It's a tradition like no other intertwined with one shining moment. In tribute to one of the most glorious sports-watching stretches of the year, we're counting down the five best Final Four/Masters combo years of the past four decades. ¶ Today we look back to the year ESPN was born, the Daytona 500 was first shown in its entirety and the Hick from French Lick was introduced to America: 1979 MAGIC MET LARRY
Much has been made about this year's surprising Final Four, the insane improbability of an No. 11 seed (VCU) meeting a No. 8 seed (Butler) for the right to play for a national championship. And all of this talk -- seeding, matchups, bracketolgy -- links back to the 1979 NCAA championship. Teams were first seeded for the tournament that year, and what emerged out of the 40-team field was one of the best rivalries to ever hit the court. Larry Bird guided Indiana State to a No. 1 seed, while Earvin (Magic) Johnson and Michigan State emerged as a No. 2. The teams eventually met for the title in Salt Lake City. The rest, as they say, is history. Magic's Spartans pulled out a 75-64 victory that night, a foreshadow of the greatness to come in the next decade. In their hall-of-fame NBA careers, Bird and Johnson combined for eight championships, six MVP awards and an Olympic gold medal.
FRANK BECAME FUZZY
These days, Fuzzy Zoeller is a fan favorite on the PGA Champions Tour. Silver-tongued behind the scenes and polite as heck in front of the cameras, Zoeller keeps 'em coming back with his charm, wit and ability to bring a smile to just about anyone. But 32 years ago, Fuzzy was 27-year-old Masters rookie Frank Zoeller, a pro given little chance to win. "Everybody says the first time being here you can't win here. And I kind of disagree with that," Zoeller said that week. "I feel if you're playing good, I don't see why you can't win anywhere." After 72 holes wasn't enough to crown a champion when Ed Sneed coughed up a three-stroke lead with three to play, Zoeller, Sneed and Tom Watson each parred the first hole in the tournament's first sudden-death playoff ever. Zoeller then willed in a birdie on the second playoff hole, chucked his putter behind his head and skipped in celebration. He became only the third Augusta National rookie to win a green jacket, but he cracked the top 10 only one other time in his career.
BRIAN STENSAAS
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