20 Years Ago Tonight

[T-Dog]

Re: the Southern Illinois quarterfinal game, the day before, I accidentally got two of my fingers broken. The ASU health clinic was closed and I got a ride to the hospital. There was blood under my fingernails, so they had to relieve the pressure and gave me Vicodin on a mostly-empty stomach, then a prescription for Darvocet, which is now an illegal drug you can't get over the counter. Point is, I don't remember being cold or wet at all at that game.

[hapapp]

My wife and I stayed at the Broyhill Inn for that one. She chose not to go but I walked down to KBS and sat in the rain/sleet. I was an icicle by the time I walked back up.

[proasu89]

I was working for the University at the time and had access to the field house. Watched it from the covered area of Owens. Was still cold but stayed out of the sleet.

[moonshine]

And sad news to pass on, as I don’t recall seeing it posted years ago, the starting RG for the ‘05 & ‘06 National Champions, Jeremy Robertson, passed away back ‘21 at 37 years young. Heard about his passing at the Marshall game.

[EastHallApp]

I was a junior that year, so I’ve been spoiled most of my App life.

A couple things I remember (besides Ingle Martin slipping on that wonderful patch of ice):

Our team taking the exceptional Jamarcus Russel-led LSU tigers deep into the 4th quarter in Baton Rouge.

The absolutely miserable conditions at Kidd Brewer for the Southern Illinois first round game. It did nothing but rain, and I’m convinced the temperature stayed at 33 the entire game for the perfect November Boone experience. I stood in the stands with a liquor blanket on, cheering until the very end.

I read a little anecdote somewhere that after that LSU game, I think it was David Jackson saying to some sportswriter "I'll vote App State #1 if you do." Funny to think it was such a heady idea that App would even be ranked #1, much less win the national title, much less not get completely embarrassed by a team like LSU.

By the time we'd finished that threepeat, we were basically the default #1 team for a few years afterward whenever the voters couldn't decide on anyone else.