28 years ago today... where were you?

[Skydog]

In January of that year I had met this guy who had just moved here from Baltimore. He and his wife weren't college bb fans at all but I drug them to a Duke game earlier in the season and they were hooked. So that night we go to a popular bar/restaurant/dive in Durham near the corner of University & Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. I think it was called The Rockwood Filling Station at that time? Anyway we go there to eat and watch the game on TV. The place was packed and everyone was losing it in overtime. At the end the same reaction as all Duke fans, elation when we go ahead, then depression and sadness when Kentucky makes the shot and then just unbelievable joy after Laettner makes the shot. Everyone was grabbing each other and jumping up and down and my new friend turned to me and said with emotion "Thank you for introducing me to Duke basketball!" What a glorious night!

[billy]

In January of that year I had met this guy who had just moved here from Baltimore. He and his wife weren't college bb fans at all but I drug them to a Duke game earlier in the season and they were hooked. So that night we go to a popular bar/restaurant/dive in Durham near the corner of University & Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd. I think it was called The Rockwood Filling Station at that time? Anyway we go there to eat and watch the game on TV. The place was packed and everyone was losing it in overtime. At the end the same reaction as all Duke fans, elation when we go ahead, then depression and sadness when Kentucky makes the shot and then just unbelievable joy after Laettner makes the shot. Everyone was grabbing each other and jumping up and down and my new friend turned to me and said with emotion "Thank you for introducing me to Duke basketball!" What a glorious night!

Not too far from where you were, I was at Satisfaction. After UK's last shot, it was crickets. People literally crying, depressed. After the shot, utter pandemonium for the 5 seconds it took to celebrate then rush out to get to campus.

[YmoBeThere]

Army ROTC Spring FTX at Camp Butner.

[heyman25]

In my childhood I was fortunate to have a housekeeper named Gladys Walston . Four siblings and a single Mother. My father was an ENT professor of the Duke Medical School and a close friend of Dr. George Baylin. He passed away of a heart attack suffered in NYC.Dr. Baylin was the Baylin of the Baylin-Swett award Jack White recently won. Gladys was celebrating her retirement from the VA as a registered nurse. I believe it was at the Sheraton in the Research Triangle near RDU.I recall leaving the room and watching near the closest TV. I about had a heart attack. I did get to see the SHOT! Laettner was 100% from the line and the field. Thank god he was not ejected for the Timberlake foot tap. Stomp was an inaccurate reporting.

https://goduke.com/news/2020/3/26/me...team-mvps.aspx
Correction:Title and recipients.
Swett-Baylin Trophy 2020 Tre Jones and Vernon Carey Jr. Co MVP's
Dr. Deryl Hart award best scholar-athlete Jack White.
My sister's best friend Leslie Mann was the daughter of Ted Mann Sports publicity director in the 60's for Duke Athletics. Her brother Ted Mann Jr. was on the Heyman Mullins teams and tragically died one summer body surfing. Neck was broken in the accident.
There is a Ted Mann Jr; Glen E. (Ted ) Mann award that was given to Justin Robinson for contributing the most to team morale.
Justin was the catalyst for making the season end on a positive note.

[meansy53]

The Shot.

My sophomore year on campus. Before we go to lunch and start pre-gaming I find out my maternal grandfather passed away. By the time I got my stuff together, traveled, and got to my grandmother's, the game had started.

Made it to an uncle's house and caught the end of the 1st half, then the rest of the game.

How about you?

I was nine years old at the time and was at my grandmother's house in Henderson, NC with a bunch of extended family. My cousin (same age as me) says to this day that he jumped so high when the shot went in that his head hit the ceiling. For some reason, I still don't believe him.

That shot, and being at the UNLV game in Indy the year before, are some of the earliest and most profound memories I have as a child.

[niveklaen]

Freshman year for me - in the commons room of Trent 3 watching - tense silence, elation

[-jk]

I was nine years old at the time and was at my grandmother's house in Henderson, NC with a bunch of extended family. My cousin (same age as me) says to this day that he jumped so high when the shot went in that his head hit the ceiling. For some reason, I still don't believe him.

That shot, and being at the UNLV game in Indy the year before, are some of the earliest and most profound memories I have as a child.

Maybe your cousin jumped off a sofa...

-jk

[mark34]

I was in a seedy sportsbook in Mexico with a handful of Duke fans and another handful of KY fans across the building. The degenerate gambling locals were really confused about why we were so excited.

[elvis14]

The day before the game I presented my Master's paper and took and passed my oral exams for my Masters degree. So I was in Clemson that Saturday night with a bunch of friends who had gathered to celebrate with me. We were at a friends apartment and didn't go out until after the game. We were going crazy when the shot was hit. Needless to say, it was good night (or at least the parts of it I remember).

[rasputin]

We were watching in our living room. We had symphony tickets for that night, and thought the game would be over in time, so we decided to watch it live and then go to the symphony. Of course, the game lasted a lot longer than expected. We decided to go ahead to the symphony, and taped the rest on the trusty old VCR. Duke had a fairly comfortable lead when we left. It was quite a shock when we got back and watched the tape.

We had done a similar game the year before; had hockey tickets and taped the game against UNLV.

[YmoBeThere]

Army ROTC Spring FTX at Camp Butner.

And I’m not bitter about it at all. “That’s alright, you saw Christian hit the shot to beat UConn in ‘90 right?” Nope, Spring FTX that year also. Not bitter at all...

[Gooch]

Sophomore year, I was in the basement of Wannamaker where my fraternity lived in a bedroom right next to the commons room where we had kegs (yes there were still kegs then). I ended up in a dogpile on the floor of that room as all of my brothers streamed downstairs to celebrate.

My girlfriend had one of her friends visiting that weekend from out of town, and he was a big-time Duke hater. He was going crazy on Woods' made shot until my girlfriend pointed out: "You know there will be no parties on campus if we lose this game...did you come all the way from Dartmouth for that?" He changed his tune during the time out and celebrated with the rest of us!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I was there at the Spectrum in the Duke section. Being from the Philadelphia area and a senior in the Class of '92, the stars aligned rather nicely.

It is hard to believe how clutch Laettner was in his 4 regional finals...shot 31-34 from the floor in those games for an astounding 91%!

9 for 10 vs. Alonzo and G'town in 1989
7 for 8 and game-winning shot vs. UConn in 1990
5 for 6 vs. St. John's in 1991
10 for 10 vs. UK in 1992

This is not mention 10-10 from the line vs UK

Sporks for excellence

[AZLA]

Sophomore year, I was in the basement of Wannamaker where my fraternity lived in a bedroom right next to the commons room where we had kegs (yes there were still kegs then). I ended up in a dogpile on the floor of that room as all of my brothers streamed downstairs to celebrate.

My girlfriend had one of her friends visiting that weekend from out of town, and he was a big-time Duke hater. He was going crazy on Woods' made shot until my girlfriend pointed out: "You know there will be no parties on campus if we lose this game...did you come all the way from Dartmouth for that?" He changed his tune during the time out and celebrated with the rest of us!

Was at Duke visiting my girlfriend. Bunch of people gathered in the commons room. When the pass arched and Laettner got in position with two defenders behind him -- "he's got a chance" -- is what went through my mind. Followed by -- why is he doing a fake, dribble... (no time!) but as soon as he square up I was like, this is going in... YES! My girlfriend screamed and fell over the back of the couch (she was sitting up on the frame because everyone was packed in). She flew off the couch and landed on the hard floor flat on her back and head. I thought she was crying. She was just super elated! The rest of the night was a mega party. Almost got roasted standing on a bench too long later that night. I forgot Duke people like to burn benches...

[HereBeforeCoachK]

From my angle, we couldn't tell that he'd banked it in. When I saw replays later that night and realized it he banked it, I was outraged (in retrospect) that a stupid shot like that actually went in. I shouted at the TV for some time before they moved on to the next highlight and all was right with the world.

You and K had the same reaction....he said in one of those several specials on that game..."The Laettner Game" or maybe "I Hate..." - he mentioned that shot angered him...Grant Hill too..."that's what it's gonna take...that shot right there" - Hill said with clear derision...

[moonpie23]

10 for 10 PLUS 10...

that's all you got to say....

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I was there at the Spectrum in the Duke section. Being from the Philadelphia area and a senior in the Class of '92, the stars aligned rather nicely.

It is hard to believe how clutch Laettner was in his 4 regional finals...shot 31-34 from the floor in those games for an astounding 91%!

9 for 10 vs. Alonzo and G'town in 1989
7 for 8 and game-winning shot vs. UConn in 1990
5 for 6 vs. St. John's in 1991
10 for 10 vs. UK in 1992

This is not mention 10-10 from the line vs UK

That is the most mind boggling, cold blooded killer stat I've ever heard. The stat it replaces at the top of that list is another Laettner stat...heard it back in the 90s...that Late was 80% from 3 point range, as a junior and senior, in the second half of games, and Duke tied or behind. But that Regional Final stat...I I I...got nothin...amazing. Dude was a stone cold killer in the clutch.

[roywhite]

10 for 10 PLUS 10...

that's all you got to say...

And you know CBS didn't say it when it was happening?

Talk about missing a major talking point!

[sagegrouse]

And you know CBS didn't say it when it was happening?

Talk about missing a major talking point!

And here -- is the REST of the story, from Verne Lundquist, who was at the mike:

I was asked later why we didn’t mention on the broadcast that Laettner was perfect from the floor and perfect from the line. [He was 10-10 and 10-10.] Well, I didn’t know. I asked my statistician, a guy who had worked with me for years, why he hadn’t told me. He was a bit strange. He said it was in the handwritten notes, which I hadn’t managed to figure out. I believe he ended up getting fired over the incident.”

From my interview notes with Verne about ten years ago.

[roywhite]

And here -- is the REST of the story, from Verne Lundquist, who was at the mike:



From my interview notes with Verne about ten years ago.

Great catch, Sage.

Where else do we get the inside scoop like here?