A Game for the Ages

[Guest]

All Zag fans clearly enjoyed last night's beatdown. However, I think it had special meaning to those of us who have been around this program for 30 or 40 years. We oldsters all too well remember the days when the Cougars would routinely rout us, twice a year, by double figures.

Then, when we got good, we can remember the Cougs refusing to play us. Ah yes, the wonderful Sampson Era. That was really hard to take, considering the beatings we took in the late '60's and all durning the 70's.

Last night's game was probably Gonzaga's finest effort ever in this long history. In the second half, we were able to "school" a young Cougar team that will probably get better as a result of that schooling.

At times last night, our Zags left me speechless. The first 12 minutes of the second half were played to close to perfection. As Hondo told me this morning, this is a game we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Lat night's win was great for the program. And it was also great for us oldsters. Bocco, Hondo, jhoop, gamagin, Birddog, and the rest: This win's for you!

[HRZag]

Anticipation

I had to miss last night's game, due to inescapable conflict. I am really looking forward to watching it tonight, staying calm through the first half and then really enjoying the second half.

When I was in school, a few of us went down to Pullman for the Coug v. Oregon game, probably around 1974. Both teams were good. Oregon had Ronny Lee and Greg Ballard.

Somehow, we got seats just behind the Oregon bench. There were only about a dozen Oregon fans, the rest Cougs. Packed, loud, rowdy. Did I mention there was only one guy wearing a bright yellow, "Orygun" t-shirt in the whole place. Me.

It was VERY intimidating to be there in such a hostile environment. There was a fight in the student section, among themselves. I bet they would have loved to get at a Duck.

After Ronny Lee drained a 25 footer to beat the clock and win the game, I quickly got my coat on and we quietly found our car and headed back to Spokane. Fun times. Games you never forget.

Go Zags.

[BobZag]

Very enjoyable, it was. Now, onward to Arizona in warm, sunny Phoenix.

[gamagin]

well said El Voce,

well said.

[FrahmfortheWin]

Great post. Well written, and while I havent been following the program for as many years as yourself, I could feel the connection to the history.

This really could be a year of milestones. Go Zags!

[GU69]

. . . the days when the Cougars would routinely rout us, twice a year . . ..

We split with them in 65-66.

[jhoop]

Thanks for the post Voce...

I had those same thoughts all last night and all day today. I vividly remember sitting in the stands at WSU in the late 60's and watching the Zags go down. There was a lot of condescension oozing from the WSU fans. Kind of like we really didn't belong on the same floor, and sometimes that was true. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think the little private school from Spokane would ever dominate the Cougars like they have since the end of the last century. I had resinged myself to the fact that in order to get my "feel good" fix I would need to rely on stories from the old timers about how the Bulldog football team beat WSC three years in a row in the mid 30's. But all that began to change when Dan Fitzgerald set into motion a program that his successors took to the next level, the defining moment being Casey's putback of the "runner". It's always been good to be a Zag and it seems to get better every year.

[DoggieDogpound]

We split with them in 65-66.

That game in 65/66 was one of the best Zag wins ever against the Cougs, but not as good as last night's. We beat the Cougs that year in Pullman by about 15 points - Lechman outscored their 6-9 center (I think his name was McKean) someting like 27 to 4. Hondo and Voice should remember that game.
I remember a bunch of us cramming into a school bus for the trip down and having to make an emergency pit stop at the Whitman Hotel in Colfax.

[Zag365]

Lechman outscored their 6-9 center (I think his name was McKean) someting like 27 to 4.

I believe it was Jim McKean, who I think made a second or third-team All America list the next year. The Cougars also had Stein and Allen, who were outstanding guards. Heathcote was the coach of the freshman team (the "Coubabes"). At that time, the WSU game was usually our one big-time game each year.

[Birddog]

Dogpound, you're right, except I think there were a couple of buses and I think they were chartered from Inland Stage lines or whatever that outfit was called. It was organized by the Spokane Club, Pat Stiley was the pres. The bus I was on had a keg in the back. When we exited the bus we were all given 2 small wooden blocks. Our seats were on those concrete steps in old Bohler at one end of the court. It was a game to be remembered, as we beat the Cougs with Jim McKean, who was indeed 6'9". The Cougs were 2nd fiddle to UCLA though, in the Pac 10. I believe big bad Bud Norris played on that team too. He was also a pretty good football player. Last nights game probably was better, but then I didn't get to see it in person like in '66.

[HOOTER]

Last night's game was probably Gonzaga's finest effort ever in this long history. In the second half, we were able to "school" a young Cougar team that will probably get better as a result of that schooling.

At times last night, our Zags left me speechless. The first 12 minutes of the second half were played to close to perfection.

Amen. It truly was a thing of beauty. That was one of the best all around efforts our Zags have ever put forth (the second half, that is). Well said El Voce.

Bocco, Hondo, jhoop, gamagin, Birddog, and the rest: This win's for you!

Oh man, I'm not on the list. Does this mean I can't enjoy the win as much as all of you?

[229SintoZag]

Wow fellas

You guys have a few years on me.

I was born in 1973. So all this is before I was a twinkle in my parents' eye.

1965? You've got to be kidding me. We had not even been to the moon at that point. JBJ was president. It was 43 years ago.

Forty. Three. Years. Ago.

Wow. I am 35 years old now and feeling about ready to engage my mid life crisis It is guys like you who make me feel better about things.

Go Zags.

[gamagin]

229 sinto

You guys have a few years on me.
I was born in 1973. So all this is before I was a twinkle in my parents' eye.
1965? You've got to be kidding me. We had not even been to the moon at that point. JBJ was president. It was 43 years ago. Forty. Three. Years. Ago. Wow. I am 35 years old now and feeling about ready to engage my mid life crisis It is guys like you who make me feel better about things.
Go Zags.

Sinto:

I have shorts & kids older than you. I'm wearing them (the shorts) now.

In 1965, friends of ours were dying in Vietnam. GU students.

Those with deferments were at GU, among other schools, just being undergrads.

Some of us, too, were watching our Zags, like El Voce and others on this GUB, hoping we could just beat those damned Cougs one or two times and stop the harassment of those who actually thought the center of gravity was Pullman.

Or worse. Seattle.

And in the process, the big deal was to win a few Big Sky Conference games against the likes of the Montanas, Weber State and Boise state, to name a few.

As often as not, the stands in the "new" Kennedy gym had about as many fans as one might expect at the funeral of a homeless person. You could lie down just about anywhere, if you wanted.

there were larger crowds at Albi stadium for hi school football and at the coliseum for high school basketball.

If you waited five minutes to get in, the ticket takers at the Kennedy had left for the night and you'd just walk in.

In other words, We've come a LONG way, baby. And it appears we're just getting started.

Go Zags !

[Rangerzag]

You guys have a few years on me.

I was born in 1973. So all this is before I was a twinkle in my parents' eye.

1965? You've got to be kidding me. We had not even been to the moon at that point. JBJ was president. It was 43 years ago.

Forty. Three. Years. Ago.

Wow. I am 35 years old now and feeling about ready to engage my mid life crisis It is guys like you who make me feel better about things.

Go Zags.

Who was "JBJ" ?????

[Bocco]

I'm surprised Reborn hasn't weighed in on this thread I'm sure when he played against WSU in the late 60's he never thought he'd see this day, or the last 10+ years......
.....like El Voce and others I can remeber just hoping the Zags could stay close to the Cougs, let alone win.