The Gators plum-glazed the Ducks in regular time. The Hoyas asphalted the Tar Heels in overtime.
Game Georgetown defiantly refused to roll over and play dead in the second half on Sunday. Instead, the Hoyas rolled over North Carolina 15-3 in OT. G’Town had Patrick Ewing The Younger on its side; the Heels needed Michael Jordan The Elder to carry them on his back.
And chomp another one up for the Gators, who are heat-seeking a replication after defeating Ore-gone 85-77.
Therefour …
The Quantum Quartet.
This year the NCAA championship should be called The Final F.O.U.G. – Florida, Ohio State, UCLA, Georgetown.
Every year it should be called Phog’s Phinal Phor.
Dr. Phog Allen, who coached at Kansas for 39 seasons, was the founding president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and pushed the NCAA to establish a national championship tournament (originally eight teams) in 1939.
The Phogman would like this group – two ones, two twos and two big-time survivors. Ohio State and Georgetown came thisclose to losing twice in the tournament.
Allen played at Kansas for Dr. James Naismith, the creator of basketball. (Naismith refined the game while serving as the physical education director at the Denver YMCA from 1895-98 and becoming a doctor at CU’s medical school.) Colorado, hard as it is to believe now, became one of the last four teams standing in 1942, but the Buffs, coached by Frosty Cox, lost in the semis to Stanford. It was first referred to as the (lowercase) final four by a Cleveland sportswriter in 1975.
The school with the most Final Four appearances is UCLA, up for the 17th time, with a record 11 championships. Ohio State is in for the 11th time. Georgetown will be making its fifth trip, and this is No. 4 for Florida.
Name seven all-time Nuggets who played on national championship teams. How about these apples: Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse, 2003), Steve Blake (Maryland, 2002), Reggie Williams (Georgetown, 1984), Bo Ellis (Marquette, 1977), Bobby Wilkerson (Indiana, 1976), David Thompson and Monte Towe (North Carolina State, 1974).
Interestingly, three of Michigan’s Fab Five in the Final Four in the national championship loss to Duke in 1992-93 played for the Nuggets. Jalen Rose was the club’s No. 1 draft pick in 1994. Jimmy King and Juwan Howard also played here. Chris Webber and Ray Jackson did not.
Phive Phavorite Phinal Phors I’ve witnessed:
5. In 1973, I covered my first Final Four (before it was a Final Four), which featured Indiana’s George McGinnis, Providence’s Ernie DiGregorio, Memphis State’s Larry “Special K” Kenon and UCLA’s Bill Walton. At The Arena in St. Louis, Walton had the most incredible championship game in history, converting 21-of-22 field goals and finishing with 44 points in a lopsided victory over Memphis State.
4. The University of Nevada-
Las Vegas blew out Duke in 1990, but the game was memorable because of its location. It was the first time Denver served as host of the Final Four. And it will be the last time.
3. In 1993, Chris Webber called a timeout with 11 seconds remaining and Michigan trailing North Carolina by two points at the Superdome in New Orleans. Only problem was, Michigan had no timeouts left. The Wolverines were assessed a technical foul; Donald Williams made both free throws, and the Tar Heels won. It wasn’t the first time a Tar Heels opponent made a critical mistake at the end.
2. In the 1982 title game, also at the Superdome, between North Carolina and Georgetown, a freshman named Mike (later to be called “Michael”) Jordan hit the winning jumper with 17 seconds to go. Georgetown had a chance to tie, but Fred Brown mistakenly threw a pass to James Worthy, and the game was over.
1. Albuquerque, 1983. Houston’s Phi Slamma Jamma, led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, was a prohibitive favorite over North Carolina State. But, with the score tied at 52 with time evaporating, Derek Whittenburg threw up an airball that was caught and put in by Lorenzo Charles for the Wolfpack victory. Coach Jimmy Valvano ran around the court in disbelief, finding nobody to hug. It was a joy to behold that Final Four.
In this Final Four, Florida over UCLA and Ohio State over Georgetown. A repeat of the BCS championship: Florida whips Ohio State for a Gator3peat.
Staff writer Woody Paige can be reached at 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com.
