32 years ago tomorrow: The Brawl In Birmingham

Lmao #33 and #10 for Tennessee were begging for a nap

Back in Maravich's day they were just as classless...they prided themselves as a team to holding him to just 20 points. They put in football goons , who let their fingernails grow, to foul him constantly. He came back to class looking like a 'filleted fish".

Kentucky fans were begging the officials to throw Shaq out for fighting so he’d be suspended for the next game. They got their wish and barely beat a Shaqless LSU the next day.

Shaq was getting beat up every game towards the end of that season and officials weren’t calling fouls. A no call on Shaq in the final seconds at Arkansas actually cost LSU the SEC championship.

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It is interesting how the crowd totally turned on Dale and LSU after this.

“Throw out Dale! Throw out Dale!”

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It's not "interesting". It was because the crowd was mostly comprised of Kentucky fans (who would face the winner of the LSU/Tennessee game) that wanted to face LSU without their coach and best player...the combination of which curb-stomped Kentucky by 21 points earlier that season. A game where Shaq dominated with 20 points, 20 rebounds, and 6 blocks

That was a good Kentucky team that ultimately ended the season losing on Christian Lattener's buzzer beater. But they had NO answer for Shaq who was going to dominate them again in the SEC tournament but for getting kicked out

That would have been great to be there that night...you mother frickers can't guard 'em so you have to tackle him






And a young Herb Vincent...c'mon Herb..pull strings for us in B'ham

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LSU had won 5 of the last 7 vs. Kentucky including a blowout earlier that season.

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Such a frustrating period of LSU basketball. They blow out Kentucky and hang with Duke, but lose to bad teams in Georgia, Vandy, and Miss. State. So instead of a 3/4 seed in the NCAA, they get a 7 and draw Indiana in round 2. They go up by 14 early in that game and then choke it away when Shaq was on the bench.

You mention the loss to Vandy, at Vandy. I was there. I saw Shaq foul out, and the two big men who were “guarding” him, and would bump him down low to throw off his balance. They had only one foul total between them. The Vandy guards were clawing and grabbing his arms every time he got the ball. The WBB game with USC reminded me of that tactic.

I commented to my boss who was a Vandy alum, and gave me the ticket, that he NBA needed to draft those two post players, because no one will duplicate their defense. If my memory is correct, Shaq only scored 11 points in the loss.

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bsolutely classless by Tennessee. I’ve hated them even more ever since this little stunt they tried to pull.

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If we are being honest, that wasn't a particularly egregious foul. It was absolutely intentional. But it wasn't one of the more physical contacts Shaq had to endure that year.

Shaq was as dominant a physical force as the game had seen in a long time and opponents were almost helpless to stop it. What happened that night was Shaq and Dale reached a breaking point where a relatively minor contact finally broke the camels back. Groves just happened to have the misfortune of being the guy upon whom Shaq snapped. He didn't really want the smoke. And Shaq, after a brief outburst, didn't escalate the fight. That was Dale.

But you know what. Despite all of his worldwide fame and success Shaq has NEVER felt he was too important for LSU. Ever! I'm certain that is because he knows Dale truly cared for him as a person, not just a conduit for Dale's personal success as great player. That moment was just the most obvious display of such.

If Greg Cook was on that team the only reason Dale would have had to come out on the court was to pull Cook off Groves cold lifeless body!!!