1982 Bradley NIT Championship

[Da Coach]

For those old enough to remember- here is a YouTube video with the last couple minutes of the 1982 NIT Championship game, which Bradley won vs. Purdue, plus the post game celebration and interviews with Coach Versace and Mitchell Anderson. It also includes the TV commercials that accompanied the broadcast.
I never get tired of seeing this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgx4ZsH93x8

[capecod]

I was there

I simply walked up 7th Avenue to Madison Square Garden from my then apartment on 18th St and 7th Ave.(the Garden is on 33rd & 7th)

I sat next to a group of people who were making fun of the fact that Bradley was in Peoria.

It was a very enjoyable game...with a simple and satisfying walk home afterwards

[Chico]

For those old enough to remember- here is a YouTube video with the last couple minutes of the 1982 NIT Championship game, which Bradley won vs. Purdue, plus the post game celebration and interviews with Coach Versace and Mitchell Anderson. It also includes the TV commercials that accompanied the broadcast.
I never get tired of seeing this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgx4ZsH93x8

Thanks Coach. I was on the floor somewhere, but I couldn't spot me. Left here on an afternoon charter flight. There was an earlier one also. Remember watching the semi-final game against Okkahoma at a West Peoria watering hole. After the game a great Bradley fan, Don Draeger, called and arranged a championship game trip. Our flight filled up so fast, they had to schedule another flight which ended up leaving earlier in the day. Got there in time to see the team leave the hotel and go across the street to MSG. Had a great celebration at a bar right down the street from the Garden. The "good ole days of Bradley basketball."

[Chico]

I simply walked up 7th Avenue to Madison Square Garden from my then apartment on 18th St and 7th Ave.(the Garden is on 33rd & 7th)

I sat next to a group of people who were making fun of the fact that Bradley was in Peoria.

It was a very enjoyable game...with a simple and satisfying walk home afterwards

Reminds me of the NCAA game with Kansas a few years back. Myself and much better half, were getting ready to watch the game at a spot in Mesa, Az when a group of Kansas fans came and sat near us. After seeing our Bradley sweaters they acted like they never heard of Bradley or Peoria before. They all knew Bert Born who played for Kansas and then Cat though. They did congratulate us after the game though.

[Da Coach]

Capecod and Chico, your posts dragged out a few more memories of my own. My wife and I rode on a 20 hour bus trip for fans arranged by Ken Goldin. It was a miserable trip, as I am not able to sleep in an upright position, so I was pretty tired when we finally got to NY City. We stayed at the team hotel, the Statler, right across 7th Avenue from the Garden. It was a nice hotel at that time, but later fell into disrepair. I recall sitting in the lobby listening to some Georgia fans (they were the other semi final team along with Bradley, Purdue, and Oklahoma). They were a group of well-to-do Southern ladies who were all dressed up and had lots of jewelry and perfume talking about their best player Dominique Wilkins and how there was no way Purdue (their semifinal opponent) or anyone else would stop him from carrying Georgia to the championship. We all know how that went. I recall seeing those ladies weeping after they were beaten by Purdue.

We had a great time for a couple days in Manhattan. And after Bradley won the championship, I was also one of the crazy Bradley fans who stormed the MSG court. I am actually visible briefly on that video I posted above.

My wife and I flew a commercial airplane back home, since I couldn't take another 20 hour bus ride. But perhaps the highlight was when Joe Dalfonso, who was Bradley's Athletic Director, asked me to hold and guard the NIT trophy, while he conducted some business before the team left for the airport. I snapped a few pictures of it-

[Chico]

I can see my buddy Charlie in the bottom picture wearing his Versace wig which he wore to a lot of games. I had a nice chat with Lavern Tart on the court after the game.

[houstonbrave]

I think you meant Joe D was the SID not the Athletic Director, but most importantly great memories of a fantastic team.

[Da Coach]

I think you meant Joe D was the SID not the Athletic Director, but most importantly great memories of a fantastic team.

Thanks for the correction, Houston! Yes, I was distracted and said AD, but meant SID.

[AZ BU Fan]

Thanks for the correction, Houston! Yes, I was distracted and said AD, but meant SID.

Posting while seeing patients DC?

[Da Coach]

Posting while seeing patients DC?

Posting is far to important to let that distract me....not

[Buesch N Chips]

For those old enough to remember- here is a YouTube video with the last couple minutes of the 1982 NIT Championship game, which Bradley won vs. Purdue, plus the post game celebration and interviews with Coach Versace and Mitchell Anderson. It also includes the TV commercials that accompanied the broadcast.
I never get tired of seeing this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgx4ZsH93x8

Ah, the perks of working with good old Buesch N Chips to get old VHS transferred. We come up with gems like this.