[Editor’s note: Welcome back to the return of “Collector’s Corner” to Uni Watch. Although no longer run by Brinke Guthrie, it has been ably resurrected by Chris Weir. Chris approached me about restarting CC, vowing to uphold the old look and style, but with one new twist: he will make each edition timely with what is going on currently in the sports world (i.e. rivalry games, big events, anniversary of events). Enjoy and please give Chris some feedback about the new (old) feature. — PH]
by Chris Weir
Before 2007 Final Four logos were unique graphic designs that featured their own color schemes, designs, and fonts that highlighted the host city. While recent Final Four logos aren’t as odious as the Super Bowl’s homogenous logo iterations, they do feature the same exact font but, with different color schemes and designs year to year. Starting in 2007, each Final Four logo had the same exact font that was eventually retired after the 2015 Final Four. Every Final Four logo since has the same new font that replaced the retired font. Here are some items featuring my favorite Final Four logos and other items from historically significant Final Fours.
• Not Final Four related but this Program is from the 1950 NCAA Tournament East Regional Final that featured the City College of New York Beavers who would eventually become NCAA champions and NIT champions that year, the only team to even accomplish that feat. The 1950 CCNY Beavers would become infamous as they were implicated in a widespread point shaving operation. I’d put the O/U on point shaving incidents in D1 basketball games this year at 15.5 with juice to the over. CCNY still has a basketball team that plays at the D3 level.
• In 1960 Ohio State won the NCAA tournament with a star-studded line up that included John Havlicek, Jerry Lucas, and Bobby Knight. Here is some Glassware commemorating that team as well as the 1964 Ohio State football team. I’ll give you guys a week to buy them before they become a gift for my Ohio State grad wife.
• I met a guy at a bar in Brooklyn, Farrell’s Bar & Grill to be exact, who told me that guys he played basketball against in New York City were on the historic 1966 Texas Western team that beat Kentucky to win the NCAA Tournament at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland. He told me that on the night of the title game he and his friends were at a school dance and every twenty minutes or so he or a friend would call Cole Field House on a payphone and ask whoever answered the phone what the score of the game was. Always thought that was a cool story. I did some research and learned that the game tipped off at 10 pm which is pretty wild too. Here is a Program from that Final Four.
• The logo on this Hat is not the Official Logo of the 1981 Final Four held in Philly but since I’m a sucker for tri-colored hats it made its way into the Collector’s Corner.
• I love horse racing and I love college basketball and both made it onto the logo, displayed on this Cup, of the 1985 Final Four played at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. I’m also a sucker for painter’s hats and here are Two from that Final Four
• Charlotte, a.k.a The Queen City, had no problem asserting its royalty on the 1994 Final Four logo displayed on this rather loud Jacket
• I know New Jersey and New York have a constant battle over which state the Statue of Liberty is actually located in. The 1996 Final Four was held in the Meadowlands of New Jersey and the designer of its logo, shown on this Hat, had no problems associating New Jersey with the Statue of Liberty. It’s a basic logo that somehow still works.
• Growing up I had this exact same Basketball from the 1998 Final Four which was held in San Antonio which of course means the Alamo had to be in the logo.
• The 1999 Final Four has the special distinction of being the only Final Four ever to be held in a baseball specific venue which was Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The logo that year, featured on this Hat, has an unabashed Florida feel.
• The 2002 Final Four in Atlanta holds a special place in my heart as my Terps won the National Title that year. I have numerous items featuring the Logo and every time I see it I can’t help but think that hybrid Peach Basketball looks way too much like a hybrid Orange Basketball.
• I’ve previously said that every Final Four should be held in New Orleans and got a lot of backlash so I’ll amend my statement to, most Final Fours should be held in New Orleans. The 2012 Final Four logo features the distinctive designs of the iron balcony railings found in New Orleans. Here is a Pin featuring the logo and the teams who made the Final Four that year.
• I went to the 2022 Final Four in New Orleans and all of the workers and volunteers wore this Hat and I couldn’t find any for sale. Luckily a few of them put their hats on eBay.
The Texas Western link goes to the 1967 Final Four program in Freedom Hall. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor was the star performer.
You’re right… they used the same cover art for both years
“Here is some Glassware commemorating that team as well as the 1960 Ohio State football team…”
That should read: 1964.
Title and both football glasses in photos say 1964.
It’s March …. Football fact checking takes a back seat this time of year
Now fixed. Thanks.
“…he will make each edition timely with what is going on currently in the sports world (i.e. rivalry games, big events, anniversary of events).”
Dammit, Phil!
link
The proof reader is on vacation this week. Hope you’ll survive.