Sunday, April 8th, 2007...1:56 pm
One Shining Moment
By now you probably have had enough of my college basketball posts so this will be the last one for awhile. Part of the magic of the NCAA tournament, and arguably my favorite three minutes each year, is when CBS plays a video montage of highlights from the NCAA basketball tournaments set to the song “One Shining Moment”.
When I first discovered the brilliance that is YouTube, I was most excited to search for old One Shining Moment’s. For awhile my cell phone ring tone was the song OSM. I’m still waiting for CBS to create a DVD but for now here is each OSM since I first started watching them back in 1990. I added a tiny summary of each. Feel free to share your favorite moments. Enjoy.
1990 – UNLV
This is the first year I started following college basketball so these memories are faint at best. The Tate George basket is classic (my dad was at the game at the Meadowlands). Bo Kimble’s lefty free throw is beautiful to watch. I remember first learning about Cinderella as Ball State won a few games and faced undefeated UNLV in the sweet 16. Great sweater shot by Looie and even better short sleeve and tie with towel look by the Tark. It’s pretty obvious that Derrick Coleman was going to be a bad apple.
What player/team is that at the :46 mark that hits a game-winning shot?
Who is the guy getting carried off the court?
1991 – Duke
Great opening. They nailed the mascots, the tuba players and even had a shot of Looie! Early Arksans scene of May-Day (Todd Day and Lee Mayberry). Rick Fox cutting down the nets before he was soft. I can’t decide who has the better hair – Jimmy Jackson or Larry Johnson. They somehow make Mark Randall look awesome. The famous alley-oop from Hurley to Grant Hill is a classic moment.
At the 1:13 mark they show two amazing highlights of guys driving to the hoop. Anyone have any clue?
1992 – Duke
Laettner’s shot and the Fab Five. The golden age of college basketball in my lifetime. I can watch this 5 times every day and it would make me a happier person. Other highlights include Peter Carrill, lots of Jalen and C-Webb, Eric Anderson on the bench for Indiana (amazing foreshadowing as he would become a mini-celebrity on the Knicks as the token white guy who didn’t get off the bench), Brian Davis winking (could it be more obvious?), Laettner stomps on the Kentucky’s Timberlake.
Who is the coach blowing kisses to the fans?
Who is the player on Syracuse bleeding?
1993 – UNC
Big blunder running the credits on the bottom half of the screen. Thankfully, lot of Fab Five action to make up for it. Some good early stuff featuring Van Exel hugging Huggins and Rex Walters action. Some Eric Montross but no Serge Zwikker. Damon Bailey pops up with one of those pathetic/dejected head drops for the second straight year. Some great Jason Kidd action (he might have been even uglier in college).
1994 – Arkansas
Solid opening scene. CBS somehow makes Jeff Capel look good. Mickey Curley in the raw emotion shot after BC upsets UNC is priceless. Big Dog when he was actually scary. Jalen Rose is definitely in the OSM hall of fame with big air time for the third straight year. Decent love for UWGB (Tony Bennett). That Arkansas team was pretty awesome – they had seven or eight legit ballers and people loved talking about “40 minutes of Hell”
Is that Funderburke on Indiana on the floor with a knee injury?
1995 – UCLA
Good opening with funky band guys and great bench action. Great shots of Camby, Iverson and Big Country. Got to love Sheed’s raw emotion as you get two good scens. What the hell ever happened to Toby Bailey after his freshman year? Don Reid layup. Tyus Edney drive is unbelievable. Even as you watch him get up the court in the replay you have no idea how he does it. Love watching Donny Marshall fall – I hated that guy.
Is that McDyess or Roy Rogers dunking for Alabama?
1996 – Kentucky
Al McGwire dancing is a top OSM moment. Princeton vs. UCLA highlights of one of the best opening round tournament games ever. Walter McCarty was good in college. Jason Cippola was a classic college dude. Darvin Ham shattering the backboard should have got more love. That Dantay Jones/Eric Dampier frontcourt was nasty for three weeks. I loved the Reggie Freeman, Cris Clack Texas team. Not enough John Wallace.
What Michigan player is on the floor in pain? I’m thinking it is Travis Conlon or Dugan Fife.
1997 – Arizona
They go a bit too quickly in the opening shots. Had to watch a few times and still have no clue. I would use this scene to brainwash my future wife into watching college basketball. Miles Simon floaters are silky. Didn’t seem like everbody on that Arizona team besides Terry was half-white? Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn were both such legends in college.
1998 – Kentucky
Average start. GW’s mini point guard Shawnta Rogers with some big Ukranian giant. Like the bow. Not sure why that has never caught on. I can watch Mad Dog Madson highlights all day in college. How did a guy who was so cool in college become such a doofus. I don’t want the Arthur Lee intensity token clip, I want the throat-slicing replay. Got to love Bryce Drew and they show it at a great angle. Amazing to see Vince Carter and Antwan Jamison when they were still kids. Rip Hamilton putback is foreshadow of things to come in 1999. Way way too much Doleac action and with Kentucky winning (Scott Padget, Jeff Shephard, Cameron Mills) it seems like this was the year of the white athlete.
1999 – UCONN
Very solid early auction with cute cheerleaders and fat guys. Ron Artest action. Oh, what i would give to get some Johnnies back into this montage. Elton Brand. Najera collides with Cleeves is a OSM editor’s dream. Szerbiak drive and dunk is sweet. He was the Larry Bird of college basketball. Mateen and MoPe. Only in college can a fat guy like El-Amin be a superstar. The Show – Harold Areceneaux was one of the best Cinderella stars ever.
2000 – Michigan State
A very weak effort. I’m not sure what’s up with the weird hues, supernatural effects, and blurry images. I do like UNC uniforms and watching Peppers and Curry (both in the NFL). Not sure about the female clips either. Furthermore, besides Michigan State and Florida I hardly remember any of these scenes.
2001 – Duke
Stronger opening the’00 with some great mascot action. Nice early shots of Wesley Stokes, who gives Troy Murphy a run for the money for best hair style. Got to love the Steve Merfield (coach of Hampton) celebration. He looks like a midget trying to free himself. Other stars in include Jason Gardner, Sam Clancy, Tayshaun Price, Shane Battier and Steve Blake. Anytime Duke wins the OSM it gets a little nauseating.
2002 – Maryland
Hands down the worst OSM in history. Not sure what they were trying to do with the TV’s in a black room and the extra supped up effects. Why mess with perfection? It was like they let the crazy graphics guy on acid run the show. The concept is that these moments are so great in their raw form that all you need is some music. But the way they do this it is almost impossible to watch. I did enjoy Luke Jackosn, Juan Dixon, Creighton and Southern Illinois. I was at the game in Chicago when Terrell Taylor of Creighton Dickau and Casey Jacobson. A pre-thug Lonnie Baxter and a super young Jared Jeffries make this even worse.
2003 – Syracuse
A little better and a nice performance by Luthur Vandross. Great hair on Kirk Hinrich. Jason Gardner approaches Jalen Rose status as an OSM all-star. Drew Nicholas shot is nasty. Not nearly enough Carmelo or Gerry Mac. Great Hakim Warrick rejection to end it.
2004 – UCONN
Opens strong with cheerleaders and mascots, band and fans. Early clips include Rashard Anderson (the Reggie Miller of the NCAA tournament), Ronny Turiaf, Eddie Sutton (so damn ugly) and Justin Gray. Love the clip of twin brothers Ronell and Donell Taylor amazing ESP outlet dunk. Josh Childress wins best hair. Lot of John Lucas but not enough Jameer and Delonte. Crazy to see how good Connecticut teams were in both 99 and then 04.
2005 – North Carolina
Solid opening. Almost as good as in the mid 90′s. What ever happened to Rashard McCants? This marks the beginning of Bruce Pearl media-hungry phenomenon. PITTSNOGLE. Ager and Brown were nasty wing players. Amazing shot by T.J. Sorrentine and great last second baskets by Salim Stoudamire and Phillip Sparks. Way too many Marvin Williams clips for a guy who has never scored over double figures at the post-high school level. Not enough Illinois. For some reason the team that loses the final always gets gypped in OSM coverage.
2006 – Florida
I might like the cymbols player as much as the tuba guys. Can’t decide if I like the touch to drop in the announcers. It works on all the game winning shots but then I don’t want to hear Jim Nantz at the end. Good coverage on game-winners by Chris Lofton, Kenton Paulino and by Northwestern St.. Joakim Noah arrives on the scene. Great crying action from Redick and Morrison. They neededto go with much more George Mason and Big Baby – two of the greatest tournament phenomenon’s in my era.
2007 – Florida
Decent opening. Oregon cheerleaders rule. Quick shots of PE II and Al Horford followed by Lawson running it up the court and Brewer’s big block. The JT’s embrace is heart warming. Lorenzo Matta close up is great since he looks exactly like one of my friends (Brett Goldblatt). Byars as the emotion guy gives Vandy bit too much love. Awesome tribute to Ramsy (UNC mascot). Way to capture the self-chest pound as a celebration trend of ’07. Nice job on the game winners. Wish there were more though. Wish Durant gave us more reasons to be highlighted as well. Good embrace by Law IV and Sosa. Nice job of capturing Ohio State even though Oden misses the high flying dunk they show. Finishes strong with celebrating Florida.
