(06-29-2021 12:29 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(06-29-2021 07:24 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  1. EMU v North Carolina Sweet 16 game. Watched at Spaghetti Bender, Friday night. Place was packed, party atmosphere. Lots of drinking, cheering, high fiving. Great first half, stood toe to toe with Mighty UNC. Trading blows ala Hagler-Hearns. Could it really happen? Brother from Michigan State and some of his friends came to Ypsi to revel in the fun. Think of that. MSU students travelling from the biggest party campus in the state to be part of the biggest party anywhere! A Lorenzo Neely to Carl Thomas alley oop towards the end of the first half nearly brought the Bender down! A cable outtage prevented us from seeing some of the second half...just game audio as they rushed to fix the problem. Alas, UNC's size and depth wore Eastern down in the second half but OMG what a great effort. I was so proud of EMU basketball and Ypsilanti. Afterwards, while disappointed, a great time was had by all. We were in the iconic Spaghetti Bender after all. Great music, great coeds, cold beer. Perfect night.

2. Eastern defeating Bowling Green at Rynearson to win the most unlikely of MAC titles and go to the California Bowl. No one thought EMU winning the MAC was possible. The place was PACKED, had to sit on the visitors side to get a seat. Eastern dominated and when it was over, the goal posts came down.

3. Sweet 16 year. Eastern Michigan defeating Mississippi State in round one. Was working at EMU Children's Institute on campus for work study. Game was on the radio. And I remember running home to catch the end of game. At that time I lived in the old white house right on Cross Street adjacent to Ned's Bookstore and just a few feet from Theo's--very convenient. The win was no fluke. Eastern controlled the game. They were the better team. Of course, Eastern went on to defeat Penn State in round two, setting up their Sweet 16 matchup with North Carolina.

4. Every basketball game played in Bowen including the last one?? the one when Earl Boykins hit the shot to beat Toledo. It was the Boykins and Dial Show at Bowen Fieldhouse. A great sendoff.

5. The California Bowl on ESPN. Eastern Michigan, huge underdogs beat San Jose State to cap just an incredible football season! Watched it just off campus in Ypsi with a bunch of EMU friends. Incredibly proud moment.

You nailed it........the glory days of E Michigan sports! I'm really hoping this football season can bring that same feeling again! 9-3 overall, and 6-2 MAC record! Heath is recruiting very well........Those memories Bob made me feel young again! The bars, restaurants, Rynearson stadium, and Bowen field house were packed for every game! Bowen was literally standing room only........

GloryDays, we are so lucky to have enjoyed all those great moments in EMU history. As I read some of the other entries, I feel bad that people who came after us really haven't had anything groundbreaking to experience at Eastern. Because we have witnessed greatness firsthand, we know anything is possible in Ypsilanti!