(11-29-2022 11:24 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote: Congratulations to Houston.
I was attending UVa during the 1982-1983 year and college basketball was awesome. UVa was ranked #1 the first few months that season (led by Ralph Sampson, Rick Carlisle and Othell Wilson). We won back-to-back games against Georgetown (Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Michael Jackson) and Houston and were in heaven. The team lost focus against Chaminade; and eventually NC State had their miracle runs.
That UVA vs Georgetown game was epic. I recall it was nationally televised at a time when that was rare for a regular season game, and there was tremendous buildup.
To my chagrin, Ralph Sampson outplayed my hero, Patrick Ewing, and UVA won a game they largely controlled but which the Hoyas made close near the end.
I liked CBB better in those days, when regular season OOC games between powers were rare. Now, everyone plays everyone before Christmas, it seems, and there are a trillion CBB games on TV just about every night.
(This post was last modified: 11-29-2022 08:13 PM by quo vadis.)
(11-29-2022 11:24 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote: Congratulations to Houston.
I was attending UVa during the 1982-1983 year and college basketball was awesome. UVa was ranked #1 the first few months that season (led by Ralph Sampson, Rick Carlisle and Othell Wilson). We won back-to-back games against Georgetown (Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Michael Jackson) and Houston and were in heaven. The team lost focus against Chaminade; and eventually NC State had their miracle runs.
That UVA vs Georgetown game was epic. I recall it was nationally televised at a time when that was rare for a regular season game, and there was tremendous buildup.
To my chagrin, Ralph Sampson clearly outplayed my hero, Patrick Ewing, and UVA won decisively.
IMO, more than anyone else, how Sampson didn't turn out to be a dominant NBA player has mystified me.
Sampson had the legitimate injury excuse. Ewing just had the bad luck to face Jordan every year, then Peak Olajuwon in his 2 prime years where Jordan wasn't around.
(11-29-2022 11:24 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote: Congratulations to Houston.
I was attending UVa during the 1982-1983 year and college basketball was awesome. UVa was ranked #1 the first few months that season (led by Ralph Sampson, Rick Carlisle and Othell Wilson). We won back-to-back games against Georgetown (Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Michael Jackson) and Houston and were in heaven. The team lost focus against Chaminade; and eventually NC State had their miracle runs.
That UVA vs Georgetown game was epic. I recall it was nationally televised at a time when that was rare for a regular season game, and there was tremendous buildup.
To my chagrin, Ralph Sampson clearly outplayed my hero, Patrick Ewing, and UVA won decisively.
IMO, more than anyone else, how Sampson didn't turn out to be a dominant NBA player has mystified me.
Sampson had the legitimate injury excuse. Ewing just had the bad luck to face Jordan every year, then Peak Olajuwon in his 2 prime years where Jordan wasn't around.
Well, two things. First, unlike Sampson, Ewing IMO did actually have a dominant, Hall of Fame level NBA career. He never won a title, as those are won by teams, but that's true of a lot of great players.
Second, I always thought the NBA never saw the best Ewing, the college Ewing. Ewing in college was a whirling dervish, a force of nature whose speed and athleticism allowed him to impose his 7-foot body on large swathes of the court. He would occasionally be deployed to guard the top of the key in zone defenses.
In the NBA, the grind of the long season quickly swelled his knees, which made him basically a flat-footed player over his long career.
(11-29-2022 11:24 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote: Congratulations to Houston.
I was attending UVa during the 1982-1983 year and college basketball was awesome. UVa was ranked #1 the first few months that season (led by Ralph Sampson, Rick Carlisle and Othell Wilson). We won back-to-back games against Georgetown (Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Michael Jackson) and Houston and were in heaven. The team lost focus against Chaminade; and eventually NC State had their miracle runs.
That UVA vs Georgetown game was epic. I recall it was nationally televised at a time when that was rare for a regular season game, and there was tremendous buildup.
To my chagrin, Ralph Sampson clearly outplayed my hero, Patrick Ewing, and UVA won decisively.
IMO, more than anyone else, how Sampson didn't turn out to be a dominant NBA player has mystified me.
Sampson had the legitimate injury excuse. Ewing just had the bad luck to face Jordan every year, then Peak Olajuwon in his 2 prime years where Jordan wasn't around.
Well, two things. First, unlike Sampson, Ewing IMO did actually have a dominant, Hall of Fame level NBA career. He never won a title, as those are won by teams, but that's true of a lot of great players.
Second, I always thought the NBA never saw the best Ewing, the college Ewing. Ewing in college was a whirling dervish, a force of nature whose speed and athleticism allowed him to impose his 7-foot body on large swathes of the court. He would occasionally be deployed to guard the top of the key in zone defenses.
In the NBA, the grind of the long season quickly swelled his knees, which made him basically a flat-footed player over his long career.
Sampson was really good, but his knees and back took a toll on him. He and Olajuwon took out the defending champ Lakers 4-1 in '87 and went to the finals.
(11-29-2022 11:24 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote: Congratulations to Houston.
I was attending UVa during the 1982-1983 year and college basketball was awesome. UVa was ranked #1 the first few months that season (led by Ralph Sampson, Rick Carlisle and Othell Wilson). We won back-to-back games against Georgetown (Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Michael Jackson) and Houston and were in heaven. The team lost focus against Chaminade; and eventually NC State had their miracle runs.
Big game coming up. You going Dec 17?
Had the chance to visit Charlottesville once. Loved that place! Stayed on top of Browns Mountain looking over Monticello. Downed at least one Gus Burger (motor burger?). Played golf at the Birdwood? course. Weather was perfect. Leaves were changing. It was awesome.
Unfortunately, won’t be there live. Should be a good game…Cavaliers have developed some offense this year.
Coogs need 4 wins and Cavs need 2 wins to make that a #1/#2 match up
Going into tonight's game, Houston is 22-2 all-time as #1 including 5-2 against ranked foes. Per KenPom, the toughest games remaining on the schedule (% chance of win):
Dec 3 = vs. St Mary's in Ft Worth (73%) ESPN2
Dec 10 = #11 Alabama (72%) ABC
Dec 17 = @ #3 Virginia (40%) ESPN2
Jan 8 = @ Cincy (76%) ESPN
Jan 25 = @ UCF (74%)
Feb 2 = @ Wichita St (77%) ESPN2
Feb 19 = Memphis (79%) ESPN
Mar 5 = @ Memphis (59%) CBS
Congratulations but man, that looks like a weak overall schedule. Not much OOC in that, unless I am missing something.
The non-conference slate is fine. Maybe a little weaker than normal because we didn't play an MTE but plenty of tourney teams on there. Now the conference slate is pretty awful but it won't really matter when we go 17-1 or 18-0 on it.
(11-29-2022 11:24 AM)Wahoowa84 Wrote: Congratulations to Houston.
I was attending UVa during the 1982-1983 year and college basketball was awesome. UVa was ranked #1 the first few months that season (led by Ralph Sampson, Rick Carlisle and Othell Wilson). We won back-to-back games against Georgetown (Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Michael Jackson) and Houston and were in heaven. The team lost focus against Chaminade; and eventually NC State had their miracle runs.
That UVA vs Georgetown game was epic. I recall it was nationally televised at a time when that was rare for a regular season game, and there was tremendous buildup.
To my chagrin, Ralph Sampson clearly outplayed my hero, Patrick Ewing, and UVA won decisively.
IMO, more than anyone else, how Sampson didn't turn out to be a dominant NBA player has mystified me.
Sampson had the legitimate injury excuse. Ewing just had the bad luck to face Jordan every year, then Peak Olajuwon in his 2 prime years where Jordan wasn't around.
Well, two things. First, unlike Sampson, Ewing IMO did actually have a dominant, Hall of Fame level NBA career. He never won a title, as those are won by teams, but that's true of a lot of great players.
Second, I always thought the NBA never saw the best Ewing, the college Ewing. Ewing in college was a whirling dervish, a force of nature whose speed and athleticism allowed him to impose his 7-foot body on large swathes of the court. He would occasionally be deployed to guard the top of the key in zone defenses.
In the NBA, the grind of the long season quickly swelled his knees, which made him basically a flat-footed player over his long career.
Sampson was really good, but his knees and back took a toll on him. He and Olajuwon took out the defending champ Lakers 4-1 in '87 and went to the finals.
Sampson was good for his first couple of years, but even then he wasn't the force he was expected to be, IMO.
FWIW, it was actually 1986 that Sampson/Olajuwon beat the Lakers to go to the Finals. I recall watching that series, and IIRC Sampson hit the winning basket in the decisive game. It was a strange shot, a kind of awkward shot, but it went in. That Rockets team was fun to watch. Lewis Lloyd was an excellent swing-man. Too bad his career got derailed too.
(This post was last modified: 11-30-2022 09:43 AM by quo vadis.)
11-30-2022 08:39 AM
bill dazzle
Craft beer and urban living enthusiast
Posts: 10,668
Joined: Aug 2016
Reputation: 979
I Root For: Vandy/Memphis/DePaul/UNC
Location: Nashville
(11-30-2022 08:55 AM)bill dazzle Wrote: College basketball offered some stellar big men during the early to mid-1980s:
Akeem (Houston)
Sampson (Virginia)
Big Pat (Georgetown)
Keith Lee (Memphis)
Pervis Ellison (Louisville)
I'm likely forgetting other quality low-post players from the era.
These men could play with their backs to the basket — and enjoyed doing so.
David Robinson. And Sam Bowie was very good, but injury plagued.
And if we are going to include forwards, like Keith Lee, then Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, James Worthy and Sam Perkins.
I agree - a great time for big men. A Golden Age.
While I still love hoops, I liked it best when it was a center-centric games, when guys like Wilt and Russell and Jabbar, etc. dominated, which continued until Michael Jordan made it a swingman oriented game, and now a 3-point shooter's game. These changes have been for the worse, IMO.
(This post was last modified: 11-30-2022 09:59 AM by quo vadis.)
11-30-2022 09:44 AM
bill dazzle
Craft beer and urban living enthusiast
Posts: 10,668
Joined: Aug 2016
Reputation: 979
I Root For: Vandy/Memphis/DePaul/UNC
Location: Nashville
Back on top today, edging out Kansas for the top spot.
Hoping to stay awhile. KenPom has Houston losing one conference game, with a 26% chance of winning out. Individually only two conference games are less than 88%: @UCF and @Memphis.
/
The Once and Current Kings
