizona and graduated from there. He literally was posting shit on FB like "On Wisconsin! Great win!" and this dude holds a UA degree. Infuriating.

Fuck that guy. I don't even know him . . . but I kinda do. And boy do I fucking hate him. And when he's on Facebook after Arizona wins it in all caps screaming "BEAR DOWN!!!" I'll be forced to hunt his cunt ass down and kill him.

I mean, like I said, . . . I don't even know who you are talking about. But I do . . . . . . and I'm going to feed his ass into a wood chipper when I find him.

Too dark?

scumdevils86 · Post by **scumdevils86** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:03 pm

My wife's entire family is from Wisconsin. The whole family including her is ambivalent to sports but they sure like to mention Wisconsin basketball this time of year. Good thing they are great people and my wife is amazing (and she'll humor me and root for arizona when I get serious about it).

scumdevils86 · Post by **scumdevils86** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:05 pm

Chicat wrote:
rl2013 wrote:
rgdeuce wrote:I cant remember if it was after the 14 or 15 loss, but the very next morning at the gym there was an asshole parading around in a wisconsin hat and t shirt. The fact that he was probably in his early 60s was the only reason I didn't say something.... or deck him.
Ugh, that reminded me of one of my friends who is from Wisconsin, but went to Arizona and graduated from there. He literally was posting shit on FB like "On Wisconsin! Great win!" and this dude holds a UA degree. Infuriating.
Fuck that guy. I don't even know him . . . but I kinda do. And boy do I fucking hate him. And when he's on Facebook after Arizona wins it in all caps screaming "BEAR DOWN!!!" I'll be forced to hunt his cunt ass down and kill him.

I mean, like I said, . . . I don't even know who you are talking about. But I do . . . . . . and I'm going to feed his ass into a wood chipper when I find him.

Too dark?

I don't get it with these Midwestern people. They go to Arizona but don't attend their home school. Yet they will root for their home state school over their alma mater every time.

BearDown89 · Post by **BearDown89** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:16 pm

UAEebs86 wrote:In 1989, I had plane and game tickets to go to the Elite Eight game in Denver against what was supposed to be Indiana and Bobby Knight (ended up being Seton Hall).

Then Kenny Loftin tried to take a charge against UNLV. Anderson Hunt steps back and drains a three. I was so depressed I blew off the tickets and a weekend in Denver with my best friend.

My girlfriend at the time, who became my wife and is now the former Mrs. BD89, had some radio/tv classes with Kenny. They were classroom buddies. She calls me at my folks' house one evening all excited and says Kenny Lofton offered her his family tickets to the Sweet 16 in Denver that weekend! Kenny didn't have any family that could make the game. I'm yelling to my parents that she's been offered the tickets, and my Dad says, you gotta go and he'll give me some cash for the trip. Remember this is '89 the year after our first FF and the whole thing is pretty new and exciting. So we're going to road trip from Tucson to Denver. I have a friend from Tucson at DU who lives downtown - you could see McNichols Arena from his apartment - so we can stay with him . . . So I'm taking basic level college algebra at Pima for the umpteenth time - never could make it much past quadratic equations - and I'm sitting in class early in the week dreaming about leaving for Denver on Wednesday and the Prof mentions the second exam coming up on Friday. Say what?! I've already failed the first exam. Well. That's that. Fuck it. I'm out. Got up right then and there and walked out of class. Never passed or took Algebra again (for the record, I was able to satisfy my math requirement by taking something called Theory of Math Thought that summer at 7 a.m. - I taught the class how to calculate batting averages for my "project" - Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, I believe).

Anyway, we drive on up to Denver. Arizona, Indiana, UNLV and Seton Hall. Three of those four teams' primary color is red. Downtown Denver is a sea of red. I think my Dad gave me $200 and it's hopping. We make our way to McNichols, and sure enough, Kenny MF Lofton left his two tickets at will call for the gf and me. The seats were the best I've ever had at a sporting event - just a couple rows behind the Arizona/Indiana bench. Bobby Knight, right there in front of us. We were sitting with players' parents. Hell, the UofA President and Jim Click were several rows behind us! Place was electric.

Never once did it occur to us that Arizona would lose. Never crossed our minds. And then just exactly as UAEebs said - Kenny, our benefactor, tries to draw a charge and Hunt drains that three. Ball game. Sean Elliot's last game for Arizona. I still remember Jesse Evans's kid down the row from us shocked and balling his eyeballs out. Never occurred to him we'd lose either. We stayed the weekend, partied with some gracious UNLV fans. Saw Matt Muehlebach, KON and some of the other guys out eating lunch later that weekend and gave them a wave. Never met Kenny Lofton myself, but I'll never forget him. Some of the heartbreakers since have been bad, but none have ever equaled that long long drive back to Tucson.

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:34 pm

rgdeuce wrote:As painful as it can be, there arent many highs in life that beat the build up of an elite 8 game and the actual game itself. Its like having the best sex of your life and knowing theres a good chance youre going to get chlamydia, for the sixth time. At the end of the day u just gotta say F it and know that antibiotics, or time, heal. In the event things turn out great though, not much can top that feeling

that's why, in spite of it all, I still go bareback.

Go Cats!!

Bangkok Wildcat · Post by **Bangkok Wildcat** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 12:15 am

BearDown89 wrote:
UAEebs86 wrote:In 1989, I had plane and game tickets to go to the Elite Eight game in Denver against what was supposed to be Indiana and Bobby Knight (ended up being Seton Hall).

Then Kenny Loftin tried to take a charge against UNLV. Anderson Hunt steps back and drains a three. I was so depressed I blew off the tickets and a weekend in Denver with my best friend.
My girlfriend at the time, who became my wife and is now the former Mrs. BD89, had some radio/tv classes with Kenny. They were classroom buddies. She calls me at my folks' house one evening all excited and says Kenny Lofton offered her his family tickets to the Sweet 16 in Denver that weekend! Kenny didn't have any family that could make the game. I'm yelling to my parents that she's been offered the tickets, and my Dad says, you gotta go and he'll give me some cash for the trip. Remember this is '89 the year after our first FF and the whole thing is pretty new and exciting. So we're going to road trip from Tucson to Denver. I have a friend from Tucson at DU who lives downtown - you could see McNichols Arena from his apartment - so we can stay with him . . . So I'm taking basic level college algebra at Pima for the umpteenth time - never could make it much past quadratic equations - and I'm sitting in class early in the week dreaming about leaving for Denver on Wednesday and the Prof mentions the second exam coming up on Friday. Say what?! I've already failed the first exam. Well. That's that. Fuck it. I'm out. Got up right then and there and walked out of class. Never passed or took Algebra again (for the record, I was able to satisfy my math requirement by taking something called Theory of Math Thought that summer at 7 a.m. - I taught the class how to calculate batting averages for my "project" - Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, I believe).

Anyway, we drive on up to Denver. Arizona, Indiana, UNLV and Seton Hall. Three of those four teams' primary color is red. Downtown Denver is a sea of red. I think my Dad gave me $200 and it's hopping. We make our way to McNichols, and sure enough, Kenny MF Lofton left his two tickets at will call for the gf and me. The seats were the best I've ever had at a sporting event - just a couple rows behind the Arizona/Indiana bench. Bobby Knight, right there in front of us. We were sitting with players' parents. Hell, the UofA President and Jim Click were several rows behind us! Place was electric.

Never once did it occur to us that Arizona would lose. Never crossed our minds. And then just exactly as UAEebs said - Kenny, our benefactor, tries to draw a charge and Hunt drains that three. Ball game. Sean Elliot's last game for Arizona. I still remember Jesse Evans's kid down the row from us shocked and balling his eyeballs out. Never occurred to him we'd lose either. We stayed the weekend, partied with some gracious UNLV fans. Saw Matt Muehlebach, KON and some of the other guys out eating lunch later that weekend and gave them a wave. Never met Kenny Lofton myself, but I'll never forget him. Some of the heartbreakers since have been bad, but none have ever equaled that long long drive back to Tucson.

OMG! Great story BD89! I remember that game and Kenny trying to draw the foul from that UNLV guy at the 3 point line....was with 2 of my best buddies in Tucson literally yelling then acting dumbfounded at the loss.....Still hate Tarkanian and the UNLV thugs to this day....ughhhh.

Love me some Kenny Lofton though....had no idea he was a baseball stud till after his college hoops career.

He is a GREAT Wildcat.

ecurbh · Post by **ecurbh** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:45 am

I'm going to have to make these last few pages required reading for my wife, who even after 13 years doesn't always seem to understand what happens to me. See, hon, I'm not the only one.

Phase one is when she starts hearing more audible sighs, groans, and obscenities than happy sounds. Most games have at least a few instances of this.

If it starts getting worse, I'll mute the TV due to announcers cheering on the opponent or cheers of the opposing fans, which increase my bp eponentiously. She hates this phase, though, the silence stresses her out.

If it's dreadful, I just can't watch any more and turn it off. This is simply baffling to her though. I'll check the score periodically, and if there is a comeback, I may return and speed through the recording to catch up.

She'll try to cheer me up after a painful loss, but I go into a morose anti-social funk and really don't want to talk to anyone for a few hours at least. She's learned that mere mention of a few games will send me straight back into that same funk.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:33 am

BearDown89 wrote:
UAEebs86 wrote:In 1989, I had plane and game tickets to go to the Elite Eight game in Denver against what was supposed to be Indiana and Bobby Knight (ended up being Seton Hall).

Then Kenny Loftin tried to take a charge against UNLV. Anderson Hunt steps back and drains a three. I was so depressed I blew off the tickets and a weekend in Denver with my best friend.
My girlfriend at the time, who became my wife and is now the former Mrs. BD89, had some radio/tv classes with Kenny. They were classroom buddies. She calls me at my folks' house one evening all excited and says Kenny Lofton offered her his family tickets to the Sweet 16 in Denver that weekend! Kenny didn't have any family that could make the game. I'm yelling to my parents that she's been offered the tickets, and my Dad says, you gotta go and he'll give me some cash for the trip. Remember this is '89 the year after our first FF and the whole thing is pretty new and exciting. So we're going to road trip from Tucson to Denver. I have a friend from Tucson at DU who lives downtown - you could see McNichols Arena from his apartment - so we can stay with him . . . So I'm taking basic level college algebra at Pima for the umpteenth time - never could make it much past quadratic equations - and I'm sitting in class early in the week dreaming about leaving for Denver on Wednesday and the Prof mentions the second exam coming up on Friday. Say what?! I've already failed the first exam. Well. That's that. Fuck it. I'm out. Got up right then and there and walked out of class. Never passed or took Algebra again (for the record, I was able to satisfy my math requirement by taking something called Theory of Math Thought that summer at 7 a.m. - I taught the class how to calculate batting averages for my "project" - Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, I believe).

Anyway, we drive on up to Denver. Arizona, Indiana, UNLV and Seton Hall. Three of those four teams' primary color is red. Downtown Denver is a sea of red. I think my Dad gave me $200 and it's hopping. We make our way to McNichols, and sure enough, Kenny MF Lofton left his two tickets at will call for the gf and me. The seats were the best I've ever had at a sporting event - just a couple rows behind the Arizona/Indiana bench. Bobby Knight, right there in front of us. We were sitting with players' parents. Hell, the UofA President and Jim Click were several rows behind us! Place was electric.

Never once did it occur to us that Arizona would lose. Never crossed our minds. And then just exactly as UAEebs said - Kenny, our benefactor, tries to draw a charge and Hunt drains that three. Ball game. Sean Elliot's last game for Arizona. I still remember Jesse Evans's kid down the row from us shocked and balling his eyeballs out. Never occurred to him we'd lose either. We stayed the weekend, partied with some gracious UNLV fans. Saw Matt Muehlebach, KON and some of the other guys out eating lunch later that weekend and gave them a wave. Never met Kenny Lofton myself, but I'll never forget him. Some of the heartbreakers since have been bad, but none have ever equaled that long long drive back to Tucson.

Great story BDV.

Didn't Muelbach travel on our previous possession when we were trying to ice the game? Just as much his fault as Lofton's IMO.

EastCoastCat · Post by **EastCoastCat** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:57 am

Alieberman wrote:
Longhorned wrote:Alieberman is the only Cats fan for whom non-sports fans rent out the President's Suite of airport hotels to watch Arizona play in the Elite Eight. Name one year when that hasn't happened to him.
You have a crazy memory. This is totally true and the weird thing is, I am basically an introvert and I actually much prefer watching games by myself at my house. Which leads me to an important topic:

Why I hate watching AZ games with other people (especially random people):

#1 There is nothing more annoying than to watch an important AZ game with non hardcore fans who insist on asking me questions like "Are we rooting for the team in red? Why do you get to take free throws for some fouls but not all fouls? What's that guy's name? Is he any good? Etc... I want to kill these people.

#2. I want free rein to yell, scream, swear, clap and act like a moron during the game. I can't do this when I'm in a social situation.

God, I wish we had rep.

This is totally me. Just add to point #2 "slam my fist on the couch pillow"

dcZONAfan · Post by **dcZONAfan** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:52 am

Alieberman wrote:Which leads me to an important topic:

Why I hate watching AZ games with other people (especially random people):

#1 There is nothing more annoying than to watch an important AZ game with non hardcore fans who insist on asking me questions like "Are we rooting for the team in red? Why do you get to take free throws for some fouls but not all fouls? What's that guy's name? Is he any good? Etc... I want to kill these people.

This is almost, to a T, the scenario I faced when watching the 2011 E8 game. My wife's friend and her husband were in DC for one night and, due to the fact that there was no way in hell I was going to miss the game for dinner at a fancy restaurant, we hosted them for dinner with the caveat that, once the game started, not only would I no longer be a part of the conversation, but I would likely be....well....a little nuts.

Now, I like to think I kept it together for much of the game due entirely to the fact that I didn't want to horrify my wife (at the time girlfriend) too badly, but all that means was that by the end of the game I hadn't broken anything, cursed anyone out, or ruined the relationship between my wife and her friend. I certainly apologized a few times, not for my behavior, but for them having to see it in person.

But man, I was in no mood to answer that girl's questions such as "Why do you like Arizona if you're from NH?"....and all the other "I don't understand basketball at all" questions....

Chicat · Post by **Chicat** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:57 am

Chicat wrote:Fuck ...... is it really only Tuesday?

Oh my fucking god ........ it's still only Wednesday.

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:03 am

scumdevils86 wrote: I don't get it with these Midwestern people. They go to Arizona but don't attend their home school. Yet they will root for their home state school over their alma mater every time.

Still dislike Bill Murrary for mugging during the Illini game. NOT AN ALUM!

My mother came from a very large family in Ohio. In the early 1970s one of her sisters took their brood of 8-10 kids and moved to TN. To this day, they still wear tOSU gear constantly.

Just picking one of my cousins on FB at random. Note he never attended OSU, and AFAIK never set foot on campus.

Looking up one of his brothers.

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:06 am

Chicat wrote:
Chicat wrote:Fuck ...... is it really only Tuesday?
Oh my fucking god ........ it's still only Wednesday.

ya this is me today...

EVCat · Post by **EVCat** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:07 am

rgdeuce wrote:I cant remember if it was after the 14 or 15 loss, but the very next morning at the gym there was an asshole parading around in a wisconsin hat and t shirt. The fact that he was probably in his early 60s was the only reason I didn't say something.... or deck him.

Was a high school senior when we lost to UNLV in 1989. Some punk showed up in one of those satin UNLV starter jackets. Most of the people who cared at my school were all in for UA at that point, and a few of the bigger jocks escorted him to his locker and had him remove the jacket. They did not confiscate the jacket, or actually harm the kid. Just let him know the jacket needed to remain in his locker for the rest of the day or things might happen...

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:08 am

Chicat wrote:
Chicat wrote:Fuck ...... is it really only Tuesday?
Oh my fucking god ........ it's still only Wednesday.

My production effectiveness at work is dropping by the minute.

Lofty · Post by **Lofty** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:11 am

This is a classic thread. I have known a long time the posters here, and even way before (I've been posting since I found it back around the turn of the century or perhaps before) were die hard crazy mo-fos when it came to game time, especially in the tourney. I am in the same boat. I have never broken anything, that I can recall. I've broken a hat, maybe. Threw it so hard the bill broke. I have at least a dozen AZ hats. But nobody talks to me in the house and the dogs shiver when it's game time during March. I pace a lot. I yell a lot. My wife can't get over how I will yell out something only to hear the game announcer inevitably say the same damn thing or something similar. If I find a spot to watch the game that's working, I stick to it. I have never really lost my shit or shown an abundance of emotion in public, but if I'm at home, look out.

Lofty · Post by **Lofty** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:15 am

A big huge thing that bothers the shit out of me is that I have friends and acquaintances that know I am a big AZ fan, of course. But they just don't know the depth and level of my fandom because I don't openly display things such as have been discussed in this thread. And all of them are simply not die hard fans, to that level, at least. So, when I happen to be out in public catching a game, they don't know not to really engage me too directly on the game. Or even worse, after a big huge loss, like some that have been mentioned in here, they will actually bring it up in a friendly, taunting way or just bring it up. I feel like Achmed in those circumstances. SILENCE! I KILL YOU.

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:21 am

During the last game, my kids (9 and 12) told me. "Dad it's ok if you swear. We don't mind"

At least they get me.

Actually I took my 9 year old to the UCLA game, and he spent most of the game yelling at the refs for being so terrible.

He really gets me.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:30 am

I had a conversation with another Arizona fan the other day. Talk was about whether Trier is leaving. I started into the current DraftExpress rankings, the questions about Alkins and Simmons and the potential that Bowen is waiting to see whether Trier leaves relative to his commitment.

My partner in the conversation appeared surprised by the depth and moving parts of all of it and that I was easily conversant in the moving parts. It was a reminder that not all Arizona basketball fans spend large chunks of their free time assessing the collection of players we are likely to have on the wing next year. Heck, some of them might not even regularly check on Brian Bowen's crystal ball predictions or update Allonzo's draft stock.

The fact that I generally do those things on a daily or weekly basis, even during a tourney run, well...sometimes it hits home that this behavior isn't the norm.

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:41 am

BearDown89 wrote:
UAEebs86 wrote:In 1989, I had plane and game tickets to go to the Elite Eight game in Denver against what was supposed to be Indiana and Bobby Knight (ended up being Seton Hall).

Then Kenny Loftin tried to take a charge against UNLV. Anderson Hunt steps back and drains a three. I was so depressed I blew off the tickets and a weekend in Denver with my best friend.
My girlfriend at the time, who became my wife and is now the former Mrs. BD89, had some radio/tv classes with Kenny. They were classroom buddies. She calls me at my folks' house one evening all excited and says Kenny Lofton offered her his family tickets to the Sweet 16 in Denver that weekend! Kenny didn't have any family that could make the game. I'm yelling to my parents that she's been offered the tickets, and my Dad says, you gotta go and he'll give me some cash for the trip. Remember this is '89 the year after our first FF and the whole thing is pretty new and exciting. So we're going to road trip from Tucson to Denver. I have a friend from Tucson at DU who lives downtown - you could see McNichols Arena from his apartment - so we can stay with him . . . So I'm taking basic level college algebra at Pima for the umpteenth time - never could make it much past quadratic equations - and I'm sitting in class early in the week dreaming about leaving for Denver on Wednesday and the Prof mentions the second exam coming up on Friday. Say what?! I've already failed the first exam. Well. That's that. Fuck it. I'm out. Got up right then and there and walked out of class. Never passed or took Algebra again (for the record, I was able to satisfy my math requirement by taking something called Theory of Math Thought that summer at 7 a.m. - I taught the class how to calculate batting averages for my "project" - Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, I believe).

Anyway, we drive on up to Denver. Arizona, Indiana, UNLV and Seton Hall. Three of those four teams' primary color is red. Downtown Denver is a sea of red. I think my Dad gave me $200 and it's hopping. We make our way to McNichols, and sure enough, Kenny MF Lofton left his two tickets at will call for the gf and me. The seats were the best I've ever had at a sporting event - just a couple rows behind the Arizona/Indiana bench. Bobby Knight, right there in front of us. We were sitting with players' parents. Hell, the UofA President and Jim Click were several rows behind us! Place was electric.

Never once did it occur to us that Arizona would lose. Never crossed our minds. And then just exactly as UAEebs said - Kenny, our benefactor, tries to draw a charge and Hunt drains that three. Ball game. Sean Elliot's last game for Arizona. I still remember Jesse Evans's kid down the row from us shocked and balling his eyeballs out. Never occurred to him we'd lose either. We stayed the weekend, partied with some gracious UNLV fans. Saw Matt Muehlebach, KON and some of the other guys out eating lunch later that weekend and gave them a wave. Never met Kenny Lofton myself, but I'll never forget him. Some of the heartbreakers since have been bad, but none have ever equaled that long long drive back to Tucson.

My Pony League coach, Clark Crist, was the guy who scouted and eventually signed Lofton. He used to tell us stories about how rough Lofton was on the diamond and it was brutally honest with an old ballplayer's brash sense of humor. He actually started calling me Kenny eventually, not because of speed, but because like Lofton, I could not hit a curveball to save my life. Last I knew, Lofton still had a house in Tucson - he came into my friend's father's post office branch about 6(?) years ago. It's a damn shame he didn't even get on a second ballot for HOF. He was one of the best leadoff hitters of all time. No idea how a guy with a 299 career average, 372 on base percentage, four gold gloves and 622 stolen bases is not in the hall of fame.

EVCat · Post by **EVCat** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:44 am

"Well..at least your team made it this far. It was a great run."

"It was a good game, though. At least it was exciting."

"So...who are you pulling for now?"

"Just think of all the time you will get back."

"It's just a game...I mean, no one died."

Lofty · Post by **Lofty** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:50 am

BearDown89 wrote:
UAEebs86 wrote:In 1989, I had plane and game tickets to go to the Elite Eight game in Denver against what was supposed to be Indiana and Bobby Knight (ended up being Seton Hall).

Then Kenny Loftin tried to take a charge against UNLV. Anderson Hunt steps back and drains a three. I was so depressed I blew off the tickets and a weekend in Denver with my best friend.
My girlfriend at the time, who became my wife and is now the former Mrs. BD89, had some radio/tv classes with Kenny. They were classroom buddies. She calls me at my folks' house one evening all excited and says Kenny Lofton offered her his family tickets to the Sweet 16 in Denver that weekend! Kenny didn't have any family that could make the game. I'm yelling to my parents that she's been offered the tickets, and my Dad says, you gotta go and he'll give me some cash for the trip. Remember this is '89 the year after our first FF and the whole thing is pretty new and exciting. So we're going to road trip from Tucson to Denver. I have a friend from Tucson at DU who lives downtown - you could see McNichols Arena from his apartment - so we can stay with him . . . So I'm taking basic level college algebra at Pima for the umpteenth time - never could make it much past quadratic equations - and I'm sitting in class early in the week dreaming about leaving for Denver on Wednesday and the Prof mentions the second exam coming up on Friday. Say what?! I've already failed the first exam. Well. That's that. Fuck it. I'm out. Got up right then and there and walked out of class. Never passed or took Algebra again (for the record, I was able to satisfy my math requirement by taking something called Theory of Math Thought that summer at 7 a.m. - I taught the class how to calculate batting averages for my "project" - Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett, I believe).

Anyway, we drive on up to Denver. Arizona, Indiana, UNLV and Seton Hall. Three of those four teams' primary color is red. Downtown Denver is a sea of red. I think my Dad gave me $200 and it's hopping. We make our way to McNichols, and sure enough, Kenny MF Lofton left his two tickets at will call for the gf and me. The seats were the best I've ever had at a sporting event - just a couple rows behind the Arizona/Indiana bench. Bobby Knight, right there in front of us. We were sitting with players' parents. Hell, the UofA President and Jim Click were several rows behind us! Place was electric.

Never once did it occur to us that Arizona would lose. Never crossed our minds. And then just exactly as UAEebs said - Kenny, our benefactor, tries to draw a charge and Hunt drains that three. Ball game. Sean Elliot's last game for Arizona. I still remember Jesse Evans's kid down the row from us shocked and balling his eyeballs out. Never occurred to him we'd lose either. We stayed the weekend, partied with some gracious UNLV fans. Saw Matt Muehlebach, KON and some of the other guys out eating lunch later that weekend and gave them a wave. Never met Kenny Lofton myself, but I'll never forget him. Some of the heartbreakers since have been bad, but none have ever equaled that long long drive back to Tucson.

Great story BD. And damnit, I still have failed to figure out how we could meet up sometime and watch certain UA games. I am a 92 grad living in the Treasure Valley since 1999. I believe we may have communicated thorough this site or the prior one before about trying to meet up sometime. How many others are local to Treasure Valley that frequent this site? Just us?

rgdeuce · Post by **rgdeuce** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:56 am

Bangkok Wildcat wrote:
OMG! Great story BD89! I remember that game and Kenny trying to draw the foul from that UNLV guy at the 3 point line....was with 2 of my best buddies in Tucson literally yelling then acting dumbfounded at the loss.....Still hate Tarkanian and the UNLV thugs to this day....ughhhh.

Love me some Kenny Lofton though....had no idea he was a baseball stud till after his college hoops career.

He is a GREAT Wildcat.

He really wasn't. Based on what Crist told me: Lofton couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat and would miss breaking balls by two feet. He came to then-manager Jerry Kindall after the basketball season and asked to play and Kindall worked him out and kept him on the team. Think he was only on the team a month or month and a half and I believe he was only used exclusively as a pinch runner. He stole a shit ton of bases in a very short time. Crist was on the 1980 national championship baseball team and was scouting at the time. I dont know if he was there scouting someone else or if Kindall called him up and said you have to watch this kid fly, but Crist shows up and sees Lofton fly. He told us he had never seen someone fly so fast on a baseball field, and he had a great (but inaccurate) throwing arm. He said you could almost put him in CF by himself and he could get to pretty much anything. He was bad, but like they say, you cant teach blazing speed. Crist got him drafted and signed merely for that. Of course, Kenny being as athletically superior as he was, had the right coaching in the minors to turn him into a guy who could at least get a bat on the ball and use his speed from there, to eventually becoming a very good major league hitter. If you ask Crist how bad Lofton was at Arizona, he would start laughing before telling you about 50 stories about how bad he was

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 8:59 am

This thread is so interesting and kind of revealing about the members here.

Are we all the most Arizona basketball obsessed fan in each of our social circles? This place is kind of like my dirty little secret. I have many friends that are "big" Arizona basketball fans... but none of them know about this site and I would never tell them about it!

Am I the only one?!!!!

ecurbh · Post by **ecurbh** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:02 am

Alieberman wrote:Actually I took my 9 year old to the UCLA game, and he spent most of the game yelling at the refs for being so terrible.

Now there's a good boy!

Olsondogg · Post by **Olsondogg** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:07 am

I can barely discuss basketball, let alone Arizona basketball with anyone not close to me. I doesn't make sense to them, and I don't have one single ounce of patience to try to explain.

I don't give one single fuck what they think either.

The thing I love most about my wife is that while dating me she didn't try to understand, she just accepted and actually gets invested as well now. She also things it's extremely cute that my 20 month old son can do a perfect "wildcat growl".

My obsession has spread.

rl2013 · Post by **rl2013** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:17 am

EVCat wrote:"Well..at least your team made it this far. It was a great run."

"It was a good game, though. At least it was exciting."

"So...who are you pulling for now?"

"Just think of all the time you will get back."

"It's just a game...I mean, no one died."

Just shoot me now.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:27 am

EVCat wrote:"Well..at least your team made it this far. It was a great run."

"It was a good game, though. At least it was exciting."

"So...who are you pulling for now?"

"Just think of all the time you will get back."

"It's just a game...I mean, no one died."

Those comments are time dependent. If someone had dropped one of those on me right after Dekker hit the running three during Wisconsin 2015, I might have punched him. A few hours after, I would be mad, but I wouldn't immediately resort to violence.

Maybe I'm a bad person, but my now wife tried one of those early in our relationship. I stared back in what must have included a few daggers and said nothing. She was not pleased. A few hours later, we had a conversation about how there was nothing she could do to make it better and that the best solution was just to let me alone so I could work it out. We've done that ever since, and it has worked pretty well. I'm lucky in that, although I don't think she understands it, she accepts and tolerates it.

Edit: It's weird, but I get less mad in the immediate aftermath of a loss at an opposing fan trash talking than I do at someone trying to make me feel better. It's the sympathy that I have more trouble controlling my response to, and it's weird that it is like that.

RiseAndFire · Post by **RiseAndFire** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:31 am

the stars keep aligning for the 20-year anniversary title run. Face an 11 seed in the S16 who has no point guard? yes please

Not even a grotesquely disfigured finger can stop them! Time to bring the party back to AZ..

cue: Phil Collins" in the air tonight".

Login • Register