The Traveler

Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: News

It's been 15 years since Arkansas won its only basketball national championship.

And for 15 years, the players and coaches from that team have gone without recognition.

That changed Sunday during halftime of the Razorbacks' game against Georgia, when the 1994 championship team was honored by the UA for the first time.

After all those years, the players and coaches took the arena floor once more, each introduced as if he were the one playing.

The applause grew louder and louder as each player was introduced, from Craig Tyson, who sat out the entire championship season, to Scotty Thurman, who hit the eventual game-winning 3-pointer in the title game.

But the loudest, most thundering ovation was reserved for the man who led the Hogs to glory, former coach Nolan Richardson.

The old head Hog spoke briefly to the arena crowd before invoking a Hog call from the 19,724 fans in attendance.

As happy as Richardson was to finally see his team honored, he admitted he wasn't sure this day would ever come.

After all the trials and tribulations that came with his firing in 2002, Richardson didn't know if the burned bridges would ever be rebuilt.

"I never really thought about if [a reunion] would happen," Richardson said. "It was something that I had hoped would happen, but not for me... I mean, it's not about Nolan. It's never been about Nolan Richardson. I do love my kids and I do want to see the best things possible for them for what they've done."

Richardson wasn't alone in thinking a reunion might never happen.

Former Razorback Corliss Williamson wasn't sure if the team would ever be honored at Bud Walton Arena, but he had hope that a reunion would eventually take place.

"I've always been optimistic that we would all have an opportunity to come back and celebrate a championship," Williamson said. "God has a plan for everything, and he felt like now was the time. I'm just happy we had this opportunity."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools