The 1978 Final Four, Part 2: A Regular Season to Remember | Razorback Expats http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/ Calling the Hogs from parts way yonder. Calling the Hogs from parts way yonder. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:19:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 The 1978 Final Four, Part 2: A Regular Season to Remember | Razorback Expats http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-8203 joe Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:26:45 +0000 http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-8203 I was a senior at Baylor, working for a local tv station that year. Baylor had Vinnie Johnson, and right after the hogs got the #1 ranking, they came to Waco. Baylor had them beat, and I was standing right behind Baylor coach Jim Haller ready to interview him about knocking off the nations' #1 team. I was thinking this was an interview that could get picked up on national news. The final seconds were ticking off, and I reached out to tap coach Haller on the shoulder, when Ron Brewer hit a 22 ft. jump shot at the buzzer for the win. No upset, no story, no interview. I was a senior at Baylor, working for a local tv station that year. Baylor had Vinnie Johnson, and right after the hogs got the #1 ranking, they came to Waco. Baylor had them beat, and I was standing right behind Baylor coach Jim Haller ready to interview him about knocking off the nations’ #1 team. I was thinking this was an interview that could get picked up on national news. The final seconds were ticking off, and I reached out to tap coach Haller on the shoulder, when Ron Brewer hit a 22 ft. jump shot at the buzzer for the win. No upset, no story, no interview.

]]> The 1978 Final Four, Part 2: A Regular Season to Remember | Razorback Expats http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-5289 The Final Four and the first “The Shot” | Razorback Expats Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:36:50 +0000 http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-5289 [...] seminal event with a three-part series. In this final installment (click here for the first and here for the second), he recounts the Hogs’ five games in the 1978 NCAA Tournament. Many, many [...] […] seminal event with a three-part series. In this final installment (click here for the first and here for the second), he recounts the Hogs’ five games in the 1978 NCAA Tournament. Many, many […]

]]> The 1978 Final Four, Part 2: A Regular Season to Remember | Razorback Expats http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-4943 Whit E. Knight Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:09:22 +0000 http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-4943 As Michael says, things were a lot different then. Kentucky was the only SEC team that year to go to the post-season. There was no other team from the conference in the NCAA or the NIT. Could you imagine the uproar today if that happened? The NIT only had 16 teams, so if Arkansas had not gone to the NCAA, either it or Texas would have stayed home. And the seeding in the NCAA tournament was different too. There were only four seeds in each eight-team region and they all went to conference champions. So Kansas, ranked fifth in the country and the Big 8 regular season champion, had to play No. 2-ranked UCLA in the first round because Missouri had won the Big 8 tourney. Arkansas's first round opponent, Weber State, was the No. 4 seed and Arkansas, despite finishing the season No. 7, was unseeded. As Michael says, things were a lot different then. Kentucky was the only SEC team that year to go to the post-season. There was no other team from the conference in the NCAA or the NIT. Could you imagine the uproar today if that happened?

The NIT only had 16 teams, so if Arkansas had not gone to the NCAA, either it or Texas would have stayed home.

And the seeding in the NCAA tournament was different too. There were only four seeds in each eight-team region and they all went to conference champions. So Kansas, ranked fifth in the country and the Big 8 regular season champion, had to play No. 2-ranked UCLA in the first round because Missouri had won the Big 8 tourney. Arkansas’s first round opponent, Weber State, was the No. 4 seed and Arkansas, despite finishing the season No. 7, was unseeded.

]]> The 1978 Final Four, Part 2: A Regular Season to Remember | Razorback Expats http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-4920 Michael Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:46:47 +0000 http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-4920 I wasn't sure that the NCAA even took 32 teams in 1978 (for a while, the field was only 25) but I double checked and it's true. The other rule, not mentioned in the article, was that only two teams could get in from any given conference, so either Arkansas or Texas would have to go to the NIT. The NIT was a much more prestigious tournament back then, and that Texas team that won it may still be the best they've ever had (though this year's Shorthorns aren't bad). Ever since the NCAA became the N$AA, though, the validity of the basketball championship's been questionable, as in 1988, when the fourth best team in the Big 8 (Kansas) was the best team in the NCAA? I wasn’t sure that the NCAA even took 32 teams in 1978 (for a while, the field was only 25) but I double checked and it’s true. The other rule, not mentioned in the article, was that only two teams could get in from any given conference, so either Arkansas or Texas would have to go to the NIT. The NIT was a much more prestigious tournament back then, and that Texas team that won it may still be the best they’ve ever had (though this year’s Shorthorns aren’t bad). Ever since the NCAA became the N$AA, though, the validity of the basketball championship’s been questionable, as in 1988, when the fourth best team in the Big 8 (Kansas) was the best team in the NCAA?

]]> The 1978 Final Four, Part 2: A Regular Season to Remember | Razorback Expats http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-4907 J Hawg 3 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:38:37 +0000 http://www.razorbackexpats.com/2008/03/05/the-1978-final-four-part-2-a-regular-season-to-remember/#comment-4907 Once again, Whit, that's fine reporting, well-crafted and informative. I had truly forgotten just how awesome that team was, probably because I was in Nashville at school, and in those days, there was no way to get televised SWC games in SEC country. As we consider whether this current Ode to Mediocrity of a Hog team should get in the NCAAs, think of the fact that the 1978 team was 28-3 and ranked No. 7 and unsure it would get a bid. Wow. Is it just me, or does Houston Dale look sort of unhappy in that team photo? Once again, Whit, that’s fine reporting, well-crafted and informative. I had truly forgotten just how awesome that team was, probably because I was in Nashville at school, and in those days, there was no way to get televised SWC games in SEC country.

As we consider whether this current Ode to Mediocrity of a Hog team should get in the NCAAs, think of the fact that the 1978 team was 28-3 and ranked No. 7 and unsure it would get a bid. Wow.

Is it just me, or does Houston Dale look sort of unhappy in that team photo?

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