Original Broadcast of 1980 Michigan-Iowa Basketball Game
Came across this gem on YouTube recently and I had to share it. This is the original broadcast of the Michigan-Iowa basketball game at Crisler Arena on Jan. 5, 1980. I actually remember watching this game when it happened (my sophomore year). I was at my mom's house in Illinois for Christmas break and classes hadn't started back up yet, so I watched the game there.
Very few U-M basketball games were on TV back then, so this was a big deal. This is such a great moment frozen in time - seeing the starting lineups and Johnny Orr on the bench and Mike McGee firing up shots with no three-point line on the court.
Michigan ended up winning this game, 68-65. (This is just part one of the broadcast - the other parts are also on YouTube.) This was Orr's last season before he bolted for Iowa State. We finished 15-12 in the regular season and made the NIT, where we won our first two games (against Nebraska and UTEP) before falling to Virginia.
Enjoy.
December 12th, 2023 at 10:25 PM ^
I'm going to hate myself for saying this, but this is as close to Michigan's national championship team as we are today to... the Elite Eight Nik Stauskas team.
December 13th, 2023 at 3:18 AM ^
Thanks for depressing me SJK
That was fun to watch, I don't remember that game but I'm pretty sure I watched it, I was a HS junior myself.
It was indeed slim pickings on how often teams were on TV, that was the school year that John Wangler had his knee injured by Lawrence Taylor in the Gator Bowl, a game we were leading up until that point and I believe we lost 17-15.
The next season started out frustratingly but ended up being one of the best all time Michigan teams, Anthony Carter and Butch Woolfolk were juniors and our defense was spectacular.
December 13th, 2023 at 7:04 AM ^
"... I believe we lost ..."
Older person here, too. That's what I say when someone asks me what I remember from a bowl game during the Schembechler era. Other eras, too, actually.
December 13th, 2023 at 7:10 AM ^
My h.s. junior year as well, this was the dead period between the great teams of the late 70's and the eventual emergence of the great teams of the mid to late 80's. Mike McGee was one of my favorite players from this period, he could shoot the lights out.
As for Stephen's comment....I think that I agree. Unfortunately.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:12 PM ^
Thanks.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:41 PM ^
Lute Olson took this team to the Final 4. Johnny Orr was a legend at two schools. Pretty damn good
December 13th, 2023 at 12:07 AM ^
I want to say Ronnie Lester got hurt and wasn't 100% at some point in the tourney, but it's been 40+ years and my memory is hazy. Purdue also made the Final Four that year with Joe Barry Carrol (sp?).
December 13th, 2023 at 2:02 AM ^
Orr was a very good coach at Michigan but calling him a legend is gilding the lily a bit—when I was an undergrad in the early ‘70s Michigan fans on campus had organized a “Dump Orr” campaign because of disappointment at the program’s performance under him. There were some notable tournament losses along with the ‘76 tourney run.
December 13th, 2023 at 9:02 AM ^
Yeah, he had a weird run at Michigan and during his latter years there was a huge drumbeat to remove him and have Frieder take over. Nobody was terribly sad when he left if I remember correctly.
FWIW I havent watched this video yet but if the game took place before Jan 1 it was my senior year at Michigan (graduated spring of 81) and that year I had floor seats directly to the left of the visiting team's bench. Which means I'm probably on TV fairly often if I went to the game and if memory serves, I did.
December 13th, 2023 at 9:23 AM ^
Fucking Cornbread Maxwell.
Old Michigan fans like me will know what I'm talking about.
December 12th, 2023 at 11:48 PM ^
Username checks out
December 13th, 2023 at 12:59 AM ^
Fascinating!
No 3 point line, a lot of scrum. The game evolved rapidly between 1980 and 1989!
December 13th, 2023 at 3:13 AM ^
And then, 20 years later, everyone was allowed to travel as they take it to the hole. It will always look like traveling to me.
December 13th, 2023 at 5:31 AM ^
no possession arrow, but a jump ball at the top of the key.
the guys look so much skinnier than they do now.
no baggie shorts
loved larry oosterman. good voice, not annoying, and loved him when he did tiger games.
December 13th, 2023 at 9:37 AM ^
It shames me to this day that Michigan is responsible for the world's baggy-shorts epidemic.
December 13th, 2023 at 8:02 AM ^
Orr left Michigan for Iowa State after they called to try to recruit assistant coach Frieder. He learned they were going to pay more than he earned at Michigan and negotiated the job for himself.
$45k, which would be $175k in today's dollars. Orr was making like $125k equivalent at Michigan.
It's good that times have changed but what a change.
December 13th, 2023 at 8:02 AM ^
Was I at this game? Maybe. Bring back those plaid pants. Sharp.
December 13th, 2023 at 8:21 AM ^
Mike McGee #40 and Thad Garner #45
On paper Michigan looked outmatched.
Versus arguably Iowa's finest basketball rosters ever under then HC Lute Olson: Ronnie Lester, Vince Brookins, Bobby Hanson, Steve Krafsicin, Steve Waite, Kevin Boyle, Mark Gannon, Kenny Arnold.
December 13th, 2023 at 8:21 AM ^
The spacing looks so different without the 3pt line. Also, there is soooooo much less dribbling. Lots of standing while holding the ball above your head.
This was fun to watch. Thanks for sharing!
December 13th, 2023 at 8:24 AM ^
Thanks. Now, I think we’ll go to Thano’s Lamplighter for some deep dish pizza and beer. Might run into Coach Orr there, or at least Bill Frieder.
December 13th, 2023 at 8:53 AM ^
Love everything about this, including the teeny-tiny names on the back of the warm-up jackets and seeing the Bodnars out there.
December 13th, 2023 at 9:40 AM ^
Remember it well, great win in a disappointing season. McGee was fun to watch. Always felt that Orr's teams underachieved a bit, or maybe I was overrating our talent.