It Has Been THIRTY Years Since Bowie Rejoined UK In 1983-84..What An Epic Season

[Darryl]

UK fans were ready to roll. We finally had Sam back for his senior season (after 2 long years). Turpin, Beal, and Masters were also
returning as seniors. Kenny Walker was a soph. We had Bearup, Harden as reserves. That outstanding group was adding the nation's
#2 recruit (James Blackmon) and the #3 recruit (Winston Bennett). 7 x 5*; 6 top 10 players.

The AP Seasonal polls all year reflected how strong that season was:

1. North Carolina with Brad Daugherty, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Matt Doherty, Kenny Smith, Dave Popson, Joe Wolf

2. Georgetown with Ewing, Michael Jackson, that thug Michael Graham, Reggie Williams, David Wingate, Fred Brown, Broadnax

3. Kentucky

4. Houston with Olajuwon, Franklin, Michael Young, Benny Anders, Reid Gettys, Ricky Winslow

I was reading my old SI that had Bowie on the cover "Sam Bam" after we annihilated Louisville. The 1st paragraph of the article was:

"Well, Louisville, you asked for it. You wanted this regular season game with Kentucky, shouted for it, pleaded for it, demanded it take
place not every 6th decade but once every year. Now that you have finally played the game you wanted so badly, how does it feel?
You happy? Satisfied? Fulfilled? What about it, Cardinals?.....Cards?.....Hey, Louisville, you still alive?"

A great season for an incredibly talented UK team that is unfortunately only remembered for the 3-33 ending in Seattle.

Darryl

[JPScott]

The AP Seasonal polls all year reflected how strong that season was:

1. North Carolina with Brad Daugherty, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Matt Doherty, Kenny Smith, Dave Popson, Joe Wolf

2. Georgetown with Ewing, Michael Jackson, that thug Michael Graham, Reggie Williams, David Wingate, Fred Brown, Broadnax

3. Kentucky

4. Houston with Olajuwon, Franklin, Michael Young, Benny Anders, Reid Gettys, Ricky Winslow



I know the 'common wisdom' of today is that players today are so much better than in previous times. But I still maintain that this 1983-84 season was the last great season in college basketball, in terms of sheer talented teams. No season has been as good since that time.

[UKHistory]

Those were monsters team in the 1980s. UK went 29-5 and won the regional at home enroute to that disastrous loss in Seattle to Georgetown.

Great team. Talk about depth and player press clippings. Everyone on that UK team was some sort of Mr. Basketball, All-American, state champ, etc.

Alabama had Buck Johnson and Bobby Lee Hurt. Auburn had Charles Barkley and Chuck Person.

Fun times.

[Darryl]

Yep, just check out the list of All Americans that season which barely includes Charles Barkley of Auburn:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_NCAA_Men%27s_Basketball_All-Americans

Darryl

[Krank]

It was an incredible year for basketball. Man, just looking over your original list was surreal. So much forgotten, so much remembered.

But that UK team... the reason that 3-33 game stung SO bad was because UK was SO good that year.

Those players entertained me so well. I miss it, truly. Their power seemed like it could overcome anything. We all felt SO good about winning the title.

Thus a bitter pill, really an all-timer, emotionally, for the BBN, to be swallowed. I recall taking a while to recover from that one... much longer than the overvalued '92 Duke loss.

[Darryl]

It was an incredible year for basketball. Man, just looking over your original list was surreal. So much forgotten, so much remembered.

But that UK team... the reason that 3-33 game stung SO bad was because UK was SO good that year.

Those players entertained me so well. I miss it, truly. Their power seemed like it could overcome anything. We all felt SO good about winning the title.

Thus a bitter pill, really an all-timer, emotionally, for the BBN, to be swallowed. I recall taking a while to recover from that one... much longer than the overvalued '92 Duke loss.

Another birthday loss for me (March 31st). Others?

1975 vs UCLA in the title game

1997 vs Arizona in the title game

2012 vs Louisville in the Final 4 (now that was OKAY!!!)

Darryl

[Krank]

Another birthday loss for me (March 31st). Others?

1975 vs UCLA in the title game

1997 vs Arizona in the title game

2012 vs Louisville in the Final 4 (now that was OKAY!!!)

Darryl

Is your birthday a Final Four day this year, Darryl?

[Darryl]

Is your birthday a Final Four day this year, Darryl?

Nope.....thank goodness.

Darryl

[dan_bgblue]

I almost wore out a Sony Betamax and the tape watching the G'town game trying to figure out what he heck went wrong. The reason still escapes me.

[Krank]

I almost wore out a Sony Betamax and the tape watching the G'town game trying to figure out what he heck went wrong. The reason still escapes me.

I don't know if I admire you or feel sorry for you, Dan, that you chose to re-watch that game... ever, much less wearing it out.

Either way, I feel for you.

[dan_bgblue]

Sympathy appreciated. I just wanted to understand the cause of one of the greatest mysteries of UK sports history.

[Darrell KSR]

Sympathy appreciated. I just wanted to understand the cause of one of the greatest mysteries of UK sports history.

I re-watch it hoping the result will change.

Sent using Forum Runner

[dan_bgblue]

Bada Boom!!

[jazyd]

Mine..March 28 and I get to see that darn shot over and over every year. I promise when I get to heaven I am going to plead to be allowed to return to earth one time, to destroy that tape at espn for the good of all future UK fans

QUOTE=Krank;113991]Is your birthday a Final Four day this year, Darryl?[/QUOTE]

[bigsky]

I left Western KY during that season and came back out west. I can still see the Cats Pause yearbook sittin on the table by the bed and hear the voices of those I've lost, the smells and sounds and love that now are only in my head and known only to me. At five am on a sleepless morning it isn't the missed shots that haunt me.

I went to the UKIT that year, too. Yes it was quite a season.

[badrose]

Mine..March 28 and I get to see that darn shot over and over every year. I promise when I get to heaven I am going to plead to be allowed to return to earth one time, to destroy that tape at espn for the good of all future UK fans

QUOTE=Krank;113991]Is your birthday a Final Four day this year, Darryl?[/QUOTE]

I know if I don't make it to Heaven I'll be forced to watch that play on a loop.

[cattails]

Like it or not todays teams are watered down, those old teams played 4 years. Our 2012 team would not have won a championship. On the GT game and 3-33 George Thompson coached a great game (and I have never liked dirty coaching Thompson). Ewing blocked or goal tended everything (and it was called), he put a mind set in our guys. Hall wasn't out coached, he couldn't shoot it for the guys. There were so many high quality players back then, that's what playing 4 years does for ya. What a draft that was coming up. Those were different days for sure. Never have liked Thompson.