(01-16-2026, 08:44 AM)Mick Wrote: Etymology of the choke sign, created and popularized by UCLA alum Reggie Miller...
Find out Why Reggie Miller Did the Choke Sign
Reasons behind Arthur Lee's "choke" sign...he wanted to go to UCLA when Harrick was coach, Harrick slow-played him, then Harrick was coaching Rhode Island, so...
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-...story.html
Thanks for sharing the second article - I never knew Art'd wanted to go to UCLA. As for the choke sign - sorry, not sorry - I always thought Harrick was kind of a sleazeball anyway, close second to Lavin.
Otherwise, reading this brought back a LOT of good memories from that season, including Art's and Mark Seaton's dads driving up together from SoCal for <every> home game/series.
As far as the tourney itself:
- for the URI game, I was at home, watching time run out in the regional final, and immediately the phone rings. Turns out it was my best basketball bud, on the east coast for a business trip, but I had no way of knowing it was him calling (ah, the good old landline days). I just picked up the phone and without a word being said by either, we both immediately started screaming at the top of our lungs. This was even sweeter because my upstair neighbors were a married couple, both Dukie grads and obnoxious fans but <womp, womp>, Duke had just lost to Kentucky in the South regional final game just prior to ours. I <KNOW> they were home to hear it, too.
- My entire MBB gang did make it to San Antonio - we had a ball. Besides the incredible semi with UK, highlights included LSJUMB's Riverwalk serenade, going to the Alamo to see the "basement" (for PeeWee Herman fans, IYKYK) and all 7 of us piling into what had to be the world's tiniest rental car to hit some BBQ joint a few miles out of the city - 2 in the front, 4 in the back seat (1 sitting across the others laps) and 1 in the rear luggage/spare space.
- At the SAA reception, Bill Walsh and his wife were walking out just ahead of us, when he does a 180 back to the reception with this determined look on his face - one of us asked if everything was OK and he replies, "I want another taquito!" - priceless!
- Last, but by no means the least, we were out scrounging for coffee the morning after the UK game, found what looked to be a nice quiet spot and headed in - the place is pretty empty save for.....Art Lee and his dad. We just had to say hi, and they were just incredibly open, gracious and welcoming with us.
My apologies for the thread drift... :-)