Florida - LSU 1989

[gulfgator]

Oh, I was there as well, Jackson was unstoppable. At the time, It felt just like watching Chuck Person torch us again

Strange that so many on this thread were there. Ya old farts.

[GothamGator]

This was before Stacey Poole. This game was in 1989, which was the same year as the tennis ball game and our first SEC Championship.

[TheRaid]

I was not there. But I remember watching those 50 points.

[GatorPlanet]

Originally Posted by GothamGator

This was before Stacey Poole. This game was in 1989, which was the same year as the tennis ball game and our first SEC Championship.

Yeah, I know. I was referring to the game with Shaq, Stanley Roberts, and Chris Jackson, which was a later year, post-Sloan.

[phideltdj]

After watching that video again I came away thinking how come Norm didn't do something to change up the D on Jackson to get him off rhythm. No press, no double team...nothing to get the ball out of his hands.

[GothamGator]

They tried engaging him farther out from the basket, but he just drove by our guards and scored in the lane or got fouled.

One thing I noticed watching that tape is how much more closely the officials called the game than they tend to do today. Pretty much any contact drew a whistle.

[GatorPlanet]

Watching that, Schintzius really was agile and light on his feet, and possessing good skills for a guy 7'-2". After he left the team, he put on a LOT of weight and was never the same player once he entered the NBA. He was slow and sluggish in the League.

[FranceGator]

I was at that game. My roommate (and still good friend) was the guy on the receiving end of the tennis racquet.

[Mayhem41]

Originally Posted by GatorPlanet

Mid-80s, Baton Rouge...after starting 0-3 (I think), Gators have go on a tear with Chatman, Davis, and Schintzius and win the school's first SEC championship over a good LSU team. Finished 13-5 in conference.

That was 88/89 season. Remember Shintzius dancing around on LSU's court after the victory. I don't think that team started 0-3 in conference, however. I could be wrong.

Edit.... I was right, they started 1-2

[GothamGator]

Originally Posted by FranceGator

I was at that game. My roommate (and still good friend) was the guy on the receiving end of the tennis racquet.

Interesting. Was it your friend who go the bad end of the racquet? or was it his car? I could never get the story straight.

Anyway, give him my thanks for our first ever SEC Championship.

[TheRealTejasGatorII]

Originally Posted by GatorLurker

Hardly "mid" 80's. It was the "Tennis ball" year and much later. Winning that game against Vandy turned the entire season around.

After winning at LSU people were waiting at GNV to welcome home the first ever regular season SEC champion at UF in either Men's Football or Basketball. (OK, one that 'stuck' for nit-pickers that want to count one in FB that was later recinded.)

There are Vandy fans that still moan and groan about the game in Nashville. John Cloughety was the official that called the "T" that sent Dwayne Schintzius to the line (Norm S sends the tennis ball guy himself to shot the T. You can't make this up!) to hit the free throws that tied the game and sent it to OT. Many old-time Vandy fans have a fantasy where John Cloughety checks into a hotel and he is found dead in every room. They had a very good team that year and would have won except for that game.

Unreal game! I did the worst I ever performed on a test that night (engineering mechanics), went home to listen to the game on the radio (yeah, all games used to not be televised), then went to the airport with my roommates to welcome the team back on the first SEC Championship and almost got arrested. Good times, good times.

[FranceGator]

Originally Posted by GothamGator

Interesting. Was it your friend who go the bad end of the racquet? or was it his car? I could never get the story straight.

My friend was at the club downtown, never can remember the name of it, but I think it got shut down after some (no kidding) dwarf throwing. He was on a first date with a girl that became his wife. He got hit in the forearm with the racquet, nothing big. He said Dwayne was so drunk, he swung the racquet, spun, and fell down.

Later, I'm at the house. A guy from Sports Illustrated calls. I think it's a prank so I hung up on him.

My friend became a Marine pilot, retired last year in Pensacola as an O-5.

[FranceGator]

Come to think of it, our esteemed journalist aka might want to interview my former roommate for a story on it. I know the tennis racquet story is a great part of Gator lore.

[ufgator4ever]

How LSU didn't win a championship with those guys is a testament to dale brown. And dennis scott.