Time to exercise the demons (long)

[FortyFourCT]

Cool stories guys, thanks for sharing.

I grew up in CT and was a Villanova and St. John's fan until I decided to attend SU in 1991. I have hated Uconn for 30 years now despite living in this state! I do remember the SU/IU title game but I had no rooting interest and was just getting interested in college basketball at the time. I just remember it as a good game and didn't care who won and never even remembered the Keith Smart name until I started attending SU and learning the history of the program. Wow, I have been a fan for 22 years now!

 

[Shenexon]

I was 31 in 1987 and the most fanatical as a sports fan in my life. After the shot, I sat stunned for about a half hour. I think it was the loss and not the vast amount of PBR i had consumed that left me unable to function, but the loss hurt so bad I've never been the same as a fan. 2003 was great but it could never mean as much to me as 1987. Marsh, I appreciate you voicing what many of us feel. For me, the game with Indiana is very personal. We owe them big.

 

[MGP]

Isn't it crazy how many of our experiences were eerily similar? Senior year of HS, watched the game at home with the family. We all just sat there silent afterward as well. Even my Dad, who never once in 40 years has passed over an opportunity to criticize the team or JB, just sat there silent. An eerie, surreal, disappointing feeling that I can remember like it was yesterday. And that, IU lurkers, is why we harbor the strong feelings that we do towards the Hoosiers.

 

[Marsh01]

I think it was the loss and not the vast amount of PBR i had consumed that left me unable to function,

Tears in my eyes right now.

 

[moqui]

When I woke up the first thing I saw when I got out of bed was the clothes I had laid out for school. I still wore them to school that day although it wasnt the same. I still remember one kid in my HS had on a plain grey sweatshirt that in red magic marker on the front of it said "Ha-Ha...One Point."

I'm hoping that someone beat that kid's ass that day

 

[Marsh01]

I'm hoping that someone beat that kid's ass that day

I wanted to kill him. I do remember one thing that I forgot to mention regarding that. The sweatshirt had one of those pockets in front that you can put both hands in and at the end of the day when I saw him one of the pockets was ripped so someone obviously took exception to his stupidity.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Nobody has a more extensive collection of Richard Simmons tapes, DVDs, books, and Richard Simmons-inspired clothes than PeteCalvin. The saddest day of his sorry existence was when his hairline receded to the point where he could no longer rock the Richard Simmons AfroPerm. It was 1990, and Pete was all of 19 years old. He hasn't been the same since.

Considering the fact that the women working out in those videos represent the portion of the female population you brought home after parties, I'd say you shouldn't be throwing stones at my hairline or my video collection.

 

[All4SU]

If you choose to exercise demons, I suggest Sweatin' to the Oldies. That is pure torture no matter who you are.

I prefer Dance with the Devil, when I exercise the demons.

 

[sabach]

Marsh, I was a high school junior in 1987 and I had the same outfit. Orange sweatpants, orange t-shirt and my away orange Pearl Washington jersey (with the Syracuse script). I wore it for every game that tournament. At the time, my grandmother was on her death bed in the hospital and I went to visit her late on Saturday night after we beat North Carolina. I hadn't changed my outfit and for some reason a nurse thought I was on the team. She said to me, "you guys had quite a win today didn't you." I looked at her funny, realized her mistake and said "yes we did". My grandmother died the next day during the UNLV game so the last time I saw her was when I had that outfit on. Twenty-six years, man how time flies.

 

[Marsh01]

Marsh, I was a high school junior in 1987 and I had the same outfit. Orange sweatpants, orange t-shirt and my away orange Pearl Washington jersey (with the Syracuse script). I wore it for every game that tournament. At the time, my grandmother was on her death bed in the hospital and I went to visit her late on Saturday night after we beat North Carolina. I hadn't changed my outfit and for some reason a nurse thought I was on the team. She said to me, "you guys had quite a win today didn't you." I looked at her funny, realized her mistake and said "yes we did". My grandmother died the next day during the UNLV game so the last time I saw her was when I had that outfit on. Twenty-six years, man how time flies.

I love hearing stories like this. (well not about your grandmother dying but you know what I mean)

 

[CorduroyG]

I was 8, I don't remember watching the game but I remember being sad they lost. I was a junior in hs in '96 and can pretty much remember every little detail of the day of the championship game.

 

[Timonen]

Nobody has a more extensive collection of Richard Simmons tapes, DVDs, books, and Richard Simmons-inspired clothes than PeteCalvin. The saddest day of his sorry existence was when his hairline receded to the point where he could no longer rock the Richard Simmons AfroPerm. It was 1990, and Pete was all of 19 years old. He hasn't been the same since.

Indiana's warm-up outfit!

 

[dasher]

26 years ago I was so sure we were about to win our schools first national championship. It was our time. After watching year after year of teams cutting down the nets this was the year that the Syracuse Orangemen were going to be the ones cutting down the nets.

I was a high school junior (16 years old) and I still remember the excitement that we felt in school that day. Anxious, nervous, excited and just couldnt wait until the game tipped off. I went home, did some homework and went outside and shot hoops until my mother called me in for dinner that night. At the dinner table my father and I talked about the game that night. We talked about how it was our time and that we were going to finally celebrate a National Championship. We talked about going to the airport again after the team won to greet the team like we did after the North Carolina game.

After dinner I went back outside and shot more baskets playing in my mind how the game would go and pretending that I was on that team and how I would feel when we won. I came in and after a shower I went to my dresser and carefully picked out the clothes I would wear to school the next day. A brand new pair of Orange sweatpants (the ones that said SYRACUSE down one of the legs). A brand new Syracuse T-shirt. My lucky Syracuse hat. I had it all laid out and when I went to school the next day I would be one of the many students who would wear their gear and celebrate the city's first basketball championship.

I watched the game with my father on a 13 inch color TV in a small family room. Adjacent to the family room was a den that I had converted into a small nerf hoop court that when I would watch games would shoot. It helped me overcome my nervousness during timeouts, halftime, etc. I was never nervous during the game. I knew that this was our time and destiny would be on our side. We pulled ahead by 8 points with 13 minutes left and I couldnt believe how great of a feeling this actually was. With one minute left I couldnt believe that in a few short moments we would be watching our team celebrate in the middle of the Superdome floor as college basketballs champion.

When DC missed the FT I didnt even flinch. We would stop them and win this game. I still remember watching Keith Smart cutting to the corner and watching Howard Triche follow him. When the shot went up I remember my father yelling "miss it and its over". When the ball went in I still didnt flinch. I dont know if it was a shock of it actually going in or the fact that I still thought we were going to win. I still thought it was destiny and we would somehow pull out a miracle win.

Watching Keith Smart pick off the inbounds pass and hearing Brent Musberger say "Indiana wins the championship, Keith Smart's the hero" hurt more to me than hearing a family member had passed away. My father and I stood in silence while we watched Indiana celebrate in the middle of the floor. That was supposed to be us. That was our celebration. I quietly made my way up to my bedroom and immediately crawled into bed.

When I woke up the first thing I saw when I got out of bed was the clothes I had laid out for school. I still wore them to school that day although it wasnt the same. I still remember one kid in my HS had on a plain grey sweatshirt that in red magic marker on the front of it said "Ha-Ha...One Point."

People say that winning the championship in 2003 (in New Orleans) exorcised the 1987 demons. I say bullstuff. Not for me it didnt. Yes we finally won our title but that game in 1987 would always haunt me. I have waited 26 years to have a rematch with Indiana in the NCAA tournament.

This is our chance to exorcise those demons.

I have told this story before, but I cost us the title. I was walking in j.c.penney the day of our first tournament game and they had tiny basketballs that had school names on them. I picked up the syracuse ball and dunked in through their little basketball hoop. We won. So I did it every game right up to the title game. I was tired and just didn't feel like driving over to the mall. Honest to god, I have regretted it every day since.

 

[CaliCuse]

I have told this story before, but I cost us the title. I was walking in j.c.penney the day of our first tournament game and they had tiny basketballs that had school names on them. I picked up the syracuse ball and dunked in through their little basketball hoop. We won. Si I did it every game right up to the title game. I was tired and just didn't feel like driving over to the mall. Honest to god, I have regretted it every day since.

I agree that these things become very important to us,perhaps too important but the fact remains they do and let them rip. Its been26 years that this freak shot has been hanging over us . I think a win is a lot to ask and I know that winning with a last moment shot ain'y going to happen in our favor. I would love a true freshman like Trevor to drop Indiana in its Hoosier shorts like a giant #2.SUball

 

[thebigeast44]

I was a senior in college at St.Lawrence in '87 and the day after the loss I remember people coming up to me like my mother had died. The only other sports related loss close to it for me was the 2001 Yankees loss in game 7 of the World Series. But that is the glory and fun of sports - the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Can't have one without the other. I'm hoping for more thrills and less agony tomorrow night. Let's Go Orange!

 

[Marsh01]

I have told this story before, but I cost us the title. I was walking in j.c.penney the day of our first tournament game and they had tiny basketballs that had school names on them. I picked up the syracuse ball and dunked in through their little basketball hoop. We won. So I did it every game right up to the title game. I was tired and just didn't feel like driving over to the mall. Honest to god, I have regretted it every day since.

I suspected you were the one who messed it up for everyone. Much like the rest of our 9 losses this season.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

I still consider that the golden age of Syracuse athletics. I was definitely distraught about the Indiana game, and I also have the VHS tape somewhere, but what no one has mentioned was how great the Syracuse football team and how people were looking forward to the 1987 football season. To me, that Sugar Bowl was as much, if not more of a disappointment because I really thought in my mind, that the Basketball team was going to come back in 1988 and win the NC. The game vs Indiana was disappointing, but also never get back during the DC/Sherm/Rony era was even more so and losing to Rhode Island when we very well could have been the National Champs in 1988.

Those couple years were great including Lacrosse also which I didn't even mention. Lots of great classic games and for the most part for every great victory (WVU in football) there is a Indiana game or a Auburn football game to offset it.

 

[OrangeAl]

Talk about awkward: we watched the '87 game with friends of ours who were natives of Indiana. I was wondering how I was going to celebrate the win without making them feel bad, but that unfortunately became their problem to deal with.

 

[cuseguy]

SU beat Indiana, handily, at MSG the year after the NC game. My father, who raised me to bleed orange, passed away that day. That was redemption for me.

 

[jmm29]

I love this thread! It seems to me there are too many posts of outright analysis and too few of superstition and sentimentality. I remember at 10 years old crying myself to sleep after the 1987 championship game...this time things will be different. Beat IU!!

 

[MSOrange]

I refused to watch Smart's shot on tv again until about 2 or 3 year ago. When it was on the CBS opening, I always used to switch the channel or close my eyes. But I did not want to see that ball go in the basket ever again. Finally, I gave in and watched the whole game a couple years ago. I won't watch it ever again.

 

[llandz]

Wow. That. Was. AWESOME. I swear we grew up in different houses together.

I cried that night for the first time since my grandfather died, and the last time until my uncle died. Truly one of the worst nights of my high school years, so in some respects I've had a great life.

My son now does the nerf thing when he's nervous during a game. After the G'town game in the BET he took all of his SU gear and left it in a pile on the floor for the garbage. It's all back in its rightful place.

Thursday night as we barrel down the interstate to Florida, his assignment is to connect my phone to a charger and try to stream the game video live while I listen to an XM broadcast assuming there is one.

Games have been on XM 191, 192, 193, 194. Should be on one of those stations. I have been listening to many of the other games on XM.

 

[llandz]

It is still too painful for me to recount my story, but I'll try. I was living in Toronto; my husband, myself and my 4 year old and 1 year old son. My husband and I watched downtown with work friends of my husband. The bar was empty. Basketball was not very popular in Canada yet. No one understood why I was getting so excited as the game wound down. They did not understand why I cried at the end. It was not hockey. They did not understand college basketball. I kept saying Leo Rautins??? He played at Syracuse??? From Canada???? Basketball??? No one understood. I was all alone in my mysery. The bar was dark and empty other than us. I felt just as dark and empty. While 2003 brightened my SU basketball light a little, I will never forget... This game is the true redemption. I want to knock out Indiana as the favorite. I want to end their dream. Then I want to go all the way and win it all. This is for 1987...This is the true redemption.

(Oh yeah. my husband and I were at the Meadowlands for the Eastern regionals. It was a gift from his company. They flew us down and got us the tickets. They knew how much I missed college basketball, and wanted to show their appreciation that we moved to Toronto from NJ. That was the very nice part of 1987. Seriously companies do not do this anymore.)

 

[gmoney44]

I was 10 years old for the 87 championship debacle and I didn't cry but I remember not sleeping that night. I couldn't shake the image of Indiana celebrating a game that we let slip through our fingers.

In 96 I was in the field training for a deployment to Kuwait. I missed the whole tournament including the championship game. One of my good Army buddies was from Kentucky and a huge Wildcats fan. I remember trying everything in my 19 year old Private First Class power to find out who won the game. It literally drove me nutz. Two days after the Championship game I finally overhear some radio traffic while pulling guard duty on my tank in the middle of the night. To be honest I was just relieved to know what happened.

In 2003 I got my reprieve as I was able to attend almost all of the games including the great 8 game against Oklahoma in Albany. I was there for the Friday night sweet 16 matchup also but was unable to score a ticket so I got hammered and watched it at a bar in Albany.

I like to think I’m old enough and mature enough to just enjoy the game tonight but experience tells me I’ll get caught up in the moment. It will be 0400 here in Baghdad where I will watch the game on the computer in my office by myself and I will still be just as fired up as I would if I was back home watching with a bunch of friends at a party. I just won’t have to deal with the hanger the next day.

Go Orange!

 

[mantonio]

I was a senior at ESM in '87, & was amazed at what we accomplished that season. The year before, we lost Pearl Washington to early release, & I remember sitting at my grandmother's table, telling my relatives that Syracuse was doomed after this. They could never replace the greatness of THE PEARL. He was such a special player that was literally a magnetic force that made you watch him play without blinking...

I didn't believe Sherman would be able to fill his shoes, but I was happily wrong. Derrick Coleman & company was fabulous that year! I remember when they faced Florida in the Sweet 16, & everyone said Dwayne Schintzius has career days against the other big centers in college basketball, but in that game, Rony Seikaly had his way with little Dwayne(RIP). I distinctly remember the way we handled UNC in the Regional Final with J.R. Reid & Kenny The Jet Smith(8 McD's All Americans on that squad). I can still envision Derrick Coleman standing on the rim as everyone chanted, WE ARE SU !!!!

It was a rough night when we lost to Keith Smart, but I was still very proud of that team. I told my father we could be in trouble when Bob Knight started fouling in the final minutes leading up to the "shot." I knew that would be his strategy if he was down by more than 4 points, & sure enough, he did it. I almost wanted the game to be a 3 point margin in the last few minutes, because maybe Bobby would just let the game be decided on the floor & not the line. He knew our weakness, & he exploited it. I still believe we win that game if we didn't have the 8 point lead late in the game...

The '96 championship game, for me, was a fantastic bonus! I never thought that team was good enough to get that far, although John Wallace was a monster & huge playmaker when it counts. They really dug in & used the zone to drain Kansas in that Regional Final, & I wasn't sure if they could go any further.

Let's face it, that Kentucky team was a rookie NBA squad, & we played our hearts out to have a shot at them near the end. My predominant expectation was not a Championship, but I knew we could steal it if Kentucky got lazy or cocky. It turns out, their 3 point shooting gave them the championship that night. We simply could not overcome players like Antoine Walker & Tony Delk.

I thought Lazarus, Otis, & John got us into position for an upset, but we couldn't get over the top. I believe we were within 1 at the 4 minute mark, which was amazing since they were raining 3's like candy...