Just a brief entry today, as I return from my March Madness hiatus to resume my retrospective postings on the Houston-UCLA Game of the Century. Some of the principals from the Game of the Century appeared (or were alluded to) during the recent NCAA men's tournament:
Dick Enberg, the television play-by-play announcer for the 1968 UH-UCLA classic, announced the Chicago regional (with Jay Bilas), and then did essay-type human interest stories during final four pre-game coverage.
Former UCLA Coach John Wooden did a voiceover in a commercial for The Hartford. According to a report in Media Week:
The first spot pairs a very life-like, computer-generated Stag with narration from legendary college basketball coach John Wooden. The 94-year-old Wooden offers up comments about winning with integrity as the Stag walks though [sic] a trophy-lined corridor onto the UCLA basketball court where Wooden coached teams to 10 NCAA men's basketball championships.
Finally, heading into the final four, some media reports noted that North Carolina Coach Roy Williams needed to win the NCAA championship (which he ultimately did), to avoid replicating former UH Coach Guy Lewis's record of reaching five final fours without winning it all. Certainly not the most flattering light in which to portray Lewis's career. But, on a more positive note, it does remind everyone that Lewis took the Cougars to five final fours.
