What a Ride!

[Dan]

He was an a$$! I remember he didn't want to get taking out of the end of a game so he initially bricked a free throw, to keep the guy that was supposed to come in for him off the floor. I remember him walking around campus like he was the man, while most of us thought he was a joke.

He was the man. Randy Smithson was the asshole he had to play for.

[forevershockerfan]

Here's the deal. Ya'll are taking me right down Shockerville hoops memory lane. It takes some hard times along the way to make this Season so very special. Even during the hard times though, there was always a glimmer of hope and sparkling moments along the journey. When X-Man, Carr, and Cliff would go for a dunk, it would elevate us out of our seats to zone in. I remember Robert George having awesome games in wins here versus Alabama and Ok. State even though the Season was dismal at times.

I concur with Kung Wu. What a ride this Season was!! Actually, many might have believed Pre-Season that the last 2 Shocker squads would have finished higher than this group. However, this team did something those 2 teams did not do and that was we beat VCU, we did it at their barn, and they returned most everybody. Then when adversity kept hitting this tough bunch, they chewed it up and spit it out like nails and found a way to win.

And a story-book ending wouldn't be the same without some drama and a few forks in the road. The 3 game skid got hairy baybay and Mr. Armstud took the brunt of the blame and some folk wanted him at the far end of the pine for a spell. Instaed, just as we overcame the injuries, we snapped out of that funk. No, we did not win at the Lou but what we did do defies logic, Vegas, experts, and most everybody else but the Good Doc. We made the Final Four and beat the number 1 and 2 seeds along they way as a 9-seed. Louisville had their very toughest game versus us and they beat us because they are very good and almost as lucky in their last 2 wins as they were good.

In conclusion, this was the best prepared this Coaching Staff ever has been thus-far and our players really listened and produced. I mean all of our players executed and all played a big part. So now the question becomes "What can our beloved Shocks do for an encore?" Stay tuned because we are going ot be very deep and very talented. Maybe not quite as experienced but we are in for another joy-ride this coming Season. Can u dig it? Grooovy, graaaavy!!!

[RoyalShock]

I'll forever remember Jamie Arnold munchin a hotdog down in the front row of the student section.

Also recall some dude getting in a shoving match with Craig Steven in the tunnel.

Wasn't "that dude" teammate Jamie Sowers? Now there was a head case who got into (and subsequently, out of) more trouble than any Shocker since John Smith.

[Rlh04d]

It's been an incredible run.

I'm terrible with names, and they all start to run together from that far back. I just remember the fans. How incredible the games were to go to even during the 90's because of how much the fans cared. My love of college basketball started in the seats my grandparents have sat in for as long as I can remember, watching my grandfather get more animated than I've ever otherwise seen him and my grandmother screaming over a team struggling to get to .500. All of the older fans sitting around us that would happily point out to a little teenager all of the intricacies of the game and put up with my stupid questions.

I'm very thankful to everyone involved in this program for giving my grandparents and all of the fans that never stopped loving this team some well deserved success.

[jrschh]

He was the man. Randy Smithson was the asshole he had to play for.

Obviously, you didn't know him. He only played for Smithson his last year. The brick laying episode was under Scott Thompson's tenure. Coach Thompson was furthest from being an ass. That's probably why Thompson struggled. I don't think he ever got control of his guys.

The most impressive thing, I think, during that "dark era" and it's sub .500 records is the fact that we were still getting from 6,000 to 7,000 fans coming to the games. That would be sell-outs in several of our fellow MVC gyms and overflow Loyola's. It just shows what true support WSU has from it's fans. Through good times and bad.

[Dan]

You may be right, and I agree Thompson was a great guy. Either way, I felt Arnold had a lot of talent and was stuck in a bad situation. We had a lot of really good players during those times, but never more than a couple on each team.

[forevershockerfan]

There were times there may have only been 7000 of us, but we were still very, very noisy. Didn't the Shocks use to play some games at the Forum here in town way back when? I was at that place for a Revival when I was 'knee-high-to a grasshoppa' but never witnessed a game there. We watched the games on the black and white tube or listened to them on the radio at that juncture.

Back in the late 80's or maybe early 90's, I returned from a vacation and started reading the sports pages for when i was gone. Speaking of gone, one paper said "Hutton never made it Officially, but went to Barton County." He would have had to sit out a Season here but opted to leave. I picked up another paper, and Gaylon (Skip) Nickerson was "gone with the wind" and he transfered and played at Butler County and eventually K-State. I told him in person before that ever happened that if he worked hard, he could play in the NBA some day. He actually did have some 10 day gigs with the Atlanta Hawks. Then I pick up another paper and I read that Keith Bonds, another talented guard--gone. This is the thought that went through my lil pea-brain. "FSF, no more stinkin vacations baybay." I would have delighted in watching Robert George and Skip play together in our backcourt. Never happened but could of if Skip would have stayed. It seems like Hutton ended up at Auburn but it was not a good fit IMO. I lost track of Keith Bonds.

Yes, Kung Wu is spot on. What a ride (per KUNG WU) and it this is only the beginning (per 3G)!!! Even Carr and Cliff played in the Elite 8 and not the Final 4, so it is not easy. Will we wait 45-50 more seasons for still another Final 4? NAAAA! The sooner, the better because I was born at a very early age but could be "pushing up daisy's" before reaching 107? Stay tuned. GRRRRR!!!

[WstateU]

There were times there may have only been 7000 of us, but we were still very, very noisy. Didn't the Shocks use to play some games at the Forum here in town way back when? I was at that place for a Revival when I was 'knee-high-to a grasshoppa' but never witnessed a game there. We watched the games on the black and white tube or listened to them on the radio at that juncture.

Back in the late 80's or maybe early 90's, I returned from a vacation and started reading the sports pages for when i was gone. Speaking of gone, one paper said "Hutton never made it Officially, but went to Barton County." He would have had to sit out a Season here but opted to leave. I picked up another paper, and Gaylon (Skip) Nickerson was "gone with the wind" and he transfered and played at Butler County and eventually K-State. I told him in person before that ever happened that if he worked hard, he could play in the NBA some day. He actually did have some 10 day gigs with the Atlanta Hawks. Then I pick up another paper and I read that Keith Bonds, another talented guard--gone. This is the thought that went through my lil pea-brain. "FSF, no more stinkin vacations baybay." I would have delighted in watching Robert George and Skip play together in our backcourt. Never happened but could of if Skip would have stayed. It seems like Hutton ended up at Auburn but it was not a good fit IMO. I lost track of Keith Bonds.

Yes, Kung Wu is spot on. What a ride (per KUNG WU) and it this is only the beginning (per 3G)!!! Even Carr and Cliff played in the Elite 8 and not the Final 4, so it is not easy. Will we wait 45-50 more seasons for still another Final 4? NAAAA! The sooner, the better because I was born at a very early age but could be "pushing up daisy's" before reaching 107? Stay tuned. GRRRRR!!!

Keith Bonds, there's a blast from the past. My pea brain recalls him throwing down one of nastiest dunks I've ever seen from a point guard... a one handed 'hammer' dunk. Did he play only one year for Eddie Fogler?

[shockmonster]

He was the man. Randy Smithson was the asshole he had to play for.

I don't want to start another debate and we all know that Randy made mistakes but we all must admit that our knowledge about what occurred on his WSU teams were limited. For sure there are detractors and supporters in regards to Randy. Terry Hankton and Ty Rhoades were always players who believed in Randy. Randy was a Shocker and we should not paint what went on with too broad of a brush. A lot of good happened too.

[rrshock]

There was alot of stuff that was never talked about during the time of Randy Smithson. I really liked him. He might not have been the right fit here, but neither were a couple of coaches before him. I think outside interference really hampered Randy. I really don't know if it ever would have a worked out with Randy here, but he had stuff against him that other coaches probably have not.

[WstateU]

Yes, Randy has skeletons in his closet like the majority of us sinners; however his heart was always in the right place. Although we haven't crossed paths in several years, I still consider him a personal friend.

While at the Final Four, X-Man, AC, Cliff, Cheese (and Noel Johnson) and other former players were sitting near us. It's unfortunate that Randy Smithson wasn't in Atlanta sitting with them. Randy may not have been the right coach at the right time, but he loved (loves) Wichita State and wanted nothing but the best for his alma mater.

Oh, when Cleanthony soared for the one-handed jam, all those guys and their families went totally nuts... believe me, it was a great moment to witness.

[wu_shizzle]

Randy Smithson > Cohen & Thompson

[rrshock]

Randy Smithson > Cohen & Thompson

Completely agree. Like I mentioned, the outside influences (aka tampering ) played alot into his inability to succeed. His heart was definitely in the right place.

[another shocker]

'always should have been the next mvc final four team after insu, and should have happened sooner that when it did, is what i thought (of course the mvc had about four final four teams within the decade before bird- '69 drake, '73 memphis, louisville twice? '80's shockers were in that same mould).

that's why turgeon let me down. how could he think that wsu's ceiling was a sweet 16? did he really believe that?

[KC Shox]

Here are some interesting articles

1) http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab-...08--ncaab.html

Gonzaga fans still think they should have been the ones to go to the FF if it weren't for our once in a lifetime fluke of a hot spell that beat them.

2) http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab--...194152276.html

This watch list of coaches on the hot seat for 2013 and undoubtedly everyone one of their fans will be adding GM's name to their top choices to replace their current coach.

3) http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology

We get to play Kansas State and then Kentucky!!!