1984 UK Basketball Documentary “Rare View From Within”

[JHannibalSmith]

I stumbled onto this video a few days ago & thought I’d post it for anyone who might be interested. It’s a behind the scenes documentary following the 1983-1984 season. I remember seeing this in 84 or 85, but, I haven’t even heard about it since then. The 84 team is still one of my top 3 favorite UK teams despite the excruciating heartbreak in Seattle. That one still hurts 40 years later & I doubt it will ever not hurt.

But, I also still think we were the best team in the country that season. We were controlling the Georgetown game throughout the first half. We led by as many as 11 & went to halftime up 7. Then, the coldest of droughts (3-33 FG in 2nd half) struck & changed everything. And, it wasn’t really due to anything that Georgetown did. We held them to 53 points & we got open look after open look. But, NOTHING would fall.

Bowie, Turpin & Walker are one of the best front court combos that the college game has ever seen, even with Bowie being a shell of his former self. It’s such a shame they had to go out like that. But, this is an interesting video & well worth the watch, whether you lived thru it & watch it for the nostalgia, or, if it was before your time & you just want to see & learn what that team was all about, at a time when college basketball was at its peak. Some classic local commercials included, too. Lol. The first team I remember is the 78 national champions. But, I wish there were similar docs chronicling the great teams before my time.

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

Is this like Clawing to the top? Speaking of which, do you have that video?

 

[CELTICAT]

Regarding that Georgetown game, MASN replayed it a few years ago and I watched almost all of it. Georgetown came out with full court pressure to start the second half and it absolutely rattled Dicky Beal, who had 6 turnovers. Georgetown made up that halftime deficit in about two minutes. Graham’s antics started really taking a toll in the last ten minutes of the game.

 

[JHannibalSmith]

I probably overstated it by saying it wasn’t due to ANYTHING Georgetown did. But, my point was that we missed a lot of easy &/or wide open shots & if we could’ve hit just 30% in the 2nd half, we win that game. 30% is awful. But, it would’ve been good enough to win. A typical, average shooting night for that team & we win comfortably.

The press did bother Beal. But, our defense bothered them, too. We actually had fewer turnovers, 15 to their 19. We also had 7 steals to their 1 & both teams had 3 blocked shots. We did EVERYTHING well enough to win, aside from making shots. And, no doubt that Graham got to them. Hell, he got to me too, thru the tv screen, lol.

But, I think the frustration & helpless feeling from nothing going right were just as responsible for their collapse. That’s as bad as you’ll ever see any team shoot. And, it happened on the biggest stage, possible. I’d imagine they were ready to punch holes in walls by the 8-10 minute mark.

 

[wildcat_bigd]

I was involved that whole season. Had like three weeks off straight due to ice in jessamine county. Final four still hurts

 

[JHannibalSmith]

Is this like Clawing to the top? Speaking of which, do you have that video?

It has short highlight packages from most of the games, with interviews, narration & behind the scenes footage from practice, games, locker room (pre & postgame), shoot around, team dinner, etc. A little bit of everything.

Joe B REALLY disliked Auburn that season. In a pregame speech, he fires up the team by talking about how cocky Auburn is & that they’re ready for an ass-kicking. I think he meant it figuratively, and, literally. Another good scene is after the UL game, right after Joe B’s postgame speech to the team, Jim Master talks him into “no curfew”. Lol

I don’t have the Clawing To The Top video. Sorry. I did have a copy but lost it in a basement flood 🤬. I looked online but couldn’t find it anywhere except for purchase on Amazon. And, it’s a VHS version.

 

[TopCatCal]

I stumbled onto this video a few days ago & thought I’d post it for anyone who might be interested. It’s a behind the scenes documentary following the 1983-1984 season. I remember seeing this in 84 or 85, but, I haven’t even heard about it since then. The 84 team is still one of my top 3 favorite UK teams despite the excruciating heartbreak in Seattle. That one still hurts 40 years later & I doubt it will ever not hurt.

But, I also still think we were the best team in the country that season. We were controlling the Georgetown game throughout the first half. We led by as many as 11 & went to halftime up 7. Then, the coldest of droughts (3-33 FG in 2nd half) struck & changed everything. And, it wasn’t really due to anything that Georgetown did. We held them to 53 points & we got open look after open look. But, NOTHING would fall.

Bowie, Turpin & Walker are one of the best front court combos that the college game has ever seen, even with Bowie being a shell of his former self. It’s such a shame they had to go out like that. But, this is an interesting video & well worth the watch, whether you lived thru it & watch it for the nostalgia, or, if it was before your time & you just want to see & learn what that team was all about, at a time when college basketball was at its peak. Some classic local commercials included, too. Lol. The first team I remember is the 78 national champions. But, I wish there were similar docs chronicling the great teams before my time.

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You're 100% right it wasn't anything that Georgetown did that made us miss all those shots. Several years after that game. I actually build up the courage to watch a replay of the 2nd half of that game where we went 3-33 from the floor. Of those 30 missed shots 25 were very makeable shots. Only 5 of our misses was very well defended. For whatever reason it just wasn't meant to be. The 84 team is one of 2 or 3 best teams not to win a championship.

 

[Someguywhodoesntlikeyou]

Worst day of my life when I was 10. I’m still not over that damn game.

 

[kennyskywalker34]

I stumbled onto this video a few days ago & thought I’d post it for anyone who might be interested. It’s a behind the scenes documentary following the 1983-1984 season. I remember seeing this in 84 or 85, but, I haven’t even heard about it since then. The 84 team is still one of my top 3 favorite UK teams despite the excruciating heartbreak in Seattle. That one still hurts 40 years later & I doubt it will ever not hurt.

But, I also still think we were the best team in the country that season. We were controlling the Georgetown game throughout the first half. We led by as many as 11 & went to halftime up 7. Then, the coldest of droughts (3-33 FG in 2nd half) struck & changed everything. And, it wasn’t really due to anything that Georgetown did. We held them to 53 points & we got open look after open look. But, NOTHING would fall.

Bowie, Turpin & Walker are one of the best front court combos that the college game has ever seen, even with Bowie being a shell of his former self. It’s such a shame they had to go out like that. But, this is an interesting video & well worth the watch, whether you lived thru it & watch it for the nostalgia, or, if it was before your time & you just want to see & learn what that team was all about, at a time when college basketball was at its peak. Some classic local commercials included, too. Lol. The first team I remember is the 78 national champions. But, I wish there were similar docs chronicling the great teams before my time.

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Thank you. I just finished watching. Don't believe I've ever saw that if so I forgot about watching it.
One of the best teams to not win it all.
Has to be one of the best front lines in CBB history. 3 NBA players. One might have been a HOF player if not for the injuries.
Hard to say if Melvin would have committed if Ralph Sampson had been a Cat. But I definitely think they would've won a title or two had Sampson been a Wildcat even with Bowie missing 2 years. They still would've played together for a couple years.
If my memory is right. Ralph and Sam were in the same class and would've played together their Freshmen and Sophomore years.

 

[bnewt]

Regarding that Georgetown game, MASN replayed it a few years ago and I watched almost all of it. Georgetown came out with full court pressure to start the second half and it absolutely rattled Dicky Beal, who had 6 turnovers. Georgetown made up that halftime deficit in about two minutes. Graham’s antics started really taking a toll in the last ten minutes of the game.

that is what I remember about that game. Graham was a thug and got away with everything.

 

[FtWorthCat]

Regarding that Georgetown game, MASN replayed it a few years ago and I watched almost all of it. Georgetown came out with full court pressure to start the second half and it absolutely rattled Dicky Beal, who had 6 turnovers. Georgetown made up that halftime deficit in about two minutes. Graham’s antics started really taking a toll in the last ten minutes of the game.

I managed to bring myself to watch it again during Covid. Once Georgetown got the lead, they spread the floor, and UK wasn't quick enough to guard them. They didn't go to a four corners, but they definitely spread the floor and made UK chase them. You can no longer do that with a shot clock. I believe UK would have won that game and the 1977 game against North Carolina, had there been a shot clock.

 

[Cat06]

I stumbled onto this video a few days ago & thought I’d post it for anyone who might be interested. It’s a behind the scenes documentary following the 1983-1984 season. I remember seeing this in 84 or 85, but, I haven’t even heard about it since then. The 84 team is still one of my top 3 favorite UK teams despite the excruciating heartbreak in Seattle. That one still hurts 40 years later & I doubt it will ever not hurt.

But, I also still think we were the best team in the country that season. We were controlling the Georgetown game throughout the first half. We led by as many as 11 & went to halftime up 7. Then, the coldest of droughts (3-33 FG in 2nd half) struck & changed everything. And, it wasn’t really due to anything that Georgetown did. We held them to 53 points & we got open look after open look. But, NOTHING would fall.

Bowie, Turpin & Walker are one of the best front court combos that the college game has ever seen, even with Bowie being a shell of his former self. It’s such a shame they had to go out like that. But, this is an interesting video & well worth the watch, whether you lived thru it & watch it for the nostalgia, or, if it was before your time & you just want to see & learn what that team was all about, at a time when college basketball was at its peak. Some classic local commercials included, too. Lol. The first team I remember is the 78 national champions. But, I wish there were similar docs chronicling the great teams before my time.

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I recorded the Georgetown game on my brand new VHS video recorder. I never watched it and finally threw it away a few years ago.

 

[FtWorthCat]

that is what I remember about that game. Graham was a thug and got away with everything.

I could have sworn that Winston Bennett knocked Graham on his ass one time in the first half, but I didn't see it when I watched the replay a few years ago. UK wasn't physically intimidated by anyone that year, they just weren't quick enough to chase Georgetown. With a shot clock, UK could have sagged off on Ewing and G'town wasn't a great outside shooting team.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Im almost ‘58 (had to) and that was the 1st Ky team I truly loved. Master was my fav but I really liked The Twin Towers and Walker.
After the 1st half I thought we would advance to the title game. I sat there in disbelief as we shot brick after brick in the 2nd half to eventually succumb to Hoya Paranoia.
Im not ashamed to say I cried like a baby after that one because I was just 17 yrs old and I really believed UK was going to cut the nets down.
The 1984 team to this day,40 yrs later, holds a special place in my big blue heart.

Seeing them with their collective heads huge afterwards in the locker room kinda got to me. But Joe B went in and immediately wrote 29-5 on the chalk board, class act.

 

[Kentucky fan 1989]

Was it karma that they lost in Lexington the next year to Villanova?