The 1978 Milwaukee Bucks were in rebuilding mode. The franchise won an NBA title in 1971 and returned to the Finals in 1974 behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. But Kareem was discontented in Milwaukee and the organization traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. After a brief stretch in the wilderness, Don Nelson was hired as head […]
The Spurs had been one of the American Basketball Association (ABA)’s more successful franchises in the 1970s, covering a move from Dallas to San Antonio and leading to their inclusion as one of the four teams absorbed into the NBA in the merger of 1977. The Spurs immediately showed they were for real by making […]
Georgetown was a program on the rise. John Thompson came to Washington D.C. in 1973, inheriting a team coming off a three-win season and no NCAA Tournament appearances in the postwar era. Thompson got them into what was then a 25-team NCAA field by 1975 and did it again in 1976. Over the next two […]
The 1978 Philadelphia 76ers were looking to take the final step. After acquiring Julius “Dr. J’ Erving in 1977, the Sixers reached the NBA Finals and won the first two games. Losing the next four left a sour taste in their mouth. After a tumultuous start to the ’78 season, Philadelphia reached the playoffs in […]
The Washington Bullets had made two recent trips to the NBA Finals, in 1971 and 1975 respectively. But they hadn’t yet won a title–in fact, they hadn’t even won a game in the Finals, being swept out both times. The 1978 Washington Bullets weren’t as good as their ’71 and ’75 predecessors during the regular […]
By 1973, Al McGuire had Marquette basketball settled into a pattern which was mostly good, with a bit of a downside. McGuire churned out nationally competitive teams, won high-profile regular season battles and was a regular in an NCAA Tournament that then invited just 25 teams. He would successfully advance in the NCAA bracket. But […]
Florida football was riding high in 2009. The last three seasons had seen Urban Meyer’s program win a national title in 2006, Tim Tebow capture the Heisman Trophy in 2007 and then win another national championship in 2008. The 2009 Florida Gators played to these standards—except for one showdown game that left them short of […]
The Boston Celtics came into 1977 as the gold standard of the NBA. They were the defending champions and had won two of the previous three titles. This was on top of a long dynastic run with Red Auerbach and Bill Russell preceding. But the league was changing. A merger with the American Basketball Association […]
By 1972, Marquette basketball had settled into a consistent pattern under Al McGuire. Over the past four years, they had grown into nationally elite program, but one that was still seeking its first Final Four trip. The 1972 Marquette Warriors were in position to get that breakthrough, until one of the more dramatic early departure […]
The Bullets franchise had been a consistent contender through the 1970s, starting in Baltimore and continuing with their relocation to Washington D.C. mid-decade. They reached the NBA Finals in 1971 and 1975. The 1977 Washington Bullets continued the theme of contending basketball in the nation’s capital. Step back and see the full season. Explore the […]
Florida football was at the peak of its power in 2008. After Urban Meyer’s arrival in 2005 to a program that was good, but showing signs of slippage, the Gators quickly rocketed back to the top. They won the national championship in 2006. In 2007, sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow won the Heisman Trophy. And in […]
1977 was a new era for the NBA, as the league merged with the American Basketball Association (ABA), brought in four new franchises and effectively began to undertake its modern form. But it was one of the league’s traditional teams—the Philadelphia 76ers—who benefitted the most from the merger. Julius “Dr. J” Erving had been the […]
