YouTube Gold: Forgotten Final Four Teams
An interesting idea if a flawed presentation
This video does something interesting even if the presenter is mildly goofy and occasionally irritating: it talks about forgotten Final Four teams.
The first is Wyoming and he sort of fails to talk about how World War II affected college sports. It’s kind of a big deal, because so many young American men either volunteered or were drafted. For instance, Illinois was the #1 team but declined an invitation because three starters got drafted. And you thought Covid was a big deal.
UNCC made the Final Four in 1977 behind the great Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell, one of the first talents from Kinston to make the NBA. It was Al McGuire’s year though.
George Mason made it in 2006 as we discussed previously. Jacksonville and St. Bonaventure made it in 1970, both with eventual Hall of Fame big men: Artis Gilmore for Jacksonville and Bob Lanier for St. Bonnie’s. However, Lanier injured his knee and could not play.
Seattle got there with Elgin Baylor before falling off the radar and Dayton had a trip during the UCLA dynasty.
It’s an interesting topic, but he could have probably done a better job with some of it.
- Wyoming 1943
- UNCC
- George Mason
- Santa Clara
- New Mexico State
- Jacksonville
- St. Bonaventure
- Seattle
- Rutgers
- Dayton