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May 15, 2009
The Jayhawk Flashback returns this week, and we had to go relatively deep into the archives for this one: KU vs. Oklahoma on Feb. 23, 1998.
I would consider it one of the most memorable Senior Night performances in Allen Fieldhouse history, though the outstanding effort didn't come from a senior.
In the final home game for Raef LaFrentz and Billy Thomas, junior Paul Pierce dominated with 31 points, scoring 15 straight during one point in the second half.
The highlights are below.
A few thoughts:
• I'm not going to lie: I kind of liked the big, yellow state of Kansas in the middle of the court. Not as marketable as the huge Jayhawk, I know, but still charming, nonetheless.
• No ads on the blue, backboard support pads? This must be old video.
• Nice to see Billy Thomas' deep range at the 50-second mark. I wonder if ol' Roy was happy with that deep shot.
• This is the first game I can remember KU fans chanting, "One more year!" And I must say, the "One more year" chant does not have a good success rate.
Jayhawk fans chanted it for Pierce and Drew Gooden, and both decided to forgo their senior seasons*. Sherron Collins might have reversed the curse, though, as after hearing the "One more year" chants and thinking they were funny, he decided to return to KU for his senior year.
* — I feel like I'm forgetting a few times when KU fans chanted "One more year." Can you guys remember any others?
• My eyes could be deceiving me, but isn't that Tom O'Neill and Steve Welmer calling the game? They don't seem to have aged much over the years. Kelvin Sampson looks almost the exact same as he does now, too.
• Sampson on Pierce's 31-point effort: "He didn't get a lot of easy baskets. He hit 12 tough, tough shots."
• There's great video at the 1:40 mark. Williams has an intense look (probably trying to keep his team business-like), while assistant Joe Holladay is grinning from ear-to-ear behind him. His face says it all. It looks like he's about ready to turn to assistant Matt Doherty and say, "Have you seen anything like this?"
• If you must see a replay of Sampson famously patting Pierce on the bum, you can find it here.
Comments
thephog88 (anonymous) says...
During the 1987 senior game for Turg and Ced Hunter there were definitely chants of "One More Year" for Danny Manning.
May 15, 2009 at 9:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
d_prowess (anonymous) says...
I don't remember if we did it for Jacque or not, but I remember working the kitchen in Wescoe Terrace when his announcement to stay was played over the radio. Greatest news at the time!
May 15, 2009 at 9:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
d_prowess (anonymous) says...
Oh and how about those warm-ups with the collars and the numbers on the upper chest/shoulder!
May 15, 2009 at 9:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mgolany (anonymous) says...
Wow brings back alot of great memories! I was a sophmore that season and I couldn't believe we lost to Rhode Island! Still shocked because we were really good that year, only 3 losses heading into the tourney! Did they chant that for Wayne and Keith??
May 15, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JJHawq (anonymous) says...
That's the most memorable game for me to have seen live - it was NUTS when PP went off for 15 straight.
May 15, 2009 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tdub (anonymous) says...
I think there were probably chants for Julian and Brandon a couple years ago.
May 15, 2009 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whitechocolate (anonymous) says...
I think the students actually chanted "Three More Years" for Rush after his first good outing in 2005. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think that's what happened.
May 15, 2009 at 11:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jnewell (Jesse Newell) says...
I tried to look up Brandon but couldn't find any mention of it in our game story/notebook. Part of the reason for that might be because on Senior Day his junior year, KU had that unbelievable game against Texas.
May 15, 2009 at 2:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jnewell (Jesse Newell) says...
*Texas Tech, not Texas
May 15, 2009 at 2:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kuman3343 (anonymous) says...
Wow, I really do miss the old horn they used in Allen Fieldehouse.
May 15, 2009 at 3:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hawksboy88 (anonymous) says...
We did for Brandon Rush when they came home after the championship in Memorial Stadium. The whole place was shouting it.
May 15, 2009 at 4:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rgreene (Ryan Greene) says...
Is that a young Kevin Romary on the PXP call???
May 15, 2009 at 5:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KGphoto (anonymous) says...
I don't know if there were any chants. But I still have the cover of the KC Star from the previous year. Right after Raef and Paul had both decided to stay. The picture was them together. The headline read "Stayhawks".
There was a lot of attention that year. Surely there must have been some chants.
May 16, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rcjh22 (anonymous) says...
I remember for a long stretch down the parade route after the championship that everyone chanted one more year for B Rush and Darrell.
May 16, 2009 at 4:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinnc (anonymous) says...
That's not Kevin Romary calling that game. It's Chris Ronan. Chris is a knob! I went to school with him at KU in the mid-90's. Thankfully, he's out of the sportscasting biz now.
May 16, 2009 at 11:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rgreene (Ryan Greene) says...
Yeah. I'll take Romary any day.
May 17, 2009 at 3:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KUball14 (anonymous) says...
Next flashback needs to be of the game where Aarom Miles hit that insane three, and then Kirk hit that like 30 footer the next possession, against missouri, I don't remember the year though.
May 17, 2009 at 2:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KUball14 (anonymous) says...
Next flashback needs to be of the game where Aaron Miles hit that insane three, and then Kirk hit that like 30 footer the next possession, against missouri, I don't remember the year though.
May 17, 2009 at 2:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinnc (anonymous) says...
I believe you are thinking about the KU at Mizzou game in the 2002-03 season which had the crazy Miles 3 and Hinrich 3 as well.
May 17, 2009 at 5:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
soswalt4 (anonymous) says...
Next week you should show the KU vs. Kentucky game 1/7/06
The expression on Ashley Judd's face is priceless!
May 18, 2009 at 11:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kansas22 (anonymous) says...
Agreed about the old horn. I wish they never changed that
May 18, 2009 at 11:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...
History of the Allen Fieldhouse court
* 1955 to 1974: red circle, blue block K
* 1974 to 1985: Jayhawk in center court
* 1985 to 1992: blue state of Kansas
* 1992 to 1998: yellow state of Kansas
* 1998 to 2003: "battle flag" state of Kansas
* 2003 to present: big Jayhawk in center court (flipped 2005)
May 18, 2009 at 3:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...
More of my post about the court:
http://boards.kusports.com/showflat.p...
May 18, 2009 at 3:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhwkr77 (anonymous) says...
I think the next game needs to be the KU vs. Oklahoma game from February of 2000. That was most likely Roy's worst team at KU other than his first one. The whole second half was a complete battle and I remember after the game Roy saying that he felt it was the hardest one of his teams had ever fought during his time in Lawrence.
Anyone else remember that game?
May 20, 2009 at 12:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )