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. HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN WASHINGTON Expectations in the nation’s capital […]
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 […]
The Rockets had been through an anemic existence since their founding in San Diego in 1968 and subsequent move to Houston four years later. They had just two postseason trips over that decade and had yet to win a best-of-seven playoff series. The 1977 Houston Rockets were the franchise’s first big success, capturing a division […]
Marquette basketball was rolling coming into 1971. Al McGuire had the Warriors on a run of three straight 20-plus win seasons in an era when that threshold was a key benchmark for victories. MU made the Sweet 16 in 1968 and 1969. In 1970, a highly ranked team turned down an NCAA bid and won […]
The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers spent the NBA regular season looking like a nice, solid, up-and-coming team, but one that still had work to do in order to get to the top. The spring of 1977 saw Portland perform what is a rare feat in the NBA and its pull consecutive upsets and win ahead of their time.
Alabama football had been away from the national spotlight for a long time coming into 2008, at least compared to their high expectations. The Crimson Tide hadn’t even reached a major bowl game since 1999, and their last national title was in 1992. Alabama hired Nick Saban a year earlier to fix that. After retooling […]
The Los Angeles Lakers came into 1977 looking to get the ship turned around. A franchise that had won the title in 1972 and made the Finals nine times since relocating to Los Angeles in 1961, had fallen short of the playoffs two straight years following the retirement of the great Jerry West. Changes were […]
The 1977 Denver Nuggets were a big part of a historic pivot point in NBA history. There were one of four American Basketball Association (ABA) franchises that were merged into the NBA, and effectively ushering in the league’s modern era. With questions lingering as to how well the ABA newcomers could do, the Nuggets vindicated […]
The Atlanta Braves had come up short in the World Series in 1991 and 1992, then been upset in the National League Championship Series in 1993, before their likely playoff berth of 1994 was ended by the players’ strike. The 1995 Atlanta Braves spared the franchise and the fan base from the ignominy of constant playoff defeat by winning the World Series.
