Looking back, 15 years later
Swinging for the Fences
Matt Watson
Issue date: 3/2/09 Section: Sports
Like most of my fellow students, I was just a kid when Corliss, Scotty and the gang cut down the nets in Charlotte, N.C., after winning the first and only national championship on the hardwood in Arkansas Razorback history.
That was 1994. The Dallas Cowboys won their fourth Super Bowl that January, Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black president in May and Friends debuted on NBC that fall. And Razorback head coach Nolan Richardson still had dark hair.
Coach Richardson's hair has since grayed. Friends aired its finale a few years ago after ten successful seasons, Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday last year and let's just not talk about how far the Cowboys have fallen.
I'm about three feet taller, my hair is five inches longer and the beard is new too.
A lot has changed in 15 years.
I still remember pretending to be Scotty Thurman in my living room, and my older brother slamming the ball over me like he was "Big Nasty" (sorry, Mom). Scotty and Corliss may not have been "Triplets," or NBA All-Stars at the next level, but they are two of the most important figures in Razorback sports history. They have what eluded Sydney Moncrief, Todd Day, Joe Johnson and other Arkansas greats - championship rings.
But even though it's been 15 years since that '94 team was recognized by the University of Arkansas, one thing has not changed - Razorback fans still love those Hogs.
I don't think 19,000 fans filled Bud Walton Arena to capacity yesterday to watch the Razorbacks (2-12 SEC) and Georgia Bulldogs (2-12) battle for next-to-last place in the league. Those aren't the bragging rights you want to be playing for in March.
Those in attendance came to witness a magical moment during halftime Sunday, and they definitely got their money's worth.
It's been far too long since those guys got to celebrate on the Bud Walton floor. Not surprisingly, they all still remember how to call the Hogs. It was truly a memorable moment.
John Pelphrey's club returned the favor, giving the '94 team a good show on the court, after a long string of disappointing finishes for this year's team.
It's not surprising that Pelphrey's team came out strong and played well wire-to-wire with Richardson and the '94 team in the crowd. "40 Minutes of Pel" was on full display with "40 Minutes of Hell" watching from the sidelines.
The real test, however, will be carrying the success over Wednesday night when Ole Miss comes to town. And then trying to keep up the intensity next Sunday when they travel to Vanderbilt. Arkansas is still looking for its first conference road win, and two SEC wins at Bud Walton in a whole season is nothing to write home about.
While the Razorbacks will need to sweep the SEC tournament to get into the NCAA field of 65, they don't need a March Madness bid to end the year on a good note. It would be nice to win a few games to make people remember that Arkansas isn't a pushover in this conference. That 10-game win streak feels like a distant memory. The SEC tournament in Tampa, Fla., could be a nice stage to jog those memories.
On Sunday, Razorback fans got to remember what it was like for Arkansas to be a force in the basketball world.
It's been a while since the Hogs were there, but Pelphrey has them headed in the right direction, despite their struggles this season. The Razorbacks got an energy shot Sunday afternoon. We'll see what they can do from here on out.
Matt Watson is the assistant sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Monday.
That was 1994. The Dallas Cowboys won their fourth Super Bowl that January, Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black president in May and Friends debuted on NBC that fall. And Razorback head coach Nolan Richardson still had dark hair.
Coach Richardson's hair has since grayed. Friends aired its finale a few years ago after ten successful seasons, Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday last year and let's just not talk about how far the Cowboys have fallen.
I'm about three feet taller, my hair is five inches longer and the beard is new too.
A lot has changed in 15 years.
I still remember pretending to be Scotty Thurman in my living room, and my older brother slamming the ball over me like he was "Big Nasty" (sorry, Mom). Scotty and Corliss may not have been "Triplets," or NBA All-Stars at the next level, but they are two of the most important figures in Razorback sports history. They have what eluded Sydney Moncrief, Todd Day, Joe Johnson and other Arkansas greats - championship rings.
But even though it's been 15 years since that '94 team was recognized by the University of Arkansas, one thing has not changed - Razorback fans still love those Hogs.
I don't think 19,000 fans filled Bud Walton Arena to capacity yesterday to watch the Razorbacks (2-12 SEC) and Georgia Bulldogs (2-12) battle for next-to-last place in the league. Those aren't the bragging rights you want to be playing for in March.
Those in attendance came to witness a magical moment during halftime Sunday, and they definitely got their money's worth.
It's been far too long since those guys got to celebrate on the Bud Walton floor. Not surprisingly, they all still remember how to call the Hogs. It was truly a memorable moment.
John Pelphrey's club returned the favor, giving the '94 team a good show on the court, after a long string of disappointing finishes for this year's team.
It's not surprising that Pelphrey's team came out strong and played well wire-to-wire with Richardson and the '94 team in the crowd. "40 Minutes of Pel" was on full display with "40 Minutes of Hell" watching from the sidelines.
The real test, however, will be carrying the success over Wednesday night when Ole Miss comes to town. And then trying to keep up the intensity next Sunday when they travel to Vanderbilt. Arkansas is still looking for its first conference road win, and two SEC wins at Bud Walton in a whole season is nothing to write home about.
While the Razorbacks will need to sweep the SEC tournament to get into the NCAA field of 65, they don't need a March Madness bid to end the year on a good note. It would be nice to win a few games to make people remember that Arkansas isn't a pushover in this conference. That 10-game win streak feels like a distant memory. The SEC tournament in Tampa, Fla., could be a nice stage to jog those memories.
On Sunday, Razorback fans got to remember what it was like for Arkansas to be a force in the basketball world.
It's been a while since the Hogs were there, but Pelphrey has them headed in the right direction, despite their struggles this season. The Razorbacks got an energy shot Sunday afternoon. We'll see what they can do from here on out.
Matt Watson is the assistant sports editor of The Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Monday.
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