It Was Exactly 15 Years Ago Today ...

I can’t beleive there were only 23,000+ in attendance, especially with an in-state team playing. Whether the coliseum was at capacity (why did the NCAA put the Final 4 in such a small venue?) or not (Why did nobody show?), either scenario is shocking.

I think they have gone and torn down that coliseum there in Charlotte. Too bad we Hogs couldn’t have saved it and made a museum / monument out of it in honor of the Championship team. haha.

23,000 was pretty much a capacity crowd at the old Charlotte Coliseum. Playing Final Fours at football stadiums is a fairly recent trend. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been done before… and more than once. But now it’s an every year thing. In fact, the next 7 Final Fours are scheduled to be in football stadiums.

And yes, the Charlotte Coliseum has been demolished. Seeing this reminded me just how wasteful we’ve become with our sports arenas. The Charlotte Coliseum was open less than 20 years. The Pyramid less than 15!!! And say what you want about The Pyramid, but it was good enough to host SEC Tournaments and NCAA regionals. And it’s a freakin’ pyramid! How cool is that? Now Kentucky is planning to replace Rupp Arena. Another 5 years and we’ll be tearing down Bud Walton in this race to keep up the Joneses.

I wonder how much money Sam Walton Jr. will donate to the cause?