What made this time period even more fun the schools pep bands ( drums) could play while the game was going on it added even more atmosphere. Was the best time for college basketball
Not only did they stayed in school(even though some stayed at least 2 or 3 years) but there were no taking advantage of the transfer portal back in those days
Billy Packer at the 2:30 mark nails it about the game having a negative impact going into the tourney. A mere six days later DePaul would suffer one of the most shocking defeats in college bball history on the day "March Madness" was born.
They crashed out the year before as well. This was before "Strength of Schedule" was taken into account, as DePaul played a couple of hard games every season but had no conference to play in and so they had to play teams like Lamar and Maine.
@natch27 That's a small college in Texas. They beat Oregon State when they were a 1 seed in 1980. Those days the top 4 seeds got a bye. I think that used to hurt those teams. DePaul lost their 1st tournament game 3 years in a row as a 1 seed
Tremendous atmosphere in a matchup showcased for television. I always imagined this game as NBC's final rehearsal for its NCAA tournament and final four coverage that year. The lighting, mic placement, sound quality, cameras, direction, talent performance way above average. The network was determined to go out with a bang.
0:05 ghostly silence will shortly be shattered by the sound of a low-flying jet aircraft approaching the adjacent runway at O'Hare. Sitting in the Horizon during peak air travel season was terrifying.
Billy Packer was so spot on about this game being a negative impact on both teams headed into the Ncaa tournament. Just look at the game between BYU vs. Notre Dame and St.Joesph vs.DePaul which both of these teams had no business losing to those two teams
The same thing happened the year before 79-80. DePaul played Notre Dame in a double overtime game and lost in South Bend. Both teams put so much emotion and passion into the game that they went flat going into the tournament and both had early exits to inferior teams!
The Lowenbrau commercial @ 3:04 makes me laugh as I can't help to think of my favorite Chris Berman baseball nickname. John "Tonight Let It Be" Lowenstein.
Great era of college basketball. I concur with those on this site who miss the NBC coverage. This was the last season NBC aired the NCAA TOURNAMENT. After that it was still good but not as good. As Dick Energy would say, OH MY!
If only pro-basketball (i.e. the NBA) was no-nonsense like this. Just the game, no distractions or other garbage thrown in. I always liked college basketball and football.
Irish had some great players back then, including Dantley & shoulda won a championship within that time frame! As a long time fan it’s sad how bad their players are for last decade or so. Mike Brey is a heck’va coach but just needed more talent!
They went to two elite eights and just beating an undefeated Kentucky team to go to final four. Breys tenure as coach was largely very successful. Only struggled the last few yrs towards the end.
Some will say his lack of NBA awards matters. NOpe. He played for.an expansion team that rarely got any media notice for 4 years, and even then had to compete with Bird, Erving, Wilkins, and others out East and in bigger markets that got all the attention. Wasn't just Aguirre who got ignored.
Truly confounding. Very frustrating at the time for DePaul fans but they long for those days now. I'm hoping that one of my favorite teams - Purdue, doesn't continue to be the modern-day version of the early 80's Blue Demons. Hoping for a long NCAA tournament run this year.
I know, right! In the companion video to this, the pregame show, McGuire confidently predicted DePaul would win it all. He likely wasn't alone. St. Joe's had other ideas!
The DePaul fanbase whined for decades that the home games being played that far away from campus hurt the program. They then went & built their new arena clear on the other side of the loop, which is probably an even lengthier commute. That school will never again have its shit together.
