Dean Smith, Michael Jordan come to the Bay Area in 1983

This is just a draft. I'll add some anecdotes about the game itself (Jordan fouling out, not before unleashing an insane dunk, the '84 Heels' season ending at Indiana's hands in upset fashion). Anyone have any insights?


This Week In Stanford History pauses from its usual intent to instead remember Cardinal basketball’s encounters with Dean Smith and Jerry Tarkanian, the two legendary coaches we’ve lost this week. Maples Pavilion still hasn’t hosted an experience quite like the time Smith took his Tar Heels – Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins in toe – to The Farm in 1983.

One thing a newly relevant college basketball team learns is the Preseason NIT carries far more prestige than the original version. Lesson gained, but what gets lost in process?

Stanford basketball’s 1990’s ascent saw trips to Alaska, the Pete Newell Challenge in Oakland and Madison Square Garden for the Preseason NIT replace the Cardinal’s old invitational tournament, which in 1983 brought two of the game’s most legendary figures to The Farm. And while Art Lee leading a over St. John’s at the Garden moments after Ron Artest knocked him silly remains forever awesome, it doesn’t compare to when Dean Smith, Michael Jordan and No. 1 North Carolina won the Stanford Invitational.

“That was the highlight of my career,” remember Stanford associate athletic director Earl Koberlein, who scored four points from his starting forward spot in the game. “There could definitely feel the energy on campus. I remember Dean Smith had such a presence. He was like a composer orchestrating his team.”

If there existed a Mt. Rushmore to honor the coaches who became household names during college basketball’s 1980’s heyday, the monument would include Smith and Jerry Tarkanian. Smith tallied a 5-0 record over the Cardinal, who lost by an 83-65 margin against Tarkanian’s Rebels in Honolulu on Christmas Eve of 1985.

Two years earlier, the same week Walter Mondale spoke in San Jose and Stanford football continued on its search to replace the fired Paul Wiggin, the Heels showcased their vintage mid-’80s glory. The starting lineup featured Jordan and Sam Perkins, with Brad Dougherty and Kenny Smith coming off the bench. When Carolina downed Fordham in the opening round game, fans filled Maples to capacity.

A crowd of over 8,000, according to the Stanford Daily’s account, stretchedMaples beyond its capacity when the Heels faced Stanford in the championship. UNC held off the upstart Cardinal by an 88-75 score in the title game, resorting to its time-killing “four-corners” offense – college hoops was still two years away from instituting the shot clock – after Stanford closed within 72-66 in the second half.

Under coach Tom Davis, Stanford employed a full-court, pressuring style. Koberlein, tasked to guard the other team’s inbounds passer, noticed his opponent showing the slightest emotion.

“That team was so stoic and business-like, which was a reflection of their head coach,” he remembered. “But I remember Doherty had just the slightest bit of fear in his eyes. I could see it.”

The legendary innovator, teacher and ambassador, Smith graciously thanked Stanford for pushing his team.

“They made us look slow. I’m glad we played Stanford, because they showed us some of our weaknesses," he said. "They really made things happen. I kind of thought we were pretty good defensively, until tonight. I thought they made us look pretty foolish.”

Rare were the moments of foolishness for the Heels that season. They were supremely loaded even by the standards of Smith, whose win over Stanford was the 500th of his career. He’d beat the Cardinal four more times en route to averaging 27 wins per-year until his 1997 retirement.

The 1983-84 Tar Heels spent 16 out of a possible 17 weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. Only a one-point loss to Arkansas prevented a perfect regular season. Their perfect ACC record has since been equaled just twice (by the 1986-87 UNC edition and Duke’s 1998-99 NCAA runners-up.)

Think back to when your high school hosted a basketball tournament, when fans bonded with visiting team or player. So it went at the Stanford Invitational. Cardinal fans arriving early for the Saturday night final watched the Rams – coached by future Texas boss and ESPN analyst Tom Penders – take on San Jose State in the consolation tilt. They formed an immediate bond with Fordham guard Jerry Hobbie, who totaled 21 points and made all 13 free throws in his team’s two games.

“Trans-fer! Trans-fer! Transfer!” chanted the Stanford student section.

These were the days when Cardinal basketball fans lived vicariously through others. The season ended in disappointing fashion, continuing a streak of what grew to 45 straight seasons without postseason birth.

http://stanforddailyarchive.com/cgi-bin/stanford?a=d&d=stanford19831207-01.2.57&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------#

 

This Week In Stanford History pauses from its usual intent to remember Cardinal basketball’s encounters with Dean Smith and Jerry Tarkanian, the two legendary coaches we’ve lost this week. Maples Pavilion may never host another experience like the time Smith took his Tar Heels – Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins in toe – to The Farm in 1983.

One thing a budding college basketball power learns is the Preseason NIT carries far more prestige than the original version. Lesson gained, but what gets lost in the process?

Stanford basketball’s 1990’s ascent saw trips to Alaska and Madison Square Garden replace the Cardinal’s annual invitational tournament, which in 1983 brought two of the game’s most legendary figures to The Farm. And while Art Lee beating St. John’s at the Garden moments after Ron Artest knocked him silly remains forever awesome, it doesn’t compare to when Dean Smith, Michael Jordan and No. 1 North Carolina won the Stanford Invitational.

“That was the highlight of my career,” remembered Stanford associate athletic director Earl Koberlein, who scored four points against the Tar Heels in the final. “You could definitely feel the energy on campus that week. I remember Dean Smith had such a presence. He was like a composer, a conductor orchestrating his team.”

***

If a Mt. Rushmore existed to honor the coaches who brought college hoops to the national masses, Smith’s stoic gaze would surely sit alongside Jerry Tarkanian’s sleepy-eyed, towel-chomping mug. Stanford’s gutsy but shorthanded mid-’80s clubs crossed paths with both icons at the height of their powers.

Stanford met UNLV on Christmas Eve of 1985 in Honolulu. The Rebels ran away with an 83-65 victory. Tark won a then-UNLV record 33 games in that campaign (he’d top the 30-win barrier three times in the next five seasons.) Smith went unbeaten against the Cardinal in five meetings between 1983 and 1995, winning by an average of nearly 19 points.

In early December of 1983, the same week Walter Mondale spoke in San Jose and Stanford football continued its search to replace the fired Paul Wiggin, the Heels showcased their firepower. The lineup featured Jordan and Perkins, in addition to Brad Daugherty and Kenny Smith. A sellout crowd watched Carolina down Fordham in the opening round game.

A crowd of over 8,000, according to the Stanford Daily’s account, stretchedMaples beyond its limits when the Heels faced Stanford in the championship. UNC held off the upstart Cardinal by an 88-75 score, resorting to its time-killing “four-corners” offense – college hoops was still two years away from instituting the shot clock – after Stanford closed the gap late.

A layup by center John Revelli brought the Cardinal within 72-66 with 7:09 remaining. Tasked to guard the other team’s inbounds passer in coach Tom Davis’ full-court press, Koberlein then noticed the slightest hesitation from his counterpart, Matt Doherty.

“Carolina was business-like, a reflection of their head coach,” he remembered. “But I remember Doherty had some fear in his eyes. You could tell they were a bit nervous, having to work against a team they probably thought they were going to blow out.”

Afterwards, Smith thanked Stanford for pushing his team.

“They made us look slow,” he said. “I’m glad we played Stanford, because they showed us some of our weaknesses. They really made things happen. I kind of thought we were pretty good defensively, until tonight. I thought they made us look pretty foolish.”

Rare were the moments of foolishness for the Heels that season. They were supremely loaded even by the standards of Smith, whose win over Stanford marked the 500th of his career. He’d beat the Cardinal four more times en route to averaging 27 wins per-year until his 1997 retirement.

The 1983-84 Tar Heels spent 16 of a possible 17 weeks ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. Only a one-point loss to Arkansas prevented regular season perfection. Their unbeaten ACC record has since been equaled just twice (by the 1986-87 UNC edition and Duke’s 1998-99 NCAA runners-up.)

Think back to when your high school hosted a basketball tournament, with home fans gravitating towards a visiting team or player. So it went at the Stanford Invitational. Cardinal fans arriving early for the Saturday night final watched the Rams – coached by future Texas boss and ESPN analyst Tom Penders – face San Jose State in the consolation tilt. They formed an immediate link with Fordham guard Jerry Hobbie, who totaled 21 points against the Spartans and made all 13 free throws in his team’s two games.

“Trans-fer! Trans-fer! Trans-fer!” chanted Stanford students.

These were the days when Cardinal hoops backers lived vicariously through others. The season ended with 19 wins, but the school’s first postseason trip since 1942 would have to wait another four years.

***
Disappointment, the most shocking of Smith’s 36 seasons in Chapel Hill, ultimately found the Heels. Carolina put its season on the line in the Sweet 16 against Indiana. The Hoosiers’ 72-68 upset victory saw Smith take heat for sitting Jordan, with two early fouls, for 12 minutes in the first half. “Michael is going to be on the bench with two fouls,” the coach countered.

Smith surely remembered Jordan fouling out against Stanford, where he totaled fewer points (four) than fouls. But among his two baskets, there included a one-sided encounter with a Cardinal defender.

“Jordan just had the sickest dunk,” Koberlein said. “He’s coming through the lane, and Hans Wichary is there, feet stationary, hands over his crotch, ready to take the charge. Jordan jumps from the second block in the foul line, goes over Hans, and slams it. I remember he landed in the “A” in ‘STANFORD’ along the baseline.”

Some one-of-a-kind moments don’t happen at Madison Square Garden.

The Stanford Daily 7 December 1983 — The Stanford Daily

 

in tow...

Maybe do Smith one week and Tark the next? This sort of seemed muddled to me.

I would not talk or focus about how Carolina did the rest of the year. Keep digging up the Stanford stuff. Why did they travel out there?

 

i would pick either a piece to pay homage to these coaches, or do one strictly about the game. trying to do both with make this grow to be too long and drawn out