When Atlanta hosted the 1977 Final Four at The Omni, the sellout crowd for Marquette's 67-59 title victory over North Carolina numbered 16,058 fans. Bob Williams, the president of the Hawks and Philips Arena, recalls the electric atmosphere and compares it to this year's semifinals and championship scheduled for the Georgia Dome.
In 1977, I was a 22-year-old marketing assistant for the Hawks, and I watched the semifinals and the championship game from one corner right off the court, standing on a box so I could see. There was no replay board and no tablets or smart-phones, Twitter or Instagram. Everyone’s focus was on the field of play.
The spotlight in 1977 was clearly on Marquette coach Al McGuire, who had announced he would retire at the end of the season. He was a quintessential New Yorker, a fast talker with a heavy accent — a human sound bite. His charm and roguish sense of humor were reminiscent of a swashbuckling Errol Flynn. He preened like a peacock up and down the sidelines in his Italian suit and pocket-square. His hair was perfect. He commanded more presence than any coach I had ever seen. You couldn’t help but watch him cajoling with the refs and yelling at his players. The legendary (North Carolina) coach Dean Smith, on the other hand, always looked dour but focused. They were two contrasts: Smith always authoritative and demanding; McGuire always the showman. For McGuire, coaching was as comfortable as being at a cocktail party.
North Carolina, as one of the preeminent programs in the country, was expected to be there. Marquette was the tournament’s team of outlaws. Their uniforms were as anti-establishment as McGuire. Their jerseys were designed to be worn out, not tucked into their shorts. Both schools’ demeanor and style of play mirrored their coach’s personality.
During the semis and championship, I don’t think one fan sat down the entire time. It was a loud, but intimate experience in the Omni and while the teams were adversaries, it felt communal. In the semis, bands from the four schools — Marquette, UNC, Charlotte and UNLV — were in each corner of the arena. During any stoppage in play, there was a heavy competition to see which band could make the most noise. Much of the time, the announcer was drowned out by the bands and fans. A smaller venue, by design, creates that atmosphere.
The days of playing the Final Four in arenas like the Omni are long gone. The sport has grown; the NCAA stages it in larger venues to bring the live experience to more fans. The experience is different in a dome, but the Georgia Dome will successfully carry on the legacy of making the Final Four a magical event. This is what Atlanta does best: executes major events with Southern hospitality. And when 68 teams are reduced to four finalists, those fans with tickets will be thrilled to be there. Experiencing the Final Four, wherever it’s held, is something you’ll never forget.
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