OK KIDDIES SIT BACK AND LISTEN. BECAUSE I WAS THERE AND NONE OF YOU WERE EVEN ALIVE. SOCIAL CONTEXT - THE LAST TWO ALL WHITE TEAMS TO VIE
FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP; WAR PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE STADIUM; BLACK ACTIVITISTS INSIDE THREATENING TO RUSH THE FIELD AND LAY DOWN SHOULD THE ARKANSAS BAND PLAY "DIXIE"; BILLY GRAHAM, GEORGE BUSH (THE FIRST), AND RICHARD NIXON IN ATTENDENCE READY TO NAME THE WINNER OF THE GAME AS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS; 50% OF THE TV'S IN AMERICA TUNED IN (UNMATCHED TO THIS DAY FOR ANY COLLEGE GAME); A TEXAS PLAYER PLAYING ON A
LEG SO EATEN BY CANCER IT WOULD BE AMPUTATED SIX
DAYS LATER; FIGHTS IN THE STANDS FROM THE FIRST
QUARTER ON.
THE GAME - TEXAS BEHIND 0 TO 14 AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE 4TH QUARTER. WITH 11+ MINUTES REMAINING
TEXAS SCORES AND SUCCESSFULLY GOES FOR 2.

OK, ITS 14 TO 8 AND ARKANSAS HAS THE BALL AFTER
UT'S SCORE. AFTER SOME BACK AND FORTH ARKANSAS HAS THE BALL ON THE TEXAS 7 YARD LINE AND ITS
THIRD AND GOAL! WHAT DO THEY DO? USE A RUNNING
PLAY TO MOVE THE BALL TO THE CENTER OF THE FIELD
FOR A SURE 3 POINTER ON FORTH? NO, THEY PASS THE
BALL AND ITS INTERCEPTED! MORE BACK AND FORTH WHICH RUNS THE CLOCK DOWN TO 4+ MINUTES. TEXAS HAS THE BALL ON THEIR OWN 43 AND ITS FORTH AND 3 YARDS FOR A FIRST DOWN. THE TEAM WHO INVENTED THE
WISHBONE (TRIPLE OPTION), WHICH OVER THE NEXT TWO
YEARS WILL AVERAGE MORE THAN 250 YARDS ON THE GROUND PER GAME DOES WHAT? WRONG - THEY PASS AND
TO THE MOST UNLIKELY RECEIVER ON THE TEAM, DOWN AT ARKANSAS 13 YARD LINE. TWO RUNNING PLAYS (FOR
11 AND 2 YDS) AND TEXAS IS IN THE END ZONE.
ALMOST 4 MINUTES LEFT AND ARKANSAS BEGINS TO MOVE
THE BALL AFTER TEXAS' SCORE - TO THE UT 46, THEN
THE 39 AND ARKANSAS HAS THE BEST FIELD GOAL KICKER IN THE COUNTRY. THEY ONLY NEED ANOTHER 10
YDS TO BE IN COMFORTABLE RANGE. BUT WHAT DO THEY
GET AN INTERCEPTION. TEXAS RUNS OUT THE CLOCK.

IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT THIS OR THAT ONE BEING THE "GAME OF THE CENTURY". I'VE EVEN SEEN (DIDN'T BOTHER TO READ)
A BOOK CLAIMING THE "10-10" MICHIGAN-NOTRE DAME
GAME AS THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL. I GUESS THE
ANSWER SUBJECTIVELY DEPENDS ON WHICH TEAM YOUR A FAN OF. REMEMBER THOUGH FOOTBALL IS 139 YEARS OLD, TELEVISION WASN'T INVENTED THE SAME YEAR FLORIDA STARTED KICKING EVERYBODY'S ASS.


[Thread title modified to correct case. - Outsports moderator]

[ July 05, 2003, 07:43 AM: Message edited by: m1 ]

I still get teary-eyed when I see clips from that game or watch it on ESPN Classic. The first numbers for the draft had been drawn the monday before the game. The game itself was originally scheduled earlier in the year, but somebody at ABC who made a career with the decision (Beano Cook maybe) got the schools to move it to the end of the year to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of college football. So, it was the only game played that day and it was for the championship (despite Penn State also being undefeated). Awesome.

If I ever own a race horse, his name will be "Street2Peschel".

Hook 'em

I wasn't at the game, but saw it on the tube.

Hook 'Em! m/