I know for a fact that I watched college basketball before 1992. By that time I would have been 8 or 9. I clearly remember watching basketball, member of the Tony Yates kids club, but don’t remember any specific games. It could just be my faulty memory, but the first game that clearly stands out that I remember is the 1992 Crosstown Shootout. Clear as day remember Nick Van Exel’s halfcourt shot in that game. It’s one of those things that stuck with me. That Bearcat team was my first favorite team that was actually playing. I loved the 1986 Louisville Cardinals because my dad was a giant Louisville fan and had that game on tape. I probably watched that game 50 times. Irrationally hate Jeff Hall to this day. Anyway, that’s not the point. I remember watching those Bearcats. The style, the aggression, the uniforms, it was all right up my alley.
I remember them beating Penny Hardaway and Memphis in the Great Midwest Final. I don’t remember much about the tournament run before the Final Four. I had a Final Four t shirt. I remember wearing the shirt, it was black, and black shorts and someone asking if I was going to a funeral. That person was weird. My family watched the game at some place like BW3. That’s when my hatred of watching games of teams I care about in public started. When you are 9, you care about things like winning and losing way too much. Cincinnati lost to Michigan. I remember my dad and his friend tore a dollar in half as a way of splitting the bill or something. Weird thing to remember, but it’s there.
Cincinnati went to the Elite 8 the following year and in 1996. It’s been a long, long time since those days. Many people have written about how special March can be, and the rest they say that is because it can be. This could be the year that the Bearcats make a run like in 1992. This could be the year where in 20 years bloggers look back and say “That team, that team was special.”
This is a very long intro for this video, which chronicles the 1992. You might recognize the voice of the narrator. Anything can happen, people. Believe it.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uszDB7S7PMA&w=420&h=315]
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