Jacksonville University in my teen years made the NCAA basketball Final in 1969....with Artis Gilmore leading the way and what a phenomenal exciting team they were....but....they lost in the Final... I just will not buy the idea that if these little guys get the chance they will succeed....rather....I think they will get their clocks cleaned on a regular basis by those top teams hungry enough to stay focused. ( excluding you Bama....and you Oklahoma....and you Georgia......when it was post New Years and your team was hung over.....WTFWYT????) http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/11928443
I was at the opening game of the NCAAs that year featuring Jacksonville v. Western Kentucky. The second game that day was Notre Dame v. Ohio U. The games were played at University of Dayton arena. Austin Carr scored 64 points for ND that day, still the NCAA tourney record. Jacksonville's front line averaged slightly over 7'0" so they were not exactly pushovers. And they had a hell of a point guard as well. I think the final of that game was 115-100 or close to that. I had a poster of 6'8" Sidney Wicks of UCLA absolutely stuffing 7'2" Artis Gilmore on a dunk attempt in the finals. Some memory, eh boyz?
But the fact is, they were able to earn the chance on the court to play in the game and lose. It wasn't decided by sports writers, and it certainly wasn't decided in smokey backrooms by men in ugly jackets. I laughed reading the comments for that article. Some poster made the claim (and I've seen this rumor circulated) that Florida offered to buy out Utah's noncon against someone and offered to play the Utes this year (at the Swamp no doubt) and that Utah refused. I guess that might make some Gators feel better to believe that.. To me, it makes them look worse. Florida no doubt returns the farm and Utah clearly graduated lots of players... but offer to play this season to settle a score from last year? LOL If that is true, and you really want to settle scores.. then feel free to dial 213-740-3843... Ask for Mike Garrett. If he is out, then try 213-740-4190 and ask for a guy named Pete. They are always looking for a big game and they will come to you.