This 1977-78 Texas Longhorns mens basketball team….coached by legendary Coach Abe Lemons….featuring a starting five of G Johnny Moore, G Jim Krivacs, F Ron Baxter, F Tyrone Branyon and C Gary Goodner….was a really outstanding basketball team that deserved to be in the NCAA tournament…but were not because they were in the Southwest Conference and not the Big East, Big 10, ACC….so, it did not impress the NCAA tournament selection committee that the Horns had beaten the Razorbacks in Fayetteville…for as a result of a loss to the Hogs by 39 – 38….a fiercely fought defensive battle in the finals of the SWC tournament….so, the Hogs got to go to the NCAA dance….and the Horns got to go to New York City….and folks, ole “original down home humorist Coach Abe Lemons and his Longhorns from Texas….took NYC like a storm”.
We have often referred to the relationship between Texas Coach Abe Lemons and Bone Daddy….which was founded in real respect and appreciation for common traits like straight-forwardness, honesty, value of a hand shake”….and so much more….like Bone Daddy would make sure that Coach Lemons would get video tapes of any and all opponents whose games were televised live on satellite television in the late 1970s.
When we say that the group of folks at The Sports Place, Madison Square Garden, 302 E. 6th St. who were responsible for recording this incredible vintage library “knew what they were doing” is an significant understatement….and they did it all with a 10m satellite earth station in the beginning…..with 4 x in-house Sony Receivers and Sony Beta Max recorders. This Longhorn basketball team could dominate most teams….as they did with the Scarlet Knights in this game….while definitely being able to play with anybody in the country in 1978. Arkansas went to the Final Four and nobody would say Arkansas was better than the Horns….equal at best.
