My earliest OU basketball memories are

[BigTime]

Speaking of the radio broadcasts, I sure am gonna miss Mike Houck not doing the color analysis this year. I'm 25, and the first few years I was truly into every aspect of OU Basketball(watching every game I could religiously, heavily following recruiting, etc) was just a year or two before he started. Pretty much when Hollis showed up.

Maybe I'm the only one who felt this way, but his voice is synonymous with OU Basketball to me, as he's always been on the broadcast for as long as I've been able to listen. So thanks Mike! :OUbball-logo:

No you are not alone. Mike really did some great things for OU basketball. He is already missed before the season has started as I have noticed that the content and coverage for this team by the athletic department is noticeably lesser than in previous years which is a shame given the magnitude of this season.

 

[NMSooner'80]

One of my memories dating back to my high school days had to do with the "Big 8 Game of the Week." It was always Jay Randolph and Gary Thompson on the call. I think that lasted until the late 80's. Jay Randolph also just RIPPED Bobby Knight the year he threw the chair, calling him a "sick man." I became a big fan of his right there.

I still have a VHS tape of the '79 OU-KSU game, in which OU won the first-ever Big 8 title outright at the LNC. Randolph and Thompson had the call in that game and did interviews with most of the starters after the cut down the nets. And yes, we students (I was a junior at OU then) did rush the court when the game ended.

There's also a shot on the cover of the '79 OU media guide, though it's from the '77 OU-Mizzou game, of a couple of students coming on the court a bit early when the clock read 0:01 and the scoreboard read Home 64, Visitor 63. Cary Carrabine did make the two foul shots to seal the deal after they cleared the court. And no, I wasn't one of the guys who came on the court early that night in '77, but I can tell you about where I was sitting. That was back when the students had to get there early for the big games, because the entire lower west side of the LNC was general admission student seating.

 

[tycat947]

One of my memories dating back to my high school days had to do with the "Big 8 Game of the Week." It was always Jay Randolph and Gary Thompson on the call. I think that lasted until the late 80's. Jay Randolph also just RIPPED Bobby Knight the year he threw the chair, calling him a "sick man." I became a big fan of his right there.

I still have a VHS tape of the '79 OU-KSU game, in which OU won the first-ever Big 8 title outright at the LNC. Randolph and Thompson had the call in that game and did interviews with most of the starters after the cut down the nets. And yes, we students (I was a junior at OU then) did rush the court when the game ended.

There's also a shot on the cover of the '79 OU media guide, though it's from the '77 OU-Mizzou game, of a couple of students coming on the court a bit early when the clock read 0:01 and the scoreboard read Home 64, Visitor 63. Cary Carrabine did make the two foul shots to seal the deal after they cleared the court. And no, I wasn't one of the guys who came on the court early that night in '77, but I can tell you about where I was sitting. That was back when the students had to get there early for the big games, because the entire lower west side of the LNC was general admission student seating.

:woot

 

[Big Old Booger]

Early 80s. If you ever meet Al you'll notice a 1984 Big 8 Champions ring on his right hand. The dude knows his hoops.

I believe he had to give up the gig when the rights changed radio stations. I can't remember who took over the color after that. Did Treps move over from PA?

Yes, Treps took over.

Al and Brooks used to wear tuxedo's when they did the OU basketball games.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Earliest memories of OU basketball are from 77 when I was 6 and we played in the LNC.

We went to most of the home games and always ate at the Boomerang. My parents loved that place.

Great players back then too...Al Beal, Terry Stotts, Aaron Curry, Lester Pace, Cary Carabine, John McCullough, the Snake, etc.

Back when they played on the rubber floor under the wood floor in the LNC. When I was in Billy Tubbs basketball camp 30 years ago, we played on that floor instead of the wood floor.

 

[usedtobe1]

The field house, 1965 or 1966. Not pretty!

You were in my era. We could get to the field house and get a good seat in the lower bleachers. Memories include:

I had a buddy that was 6'9" that used to scrimmage against the freshman teams. I would sometimes watch practices. They wanted him to walk on, but he wanted to concentrate on academics. He later became a division president for IBM.

After graduating during the Viet Nam days, I joined the Marine Reserves and was often the radio operator for ex Sooner basketball coach, Bob "Go Go" Stevens. Heard lots of good OU basketball stories.

I watched Alvin Adams play his first game in the field house when he got 28 rebounds.

I used to love to go to KC and watch the pre-season Big 8 tournaments over the Christmas break where you could see every team play 3 games. Fun times.

I've watched a lot of coaching staffs at OU. Some good and some not so good. I'm as excited about the direction of the Sooners now as I ever have been.

 

[SoonerSpock]

My freshman year watching Eddie Evans, Ferrell Johnson, Jack Lee and Tom McCurdy play on the 1961-62 Sooners in McCasland Field House. Team went 7-17 scoring a high of 74 points and a low of 42 points but we did beat Kansas three times and Missouri twice. Also beat USC and ISU. Doyle Parrick was the coach but was replaced the following year by Go Go Stevens. Didn't miss a home game.

 

[SoonerWarVet]

My very first memory is the 1988 National Championship Game. I distinctly remember sitting on the floor watching the game surrounded by numerous of my Dad's friends and lots of relatives. I was 8 years old at the time. As the clock striked zero, I said my first cuss word (want to say I said Sh*T or Damn or something like that....and it was loud). Everyone got quiet but gave me a pass considering what had just happened. We had moved to Kansas not long before that and have hated the Chickenhawks ever since.

 

[MO]

It's not the earliest, but is one of the best. Georgia Tech vs OU in the LNC (1983 or so ). There were many others. The All-College was cool. Anyone remember the spoon guy?

 

[skyvue]

Irv Wagner. He was a trombone professor at OU; spoons were his fun sideline. He was a very nice guy. I was in the percussion ensemble at OU for a couple of years, and he did a tour of several venues in the state with us.

A little research reveals he's still teaching at OU:

http://irvwagner.com

If those are recent pictures, he hasn't changed very much at all.

 

[MO]

Yes, that's the guy. He was a staple of the All College.

 

[opsooner]

Started watching OU bball during the John MacLeod days but didn't go to games until I went to OU and we won the Big 8 my freshman year in 1978-79. I went to all the home games that year and until I moved out of state in 1989. Struggled through the early Tubbs seasons (we lost to a non-scholarship team) but could see the improvement being made. I typically catch a couple of home games per year and often go to away games at KU and KSU.

The Tubbs era was electric at many/most games once we hit the top (longest home court winning streak for a while). The Sampson era had a few games that matched that but not as many. Hoping we can get back there again and this is as close as we have been.

 

[skyvue]

The Tubbs era was electric at many/most games once we hit the top (longest home court winning streak for a while). The Sampson era had a few games that matched that but not as many.

We had the nation's longest home-court winning streak under Sampson, too. It ended when texas came back to beat us (I can't recall the year; perhaps someone else will know).

 

[Sooner04]

We had the nation's longest home-court winning streak under Sampson, too. It ended when texas came back to beat us (I can't recall the year; perhaps someone else will know).

A little apples to oranges in terms of the length and stature.

Kelvin's streak stretched from the 2001 Kansas game to the 2003 Texas game. 37 games. Four of those opponents were ranked in the top 15 and twice we were forced to overtime.

Billy's streak, on the other hand, began after losing on Senior Night in 1987 and stretched all the way to a loss to the eventual national champs, Duke, in December of 1990. 51 games. Nine of those teams were ranked in the top 15 and we were never forced to OT.

 

[skyvue]

A little apples to oranges in terms of the length and stature.

Kelvin's streak stretched from the 2001 Kansas game to the 2003 Texas game. 37 games. Four of those opponents were ranked in the top 15 and twice we were forced to overtime.

Billy's streak, on the other hand, began after losing on Senior Night in 1987 and stretched all the way to a loss to the eventual national champs, Duke, in December of 1990. 51 games. Nine of those teams were ranked in the top 15 and we were never forced to OT.

Good info, thanks.

Still, any nation's-longest winning streak is worth celebrating/remembering.

 

[Sooner04]

I'd celebrate Kelvin's streak more if it hadn't been such a soul-crushing loss. It really wrecked our season and took away a great chance at another Final Four trip.

Man, was I gutted.

 

[BigTime]

I'd celebrate Kelvin's streak more if it hadn't been such a soul-crushing loss. It really wrecked our season and took away a great chance at another Final Four trip.

Man, was I gutted.

Man. That was killer. TJ freakin Ford. He celebrated like he landed on the moon - as he should have.

 

[OKUman]

1953, Jr. high student gettin in for 50 cents. It was Bruce Drake as coach in his last words years if I remember corecttly.

 

[skyvue]

I'd celebrate Kelvin's streak more if it hadn't been such a soul-crushing loss. It really wrecked our season and took away a great chance at another Final Four trip.

Man, was I gutted.

It was brutal, all right. I can't believe it was almost 12 years ago. Feels (hurts) like yesterday.

 

[opsooner]

A little apples to oranges in terms of the length and stature.

Kelvin's streak stretched from the 2001 Kansas game to the 2003 Texas game. 37 games. Four of those opponents were ranked in the top 15 and twice we were forced to overtime.

Billy's streak, on the other hand, began after losing on Senior Night in 1987 and stretched all the way to a loss to the eventual national champs, Duke, in December of 1990. 51 games. Nine of those teams were ranked in the top 15 and we were never forced to OT.

Good info, 04. I knew the 51 number from the Tubbs era but had forgotten about the Sampson era home court streak. I do recall the Texas game that year where we lost it - I think I just have a way of blocking out bad memories.