Twenty years ago

[gumby]

Nice write-up from Doug Haller.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /98953054/" target="_blank

“I tell people this all the time: It’s the greatest run in the history of the NCAA Tournament," Pastner said with conviction. “It doesn’t get enough credit. I don’t want to hear about the '85 Villanova team. This run by the Arizona Wildcats in 1997 was the greatest NCAA Tournament run in history.”

[azcat49]

Can go big or go small. Played incredible defense. Had arguably their top player out for some time. Man does that sound familiar

[97cats]

its just like '97

[CalStateTempe]

YES !!!!!!!!

[azgreg]

[catgrad97]

Have you ever flown through a whole month on nothing but sheer faith and adrenalin?

It felt like that, especially as a senior working in McKale in March of '97.

Run a baseball game in Sancet, fly across the street to watch the Providence Elite Eight game in the tiny (at the time) Sports Info. office with Butch Henry.

Go to the next one and ask a jet-lagged Brian Jeffries how he was...if he knew where he was. It was three weeks of living with no tomorrow. Never slept, rarely ate, up until 5 a.m. balancing classes, job interviews, Honors thesis and scanning ESPN and other nascent websites for stories on the Cats and their increasingly improbable run.

After I finally crashed the night of the championship game, only to wake up right before halftime, I felt like I had missed my only flight to Hawaii. The whole second half and OT, I was a useless bundle of nerves watching the main Yavapai Hall TV.

After it was over, you'd expect histrionics. But so, so drained...all I could do was slump forward, smile and nod.

If you remember that Admiral Ackbar moment from Return of the Jedi when the Empire finally begins to fall after the Star Destroyer Avenger slams into Death Star II--that was me.

There was never a more exhilarating, stressful, nerve-defying four weeks in my life. Jesus...we all broke the wall. F*cking shattered it.

Don't you dare attempt to tell me there was ever a better month's run to glory, unless you were there. Then you know better.

[EVCat]

I left the house during the South Alabama game. Not again. No fucking way. I am not watching this bullshit. I drove around aimlessly, then turned the radio on, caught the game on a dying station. Couldn't hear Brian, but he sounded excited. Caught a score and we were within a bucket. I ran 2 lights (dead streets, northern Arizona) and pulled into our townhome, just parking on the curb, as the garage door was manual. Ran into the back patio, through the kitchen, and literally tripped on the seam where the tile turned to carpet...went down face first in front of the TV just in time to see us take the lead and run away with the game.

COC was supposed to be easy, or so said everyone who didn't know that COC team. I was stuck at a Big Brothers/Big Sisters bowling event, which was just down the road from my townhome. I "had to take a shit" with about 5 minutes left in the game...excused myself, had someone pick my frames up for me, sprinted half a mile to watch at home.

Kansas? Called my friend John, told him we were going to win. I had an epiphany. Both of us were bettors, he way more so than me, both logical actors. For some reason, he took my word as the word. Ran out and bought a new jersey. We won.

Providence, I called...I said we would win in OT. As it happened, I could not believe my own dumb prognostication. God Shammgod going God at will down the stretch. Then he let us off the mat...missed a wide open shot to win. Off to the Final Four.

Watched at the Arizona Center "Original's Sports Bar". The 1060 radio host "The Trainer", something Kennedy did his show live from right in front of me. I was in the business, so I sat near to observe. He got off the air in time for tip (maybe KDUS had our games?), and just ordered a beer and watched from the same bar table. He was being an incredible dickhead to me during the early game runout by Carolina...getting in my face, talking shit and getting backing from his weird synchophantic .2 Nielson radio posse. I am surprised that I wasn't in a fight by the end of that game. I brought it back relentlessly...almost as relentless as the team.

Stuck in my early post-college career, so no National Title game day or next day off. Not being in Tucson still kills me when I think of it. Watched the game from home. Pretty mellow. When Delk stepped in and hit the 3 and Miles didn't get a look and Terry fired the late heave off the rim, I should have been defeated. But I knew we were going to win. Their comeback was improbable. They were in foul trouble. We were better than them. Miles was getting what he wanted. CBS, thankfully, came back from commercial quickly after Pitino called the final TO when Mills hit the 3. Even with 10X the time, he knew, unlike Alford, there were no 5 point plays. He called off the fouls, and when Miles grabbed the ball and went to the ground, I just slid off my couch...literally slid off the edge onto the ground and started laughing. Like almost a cry laughing. My wife was hugging me, and I just kept laughing.

You know where you rank on a friend's list by when they call you after your mutual team wins a title. My best friend hit me up almost immediately...my wife grabbed the phone and brought it to me, and call waiting clicked 4 or 5 times during that call from other friends in or around that "first to call" orbit. Then I had to go to bed because stupid job.

Wednesday, I was home for lunch, and there was a knock on the door. UPS. My brother had gone out and about in Tucson and grabbed every newspaper, t shirt, newspaper machine display, window display, anything about the game, threw it in a box with VCR tapes of all the local newscasts and some personal video on Speedway and 5th and 4th Ave, etc...it was Christmas. I called in sick to the 2nd half of work and just watched it all. There was no damn way I could call out Tuesday...they all knew what was up. But no one suspected Wed Afternoon.

[azgreg]

Who remembers this 2 hours of cardiac arrest?

[EVCat]

Who remembers this 2 hours of cardiac arrest?

I forgot how stark of a fall apart this almost was. We were up 8 with under 5 minutes.

[Longhorned]

What kind of idiots continue to put themselves through this decade after decade? Even when we win the whole thing, it's intolerable along the way.

[Olsondogg]

This board would have imploded in the first half of the S. Alabama game that year....if not earlier that year at several times.

[Bangkok Wildcat]

Nice write-up from Doug Haller.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /98953054/" target="_blank

“I tell people this all the time: It’s the greatest run in the history of the NCAA Tournament," Pastner said with conviction. “It doesn’t get enough credit. I don’t want to hear about the '85 Villanova team. This run by the Arizona Wildcats in 1997 was the greatest NCAA Tournament run in history.”

AWESOME gumby, I had missed this thread till now. Really enjoyed reading that so thanks for sharing!

[RichardCranium]

Who remembers this 2 hours of cardiac arrest?

I forgot how stark of a fall apart this almost was. We were up 8 with under 5 minutes.

Jump that video to the last, say, 10 seconds of over time. Notice anything different to a certain game from this year 'we' have been chewing over for the last week or so?

[RichardCranium]

[RichardCranium]

[RichardCranium]

[RichardCranium]

[RichardCranium]

[RichardCranium]

[RichardCranium]

[Bangkok Wildcat]

Nice blast from the past Richard.....Cheers 'Mate'

However, we are way overdue for another FF and Championship! I know how hard the tourney is and anything can happen but somehow this year feels different and I'm optimistic....just wish we were getting a little less press and prognostications about a FF or 'ship from the analysts.....under the radar suits me fine with this year in particular.

Like I've said in other threads though, barring an early flameout like last year, I'm already really happy with this season....they are truly winners and a real TEAM. Bear Down.

[azgreg]

Well done RC.

[Slappy]

Adding to the mystic of this run, their plane had mechanical issues, and they didn't arrive until 4AM for the sweet 16 match up against Kansas.

Dickerson said all he wanted to do was sleep, and they basically got none.

[rgdeuce]

I remember being at my best friend's house for the Providence and UNC games. So much anxiety and excitement that during timeouts, we would run outside to his basketball court and pretend to be Bibby and Simon and play out Arizona winning on buzzer beaters. My grandfather gave me his old TV the day we played Kentucky in the title game and I remember my dad putting the finishing touch on the rabbit ears right at tipoff. I stood that entire second half and overtime, and I remember jumping up and down while keeping both hands on the TV stand during the big moments late in the game. I was 14 during that run.

How amazing would it be to do the same this year, almost like time traveling 20 years to the past to relive that feeling and for some of us, to relive one of the happiest moments of our childhood.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

[97cats]

I forgot how stark of a fall apart this almost was. We were up 8 with under 5 minutes.

i have the Kansas game on my DVR -- you should go back and watch that gem, AZ dominated for the most part and was up 13 points with three mins to go and only won by three.

turning the ball over in the back-court and having trouble getting the ball in bounds -- it was eerily similar to another game that would occur in the ELITE 8 some eight years later

[Chicat]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

Posted this in its own thread, but ESPN Classic is showing the Kansas, UNC, and Kentucky games tomorrow morning.

[Olsondogg]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

I don't want to relive that tournament again. I fucking survived it the first time, we all did. It was a fucking dramatic tourney...I mean, overtime against UK and winning by not hitting a field goal? Unreal.

[EVCat]

I forgot how stark of a fall apart this almost was. We were up 8 with under 5 minutes.

i have the Kansas game on my DVR -- you should go back and watch that gem, AZ dominated for the most part and was up 13 points with three mins to go and only won by three.

turning the ball over in the back-court and having trouble getting the ball in bounds -- it was eerily similar to another game that would occur in the ELITE 8 some eight years later

I have the Kansas game as well, and I still get a little bit of a scare everytime LaFrentz sprints to the corner to launch that 3 at the end. They had made everything for 4 minutes. They were, truly, the best team we played in the tournament and didn't let us up for even a second, relentless with their comeback. I felt like the end of the Gonzaga game in 2003 when that ball missed vs Kansas in 97...exhausted relief. We held on.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

I don't want to relive that tournament again. I fucking survived it the first time, we all did. It was a fucking dramatic tourney...I mean, overtime against UK and winning by not hitting a field goal? Unreal.

The 2005 Arizona/Illinois Elite Eight game is there too if you want counterprogramming.

[RiseAndFire]

20 year anniversary, in Phoenix, 2 seed in cakewalk bracket, offense clicking..

Either the universe wants us to win the title this year or it is just setting us up to call a victory lap timeout

[Olsondogg]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

I don't want to relive that tournament again. I fucking survived it the first time, we all did. It was a fucking dramatic tourney...I mean, overtime against UK and winning by not hitting a field goal? Unreal.

The 2005 Arizona/Illinois Elite Eight game is there too if you want counterprogramming.

GFY for talking about that.

[scumdevils86]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

I don't want to relive that tournament again. I fucking survived it the first time, we all did. It was a fucking dramatic tourney...I mean, overtime against UK and winning by not hitting a field goal? Unreal.

The 2005 Arizona/Illinois Elite Eight game is there too if you want counterprogramming.

GFY for talking about that.

Indeed. I hope to god nothing scars me more than that game for the rest of my life in regards to my fandom.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

I don't want to relive that tournament again. I fucking survived it the first time, we all did. It was a fucking dramatic tourney...I mean, overtime against UK and winning by not hitting a field goal? Unreal.

The 2005 Arizona/Illinois Elite Eight game is there too if you want counterprogramming.

GFY for talking about that.

Hey, I offered the good first.

Most painful experience of my sports fan life.

[Olsondogg]

You're dead to me

[Merkin]

[CalStateTempe]

Duke 2001 was worse imo. There they were helped by the refs. 2005 we largely did it to ourselves. Both terribly painful, but I'm still not over duke 2001. Illini 2005 sucks to think about but I rarely give that game a second thought these days.

[scumdevils86]

I have no memory of the 2001 game and I don't think I watched a second of AZ basketball before 2002 so I was spared that at least.

[EastCoastCat]

34-41 at the free throw line in the final game. All points in OT were from FT's.

Still amazes me after 20 years.

[scumdevils86]

34-41 at the free throw line in the final game. All points in OT were from FT's.

Still amazes me after 20 years.

13 more fouls on Kentucky than us. 4 Kentucky players fouled out. Why was there such a huge discrepancy?

[Merkin]

Duke 2001 was worse imo. There they were helped by the refs. 2005 we largely did it to ourselves. Both terribly painful, but I'm still not over duke 2001. Illini 2005 sucks to think about but I rarely give that game a second thought these days.

2001 was 5 on 8, even the Sporting News wrote about that, but Duke did play a pretty good game. Dunleavy was lights out.

2005 refs swallowed their whistles end of game. Still remember Frye getting conked on the head trying to get the ball and no call. Shakur froze end of game. Hassan never should shoot for the game winning shot end of game. Think he missed end of game too the next season.

Even the Santa Clara game Cats have every chance to win end of game. Cats fouled Steve Nash, he clanked both FTs with less than a minute left. Cats then fouled another white guy, who also missed both FTs. Cats couldn't score either time.

[NYCat]

34-41 at the free throw line in the final game. All points in OT were from FT's.

Still amazes me after 20 years.

13 more fouls on Kentucky than us. 4 Kentucky players fouled out. Why was there such a huge discrepancy?

You're not supposed to complain when ref ball affects the other team.

But, to be more serious. Lot of UK fans complain about that.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/SPORTS/u ... r_CV_U.htm" target="_blank

Defense wasn't a problem in the 1997 title game, when Kentucky held Arizona to 37.9% shooting and no field goals in overtime. But a 34-9 deficit at the free throw line helped doom the Wildcats in Rick Pitino's last game.
"They were a team that was aggressive, and we pressed a lot and they did a good job of attacking," Padgett said. "In a game that close, I would never say it was the referees."

There's always a bunch of Kentucky fans that complain about that game the way UA fans complain about the 01 Duke game. Poor officiating in general I guess.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/7632 ... t-20-years" target="_blank

2. Arizona in 1997 Title Game
10 of 11
Shocking, isn't it? A picture from the 1997 title game where Arizona is shooting free throws.

Folks, that was the story of the game. Free throws.

Thanks refs.

The 1997 loss to Arizona will go down in Kentucky history as one of the most poorly officiated games ever. There's really no other way to describe it other than to say Kentucky got hosed. When it was all said and done, Arizona shot a whopping 41 free throws to 17 for Kentucky. Forty-one to 17.

Truly mind-boggling stuff.

And yet, Kentucky still sent the game to overtime and if Nazr Mohammed could have just hit one of his free throws (he was 0-of-6 in the game), then Kentucky would have won back-to-back titles. So this was a really, really bad loss. But since it was largely out of their control that they lost, I hate to penalize the players by calling this the worst loss of the last 20 years.

A W is a W. I agree with Padgett, even in that 01 Duke game.

[Bear Down Vegas]

I was 22 years old & had a baby girl on the way. My babies mama and I still hadn't settled on a name. I kept telling her I wanted to name her Arizona.

The brackets come out and Arizona is 45-1 to win it all. I put $10 on it and say to Kim, "Hey, if Arizona wins the tournament we really should name her Arizona." She asked what the odds were and I said Vegas thinks they'll win it one out of 45 times. She agrees.

As the good 'Cats are shooting free throws in the last seconds, I had a packed house of friends and family and they were all chanting, "Arizona Lynn Francese in the house!" It was magical.


Sadly, the only bad part about that story is that Kim backed out and her name isn't Arizona. However - I have two friends that for the last 19 years will only call her Arizona....so that's fun. Man I am so hype. Go Cats.

[BearDown89]

I have two friends that for the last 19 years will only call her Arizona....so that's fun.

That's all that matters. Awesome.

[Longhorned]

I was looking the other day, and NCAA on demand has both the North Carolina and Kentucky game on YouTube if anyone wants to relive the '97 Final Four.

I don't want to relive that tournament again. I fucking survived it the first time, we all did. It was a fucking dramatic tourney...I mean, overtime against UK and winning by not hitting a field goal? Unreal.

The 2005 Arizona/Illinois Elite Eight game is there too if you want counterprogramming.

GFY for talking about that.

Hey, I offered the good first.

Most painful experience of my sports fan life.

Just know that today's Illinois students don't even know about that game (they were 6-10 years old), the Illinois fans old enough to remember don't actually remember because of all the years since of constant losing and missing the tourney, and that we're 2-0 against Illinois since that game.

[azgreg]

[prh]

I was 22 years old & had a baby girl on the way. My babies mama and I still hadn't settled on a name. I kept telling her I wanted to name her Arizona.

The brackets come out and Arizona is 45-1 to win it all. I put $10 on it and say to Kim, "Hey, if Arizona wins the tournament we really should name her Arizona." She asked what the odds were and I said Vegas thinks they'll win it one out of 45 times. She agrees.

As the good 'Cats are shooting free throws in the last seconds, I had a packed house of friends and family and they were all chanting, "Arizona Lynn Francese in the house!" It was magical.


Sadly, the only bad part about that story is that Kim backed out and her name isn't Arizona. However - I have two friends that for the last 19 years will only call her Arizona....so that's fun. Man I am so hype. Go Cats.

That's awesome BDV. My girlfriend wants to name our future daughter Arizona, and I've been hoping it can be immediately following a national championship.

[azcat49]

I was 22 years old & had a baby girl on the way. My babies mama and I still hadn't settled on a name. I kept telling her I wanted to name her Arizona.

The brackets come out and Arizona is 45-1 to win it all. I put $10 on it and say to Kim, "Hey, if Arizona wins the tournament we really should name her Arizona." She asked what the odds were and I said Vegas thinks they'll win it one out of 45 times. She agrees.

As the good 'Cats are shooting free throws in the last seconds, I had a packed house of friends and family and they were all chanting, "Arizona Lynn Francese in the house!" It was magical.


Sadly, the only bad part about that story is that Kim backed out and her name isn't Arizona. However - I have two friends that for the last 19 years will only call her Arizona....so that's fun. Man I am so hype. Go Cats.

That is a great story BDV. Too bad you didn't put down a hundy on the cats!

[Longhorned]

That's a great story, BDV. And Arizona would be a beautiful name for a girl.

[UAEebs86]

That's a great story, BDV. And Arizona would be a beautiful name for a girl.