Keep an eye on CBS and your local listings. "The Shot" may be coming to a TV near you soon...
As I'm typing, CBS is airing a "Top 10 Coaches" show under the "75 Years of March Madness" series. Next Saturday, CBS will show "Top 10 Improbable Heroes. Next Sunday, "Top 10 Buzzer Beaters." I'd hope we see Valpo and some other shows in this series beyond next week...
Also, since this series is part of the NCAA's 75th anniversary celebration where the top 15 players, one team, one moment will be honored at this year's Final Four, here's another reminder to vote for Valpo and Bryce Drew: http://www.ncaa.com/75-moments (http://www.ncaa.com/75-moments)
#4!!!
No love for chef though
Sounds about right, congrats to us again 15 years ago :)
It was a CBS show. I knew going in it was going to be the CBS (TV) call. The radio call always make an appearance on ESPN around tournament time.
Of course, it was Bill Rogers' comments that made Chef's call so popular. ;)
ESPN's come out with its own Top 75 Tournament List: http://espn.go.com/ncb/feature/video/_/page/Top75moments/ncaa-75-college-basketball (http://espn.go.com/ncb/feature/video/_/page/Top75moments/ncaa-75-college-basketball)
We land at #21 on the list and even get a mention in the intro for our "hook and ladder" play
QuoteThe words are a bit over the top, the music somewhat melodramatic, but there is a reason the saccharine-sweet strains of "One Shining Moment" still resonate at each NCAA tournament. The tournament is all about moments, incredible and awe-inspiring, seemingly impossible and equally unpredictable. The buzzer-beaters make March mad, the emotions make it last.
To pick the best ever is almost as difficult as sinking Ali Farokhmanesh's dagger or Bryce Drew's hook-and-ladder, but you know the best when you see them. They are the moments that last. That shine, if you will. -- Dana O'Neil
I guess if they are just talking about general moments, then I can understand being below some of the others. But really, Norfolk State and Lehigh winning as 15 seeds? Whoopeeeeeee!
Anyone else remember Ali Farokhmanesh and his big 3-pointer that helped UNI upset Kansas a few years back? Here's a story about Ali that includes Bryce Drew as some of Ali's inspiration: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21714697/unlikely-moments-from-unlikely-stars-are-what-make-march-madness (http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21714697/unlikely-moments-from-unlikely-stars-are-what-make-march-madness)
Quote from: KL31NY on February 23, 2013, 05:28:11 PM
Anyone else remember Ali Farokhmanesh and his big 3-pointer that helped UNI upset Kansas a few years back? Here's a story about Ali that includes Bryce Drew as some of Ali's inspiration: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21714697/unlikely-moments-from-unlikely-stars-are-what-make-march-madness (http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21714697/unlikely-moments-from-unlikely-stars-are-what-make-march-madness)
Yes. And it was awesome.
Aside from making me feel old, that kids grew up pretending to be B-Drew, that's really really awesome.
That is one of the few shots -- not from a team I cared about -- that I remember right where I was when it took place.
Definitely remember where I was for "the shot"...
Skipping work at a local bar called the "Brat Stop" with my dad and a Co-worker. I even remember the booth we were in. (actually I was jumping around like a fool so it was more like the booth we were "by".)
I was in the aisle, Row 8 at the Pyramid... standing right next to the photographer who took THE picture that became the Poster. His view was my view... I ran down the aisle to high fives from Carl Hensley and Bill Rogers...
Quote from: talksalot on February 24, 2013, 10:15:34 AM
I was in the aisle, Row 8 at the Pyramid... standing right next to the photographer who took THE picture that became the Poster. His view was my view... I ran down the aisle to high fives from Carl Hensley and Bill Rogers...
Fine.... You win.
I would hope anyone on this site over 21 could remember.
But do you remember where you were for Ali Farokhmanesh?
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on February 24, 2013, 12:17:05 PM
I would hope anyone on this site over 21 could remember.
But do you remember where you were for Ali Farokhmanesh?
Watched the game in Brandt, still remember jumping up and down after that shot and when Jake Koch took a charge on the very next play.
Quote from: KL31NY on February 24, 2013, 12:29:06 PMJake Koch took a charge on the very next play.
Shut it down folks, we have a winner!
Quote from: LaPorteAveApostle on February 24, 2013, 12:17:05 PM
I would hope anyone on this site over 21 could remember.
But do you remember where you were for Ali Farokhmanesh?
Sitting at wings etc warming up with a tanker and friends after putting up wind screens on the tennis courts and freezing our butts off. The place pretty much erupted when that shot went down.
Quote from: vuweathernerd on February 24, 2013, 03:14:11 PMThe place pretty much erupted when that shot went down.
And isn't that what's great about the NCAA is that no one in your bar, nor mine, was rooting for Kansas, even though I'm certain there were no UNI alums in either?
We're going to the Dance, and people are going to root for us again.
(http://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/u/underdog-800-75.jpg)
i make it a point of rooting against kansas in everything they do. so you won't get no complaints from me.
OK, back the "the shot", I was in Puerto Vallarta, with my family and my daughter's then boy friend now husband. I had been following the tourney as best you could back then, searching daily for a copy of USA Today. So it comes time for the game and we go into a full court press to find a sports bar (not easy in '98 in Mexico). We find one and tell the bar keeper (my son-in-law speaks spanish) what we are looking for. He get it on but the network in covering other stuff. I go into panic mode as the time moves by. We get only the main CBS feed so they are going back and forth to other games.
Finally, they focus on the Valpo game--its pretty late. Tension builds as we are still in the game for the first time ever. They go to other games as they finish and then back to the Valpo game. We are now focused on the last seconds, all (three of us) the other people in the bar could have cared less, as we lean against the bar to watch the game on a maybe 24" tube. WE WIN!! I go nuts, offering to buy everyone in the bar a beer! Fortunately, it wasn't all that crowded and some of the folks there just thought I was crazy so kinda backed away. It cost me maybe $25 bucks or so and, well, there was some additonal drinking that followed...
My favorite "where you were" story comes from Jim Hooper. Jim was an 8th grader at a small private Lutheran school in San Diego. Almost everybody from his family had gone to Valpo. At the time, his sister was a Valpo women's manager. He convinced the teacher she had to turn on CBS to keep track of the Valpo game. When they switched over for the end of the game, Jim had the whole class watching. When Bryce made the shot, Jim took off right down the hallway screaming in joy. He ran into the room where his mom was teaching...and screamed "we won, we won"...Then he headed back to his class room where everybody else was still celebrating.
Oh, and I also was screaming when Bryce made the shot....something like "Valpo wins, Valpo wins, Valpo wins, Bryce Drew hits a 3 and the Crusaders have moved into the second round." Within a few seconds I exchanged hugs from four people, Bill Rogers, Rob Behrend, Dick Harlan and Bill Steinbrecher.
I was among the group in Neils Science Center watching on the "big screen" when Bryce hit the shot. And I immediately began looking for someone to hug. Alas, it didn't happen. Fortunately I had someone with whom I could celebrate the Florida State win.
I... honestly have no memory of watching the game. It was a Friday afternoon? Maybe I had class? Were classes back in session yet?
So, for that tourney run, I was a bit of a bandwagoner. I played with the pep band quite a bit - so I suspect I was at a good number of games that season. The year before for sure. But, I've paid a lot more attention to the basketball as an alum than I did as a student.
I did make the drive down to St. Louis for the Sweet Sixteen - and remember well the rally (rallies?) outside the ARC, etc.
For "The Shot" I was in a bar in Bloomington, IN with a few other VU grads. As we were watching the final seconds, John Laskowski walks in and asks about which game we were watching. He didn't need to ask which team we were rooting for! Our hands hurt from doing high fives. Went to St. Louis to scalp tickets the next week. I think I saw a baseball cap the next year with "Elite Nine" embroidered on the back.
Nick's or Kilroy's?
Quote from: agibson on February 25, 2013, 01:03:40 PM
I... honestly have no memory of watching the game. It was a Friday afternoon? Maybe I had class? Were classes back in session yet?
So, for that tourney run, I was a bit of a bandwagoner. I played with the pep band quite a bit - so I suspect I was at a good number of games that season. The year before for sure. But, I've paid a lot more attention to the basketball as an alum than I did as a student.
I did make the drive down to St. Louis for the Sweet Sixteen - and remember well the rally (rallies?) outside the ARC, etc.
I had become tired of getting 30 seconds of Valpo every year here in St. Louis, plus that year, I think SLU was playing around the same time and CBS in St. Louis had a policy where they refused to switch from the local team no matter what the score was.
I was at work, not expecting much, and had no way of even listening online. All I remember is casually calling up the espn.com page at one point and there it was plastered across the front page. When I got home, I did get to see the final 20 seconds or so (I did use my VCR to tape CBS just in case).
Sunday it was the same story. SLU was getting killed by Kentucky, but no, we're not going to switch to another game, no how, no way. Got to see the final seconds of regulation and the 5 minute OT at least.
The following week was, of course, a different story. I called the VU alumni office but of course all the tickets were taken. For reasons passing understanding, I never thought to call up ticketmaster or something just to get a ticket into the building. I did go over to a friend's house (he graduated from VU in 1981 or thereabouts) and we watched the URI game together.
Later, I did find the Ole Miss and FSU radio play-by-play calls and listened to them. Much later, RLH sent me complete VHS copies of the 2 games so now I can watch the entire thing. But obviously, I was very slow to join the party.
Students at my school we to be attending to their studies in class. Of course, I didn't enforce any directive for the teachers as I was sitting in my office with the doors closed so I wouldn't be noticed watching the game. When the shot went in, a shout went up from all corners of the school. I appreciated the celebration.
I remember that tourney for a few reasons. First, the MCC (now Horizon) had three teams in the tourney ... I don't think that's happened since.
I remember where I was when I saw "The Shot". I was in Lexington to watch the Butler - New Mexico game and afterward was going to do a brief appearance with the Indy CBS affiliate outside of Rupp. Coverage of the Butler loss took a back seat to Drew's shot and Valpo win and I got to see to see my first glimpse of "The Shot" while we were waiting our turn to go on air. I don't think it's been mentioned that Butler lost that day, but that should make it even better for a few of you guys! ;D
Lastly, I participated in a "player draft" with 8 friends where everyone selects 12 players and payouts are based upon the total points scored by your players during the NCAA tournament. My 3rd round pick (22nd overall) was none other than Ansu Sesay of Mississippi. His 11 points were the least of anyone taken in that round and I lost almost $100 for the tourney. The next two players taken were Utah's Michael Doleac (115 points) and Kentucky's Jeff Shepard (99 points). Ouch. I know ... I should have picked Bryce! ;)
My wife and I were in Washington, D.C. visiting my son and daughter-in-law. We watched the first 2 games together (Fri and Sun, as I recall) at their apartment. On Monday following the games my son was in his final interview at CIA Headquarters in Langley, VA. After he finished, a senior agent took him into a room with several agents sitting at desks. The guy said loudly, "I have an announcement. This is ____ and you'll never guess where he's from---Valpo!" Much to my son's surprise, the entire room burst out in applause.
So many great stories. I have nothing that comes close. Was at the Damon's sports bar on North Clinton here in Fort Wayne (its biggest claim to fame was that it was later significantly damaged by a tornado and Damon's decided to tear it down and not rebuild) taking a late lunch because the local affiliate was showing some other game. The restaurant was about a mile from the seminary so there were a few pastors and other VU alums there for the game. I have to admit that I was ready to accept another "close but no cigar type game when the unbelievable happened. It was a very happy day.
Quote from: chef on February 25, 2013, 05:22:03 PM
Nick's or Kilroy's?
Yogi's. For the '87 NCAA championship game, Nick's had a line that started before 8 AM that morning! Kirkwood was closed most of the evening, then a mass movement to the fountain (which the admin had already drained). The snow was a nice touch.
I was in high school when "The Shot" happened, so I missed the game, plus had track practice after school anyway, so couldn't exactly be near a tv to watch games. Not all of my high school teachers could stop what they were teaching to care about the NCAA tournament.
From the Valpo Athletics facebook page
QuoteWe got word today that "The Shot" is currently 4th in voting. Make sure to vote daily for "The Shot" as the best NCAA Tournament moment. http://www.ncaa.com/75-moments
Obviously the formatting is mine. But the message is simple... KEEP VOTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!