(02-27-2014 08:26 AM)MemphisTiger15 Wrote:  I was 10 yrs old in 1985 but that was such an awesome time. We had Tiger day at school on Friday before the F4 with a pep rally. Channel 5 came out and filmed it and put us on the news along with some other elem schools doing the same thing. In my small world, it seemed everyone was a Tiger fan and our team was all that mattered. I cried when we lost.

As a 33 yr old in 2008, it was similar but different. While I had many friends and family caught up in the hysteria, I also had a few friends who despised the Tigers (and still do to this day). In 2006 and 2007, every tournament game all I would hear is "this is when y'alls luck will run out. Memphis isn't that good, just pad their win total against crap teams. Y'all wouldn't make the tournament if you were in the SEC". A friend of a friend (Ole Miss alum) bet me $100 that Michigan State would beat us. He called at halftime to go double or nothing on Texas. Couldn't get him to go double or nothing on UCLA. I can still remember sitting in my cousin's living room after the UCLA game and thinking to myself --- my alma mater is playing Monday night for the national championship. My mom asked me jokingly if I cried after Kansas game. I said no, but told her I probably would have if we had won.

Looking forward to feeling that euphoria again, just hope that it happens soon. And often!

A fool and his money are always parted.

I had nightmares after that Kansas game... I literally woke up dozens of times that night.

1973 was pretty damned electric. Lots of ya, just weren't around for it. Trust me it was a big deal.

This city deserves a title. We've waited a long time. We've paid our dues. Just keep the faith. It can't be much longer.

(02-26-2014 05:17 PM)tigers0830 Wrote:  

(02-26-2014 05:15 PM)blutgr39 Wrote:  I still think we were the best team IN 85 AND 08.

The 08 team is probably one of the best teams of all time in college basketball

We had a really good team that year- but I cannot go this far.

Could have been one of the best of all times- and certainly one of the stronger non-champions ever- along with the 1980s Houston teams and say, 1999 Duke, 1975 Indiana and a few more.

A 6-0 March and April- and I'll take the 2014 team.

(02-27-2014 01:40 PM)Mimi Wrote:  

(02-26-2014 05:17 PM)tigers0830 Wrote:  

(02-26-2014 05:15 PM)blutgr39 Wrote:  I still think we were the best team IN 85 AND 08.

The 08 team is probably one of the best teams of all time in college basketball

We had a really good team that year- but I cannot go this far.

Could have been one of the best of all times- and certainly one of the stronger non-champions ever- along with the 1980s Houston teams and say, 1999 Duke, 1975 Indiana and a few more.

A 6-0 March and April- and I'll take the 2014 team.

That 08 team was the closest college basketball has had to an undefeated season. Yea I know teams have been close, but that team was dominant against really good teams.

They destroyed Georgetown Arizona Gonzaga in the regular season. The Tennessee game I feel was too much emotion in that game.

In the tournament they destroyed Mich St, Texas and UCLA in that order.

Then with 2 mins to go up by 9 and looking to blow it open before everything went wrong.

The 08 team is probably the best team in school history and everyone can argue that but the 08 team had everything that you need to be dominant. They rank right up there with great duke teams and Kentucky teams

One of my best memories of '73 is meeting the plane when the team got back to Memphis. Someone had made a sign that said, NUMBER TWO IN THE NATION....NUMBER ONE IN OUR HEARTS. My mind's eye tears up every time I remember that sign. Some how that sign filled me with pride.

(02-26-2014 06:22 PM)Stammers Wrote:  I didn't know we fielded a team before 2006.

Didn't Cal actually invent basketball?

(02-26-2014 06:39 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  1957 - NIT runner-up

1973 - NCAA Runner-up

1985 - NCAA Final Four

1992 - Elite Eight

2006 - Elite Eight

2007 - Elite Eight

2008 - NCAA runner-up

my "best of the best" list

Was the nit the top tournament at that time ? 1957

(02-27-2014 11:11 AM)aardWolf Wrote:  I had nightmares after that Kansas game... I literally woke up dozens of times that night.

I still have nightmares,

I was 16 years old during the 85 run and finally came to grips how corrupt the NCAA was and is. Andre Turner must have stripped the McLain or MccLain guy ball 3 or 4 different times and as he laid the ball up on the other end, the officials called a foul.

(02-27-2014 02:15 PM)TIGER DENO Wrote:  

(02-26-2014 06:39 PM)UofMemphis Wrote:  1957 - NIT runner-up

1973 - NCAA Runner-up

1985 - NCAA Final Four

1992 - Elite Eight

2006 - Elite Eight

2007 - Elite Eight

2008 - NCAA runner-up

my "best of the best" list

Was the nit the top tournament at that time ? 1957

No, but it was MUCH more relevant than today.

Back in the late 30s the NIT was "the" tourney...example: Temple's 1938 NIT title should be considered the National Champion.

(02-26-2014 05:17 PM)tigers0830 Wrote:  

(02-26-2014 05:15 PM)blutgr39 Wrote:  I still think we were the best team IN 85 AND 08.

The 08 team is probably one of the best teams of all time in college basketball

I agree. I just finished watching the Texas and UCLA games of the 08 season in NCAA tournament. The first glaring thing that stands out about that team is MUSCLE. Those guys were long,big and strong. The second most obvious thing was how well they passed the ball. There wasn't very much telegraphing of passes on that team. In the UCLA game they made their first turnover with 7 minutes to go in the first half with a really frantic pace. They crashed the boards with reckless abandon. They contested every shot in the lane. If they committed a foul so be it. They never ever stood there and watched players drive to the goal without as much as a hand up to defend. I'd forgotten how good Shawn Taggert was too. He was unstoppable at times.

I just got done watching our 92 run...Arkansas, G Tech, and Cincy games were CRAZY intense but sloppy as can be...20 turnovers against AR? Penny getting Td up for talking to refs...that Jon Barry couldn't miss and must have ended up face down on the court a dozen times.