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.

View embedded media

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.

View embedded media

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.

View embedded media

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?

 

[TeoJ]

Didn't Joe B say something about static electricity causing the shots to not go in?Hated Graham but he was the total difference in that game.

 

[R.O.T.Muckinfush]

Sad ending but man that video was awesome. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jedwar]

One of my all time favorite teams. Crushed me when they lost to GT.

What a wow big man Final Four lineup that was:
UK Turpin, Bowie
GT Ewing
Houston Akeem
Virginia Sampson.

 

[catsfanbgky]

Was a sophomore in high school. To this day it is still one of if not THE most painful loss. That one and Duke with Laettner. After those two, it is hard to get any worse of a feeling from losing.

 

[JHannibalSmith]

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.

I would be absolutely floored if they wouldn’t have won a championship with Bowie & Sampson. Those two, with Macy at PG the first two years, would’ve been scary. But, yeah our front court that season was about as good as it gets. All 3 were college All-Americans & all 3 had NBA careers.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Bowie would’ve been a HOFer if the injuries never happened. He was so ahead of his time, with skill sets you just didn’t see in bigs, at the time. He could really shoot, handle & pass for a big, although the shooting nosedived after he got hurt. He was also an elite rebounder & defender/shot blocker. He still had a solid NBA career as it was. But, he might’ve been a transcendent type player with the benefit of a healthy career.

 

[JHannibalSmith]

Was a sophomore in high school. To this day it is still one of if not THE most painful loss. That one and Duke with Laettner. After those two, it is hard to get any worse of a feeling from losing.

Agree completely. I still get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach with any reminder of those games. I absolutely loathed those Georgetown teams & it made that loss even worse for me. The 2nd half was like a sick joke.

I still haven’t seen another shooting performance on that level since then, from any team at any level above grade school. We finished 3-33 FG, but, I think we started the 2nd half 1-22. Still doesn’t seem real, lol. But, 84 is still one of my 3 favorite UK teams & always will be.

 

[littlecreek]

Was a sophomore in high school. To this day it is still one of if not THE most painful loss. That one and Duke with Laettner. After those two, it is hard to get any worse of a feeling from losing.

I too was a sophomore that year and it was a tough one. However, losing to Louisville the year before in the regional finals was one that stuck with me for a long time. Also our senior year losing to LSU in the regional finals was another bad one to deal with.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

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.

That was Bowie...blocked graham's baseline jumper, then added injury to insult by swinging his arm through after the block and elbowing graham in the top of the head

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

Fun fact: the Illinois game in December was only attended by @ 500 fans due to a blizzard that hit. The officials couldn't make the game, so the PA man asked the crowd before the game if there were any officials in the stands. The refs were (at least one) h.s. officials and ended up doing the game in blue jeans

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

I was on campus w/ this team. About a week after the g-town game Melvin got a new Trans Am (smoky and the bandit edition) w/ t-tops. He looked like herman munster driving that thing, w/ his head above the roof line

 

[UK90]

What a wow big man Final Four lineup that was:
UK Turpin, Bowie
GT Ewing
Houston Akeem
Virginia Sampson.

Sampson was not in that final four. He was an NBA rookie at the time.

 

[natchezrule]

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

The cats made nothing, no shots went in. It was a bad dream

 

[natchezrule]

Sampson was not in that final four. He was an NBA rookie at the time.

You can’t talk out of your butt around UK90. He will fact check you

 

[jedwar]

Sampson was not in that final four. He was an NBA rookie at the time.

My mistake. Olden Polynice maybe. Rings the bell.

 

[jedwar]

You can’t talk out of your butt around UK90. He will fact check you

I'm use to being fact checked. All day. Every day. Probably good reason too.

 

[true blue1]

It was so hard to watch that second half it was a sad ending. We just couldn't hit nothing.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Fun fact: the Illinois game in December was only attended by @ 500 fans due to a blizzard that hit. The officials couldn't make the game, so the PA man asked the crowd before the game if there were any officials in the stands. The refs were (at least one) h.s. officials and ended up doing the game in blue jeans

And Im sure he cheated for Illinois.

 

[nickhorvathsuxazz]

And Im sure he cheated for Illinois.

I kind of was leaning that way since they played us a tight game, w/ the final being somewhere around 54-51, Cats. However, we faced them again in the elite 8 and the score was very similar; maybe identical.

 

[JPScott]

And Im sure he cheated for Illinois.

Actually both Joe Hall and Illinois coach Lou Henson praised the officials. And yes, they were all three high school officials.

Below is an excerpt from an AP story on the game:

The game was nearly 20 minutes late in starting because none of the three Big 10 conference referees assigned to the game was able to make it to the Assembly Hall due to snow-clogged roads across central Illinois. Three local high school referees had to be recruited to officiate the game. Outside the Assembly Hall, the temperature at game time was 10 degrees below zero, and the wind chill made it feel as if it was minus 40. Still, 7,651 fans were on hand for the contest. Despite the bitter cold and the inability of the scheduled referees to make their way to the game, neither side considered putting off the contest. And the three officials who did work the game, high school baseball coach Charlie Due, high school administrator Bill Mitz and Illinois faculty member Bob Hildebrand, received high marks from both coaches. "Under the circumstances," said Kentucky Coach Joe B. Hall, "they did a super job."

Link to Photo 1

Link to Photo 2

UK vs. Illinois - December 24, 1983

 

[UK90]

Actually both Joe Hall and Illinois coach Lou Henson praised the officials. And yes, they were all three high school officials.

Below is an excerpt from an AP story on the game:

Link to Photo 1

Link to Photo 2

UK vs. Illinois - December 24, 1983

Yeah, I recall they actually did a surprisingly good job. Couldn't tell much difference from the way games with real college refs were officiated.

What a surreal experience that must've been for those guys. You think you're going to a game just to cheer as a fan and instead find yourself on the floor officiating a game between two top ranked teams. I imagine it was quite a shock for their families/friends when turned on the TV that night and saw ole dad running up and down court alongside Bowie, Turpin and Walker.

If that was today, I'm pretty sure they'd just postpone or cancel the game. But I guess there was a different mentality back then. Even in a blinding blizzard with no refs, you figure out how to get it played anyways.

 

[HerrosHeroes]

Actually both Joe Hall and Illinois coach Lou Henson praised the officials. And yes, they were all three high school officials.

Below is an excerpt from an AP story on the game:

Link to Photo 1

Link to Photo 2

UK vs. Illinois - December 24, 1983

Thats a great Story JP. Thank you for sharing!

 

[JPScott]

If that was today, I'm pretty sure they'd just postpone or cancel the game. But I guess there was a different mentality back then. Even in a blinding blizzard with no refs, you figure out how to get it played anyways.

There are a number of college referees who live locally but aren't scheduled to work Kentucky games because of their relationship to UK (either a UK grad or a fan or a Lexington native etc.) It's very rare but there have been times in the recent past where they've been called upon in the last minute to step in when one of the regular referees couldn't make it for some reason.

Most recent I believe was John Hampton who reffed a game vs. Morehead in 2020 as a last minute replacement..

John Hampton Officiated UK games

In 1988 against Western Carolina the entire officiating crew wasn't available because the game time had been changed from 7:30 PM to 1:30 in the afternoon and the league office had failed to inform the officials. So they ended up enlisting three local officials from Lexington: Ken Cox, Dave Bair and (later SEC head of officials) Jake Bell. (At the time Jake Bell was the football coach of Henry Clay High School, Dave Bair was an assistant coach at Henry Clay and Ken Cox was the principal of Tates Creek HS.)

Kentucky vs. Western Carolina December 10, 1988

Another instance I know of from further back was a game in 1961 versus Alabama when the original referees couldn't make it [again due to heavy snow] so local referees Tommy Bell and Jack Durkin were called in to officiate.

Kentucky vs. Alabama February 25, 1961

Prior to that, it was not uncommon for referees not able to make scheduled games (due to transportation and communication issues) and for replacements needing to be found on short notice.