Perspective on Arizona Basketball

[Olsondogg]

If you are reading this and are 37 years old or younger, you’ve lived your entire life with Arizona Basketball being a premier college basketball program.

It’s something to me that I at one time in my life I watched the red\blue scrimmage at the Brophy gym and got Steve Kerr, Lute, and Sean Elliot’s autographs on the program—that was a sheet of paper printed on a copier.

It’s remarkable to me to see what the program has become and will continue to be—regardless of the outcomes this weekend and beyond.

Just wanted to remind all of you sickos of this and to have some perspective of what it is. You could have somehow become an ASU fan.


Bear down.

[Alieberman]

BTFD-

Signed

AZ fan since 1988

[Fishclamps]

Hey that's my age and I don't expect a championship every year

[azcat49]

Been BTFD since the very early 70’s. Saw one game in Bear Down Gym under Larson and had season tickets when Snowden moved to McKale. Stopped when I was a student but never missed a game until Lindsey came around but have had tickets since 83.

Great things are coming this weekend, I can feel it

[FreeSpiritCat]

Been BTFD since the very early 70’s. Saw one game in Bear Down Gym under Larson and had season tickets when Snowden moved to McKale. Stopped when I was a student but never missed a game until Lindsey came around but have had tickets since 83.

Great things are coming this weekend, I can feel it

I do too. It seems the stars are aligning this year. Another less feeling I have is it will be Arizona/Purdue in the final.

[Beachcat97]

I was at UofA from '96 to '01, so I was there for some INCREDIBLE teams.

AZ hoops is the only sports team I follow closely. Pro sports just seems to get worse each year.

I think the tradition that Coach Olson established is alive and well, and I thank our lucky stars we've been able to hire two outstanding coaches in the post-Olson era. I'll always admire and feel grateful for Sean Miller and the years he spent in Tucson. He's a good guy, done dirty by the media. I'm happy Xavier agrees with me. And Tommy Lloyd has been a joy to watch, as he quickly dispelled any doubts about his lack of HC experience. Coach Lloyd is a fantastic person, and he's someone who can keep AZ hoops at the level we expect from year to year.

Here's hoping Caleb, Keshad, Pelle, Oumar, Kylan and co. can win two games this week!

BTFD!

[KaibabKat]

Saw Eric Money score 37 in his first game at Arizona in Bear Down Gym. Was at the first game in McKale vs. Wyoming. Still have the "I Was There" pin when we defeated UCLA and USC in the same weekend in McKale. Was at Provo when Coniel Norman went off for 44 points and Jim Wakefield made a "Black Power" sign when walking off the floor - crowd reaction was unforgettable (this was before the Mormon Church had a "revelation" allowing black players). Was at Utah when red hot coins were tossed at our players; a bomb threat halted play, and Fred Snowden had the team leave the building before the game was final and get on the bus without showering or changing. Had a first hand report about a game at Wyoming where our coach was told, by a referee, to "sit down Ni**er." There are more stories and many very fond memories but every day was not a "good old day" fifty years ago.

[MrKyle]

Good post ODogg! Some perspective is always appreciated.

I was born and raised on AZ Basketball/Football. Went to school with Roz's kids, and Lutes daughter Jody was my PE teacher in elementary school!

Cats winning it all in 97 is one of my best memories, I still remember it like it was yesterday - walking outside of our house and hearing the neighborhood erupting in cheers and cowbells ringing (and this was in Oro Valley - a relatively out of the way part of Tucson at the time)

Went to UofA from '02-'07 so also got to see some good teams then - and also the downturn we had after Olson stepped away.

Think we've been incredibly lucky getting Miller/Lloyd with only having a few down years in between - excited to see what the rest of this season holds; and think we've got a bright future.

Would be a great storyline for us to meet up with Purdue again for the NC

BTFD!

[azcat49]

Saw Eric Money score 37 in his first game at Arizona in Bear Down Gym. Was at the first game in McKale vs. Wyoming. Still have the "I Was There" pin when we defeated UCLA and USC in the same weekend in McKale. Was at Provo when Coniel Norman went off for 44 points and Jim Wakefield made a "Black Power" sign when walking off the floor - crowd reaction was unforgettable (this was before the Mormon Church had a "revelation" allowing black players). Was at Utah when red hot coins were tossed at our players; a bomb threat halted play, and Fred Snowden had the team leave the building before the game was final and get on the bus without showering or changing. Had a first hand report about a game at Wyoming where our coach was told, by a referee, to "sit down Ni**er." There are more stories and many very fond memories but every day was not a "good old day" fifty years ago.

Remember all of that and was at all the home games you mentioned. I saw the others on TV

That game at BYU where Norman went 21-24 from the field was the most incredible shooting display I have ever seen. He did get a standing O from there fans. If they had a three point line back then he would have had 60. He shot and made both his FT’s that day.

Not many refs treated Freddie well in those days. I think Irv Brown might have been the only one. When he went to UTEP to play Don Haskins, I think even Don was embarrassed

[VegasCatFan]

I didn't get to Tucson until 1970 and didn't make my first game until 1973 when the Kiddie Korps were no longer Kiddies. Loved watching B. Elliot, Fleming, Rappis, Herm the Germ, Len Gordy, Joe Nehls. And then suffered through the Ben Lindsey year. Even made it to a couple games that year to watch them lose.

We've been spoiled for a long time now. I was already living in Las Vegas when we beat Kentucky for the championship but I caught a flight and hung out at a bar with friends watching the game, even though I tore cartilage in my knee the day before.

Here's hoping the next two weeks can create new memories for all of us!