1989 NCAA Basketball Championship

[jasonolds442]

This is still my favorite tournament of all time. Princeton - Georgetown in the 1st round, then Seton Hall shutting teams completely down all the way to the final.

As I was 15 at the time, I don't remember this foul, but it's truly shocking. I'm heartbroken 22 years later now. (However, I do remember the horrible shot that the Hall had before Robinson's final possession, that goofy layup.)

[ihasch]

Even Robinson said it wasn't a foul. It was just a very bad call, but what are you going to do? Bad calls go hand in hand with the NCAA tournament. The thing is, the announcers don't even question it.

[goonie50]

rumeal robinson is a bitch

[thecarrotdude]

fuck shittin hall

[TheDOLMET]

Best NCAA championship game ever

[daxcata]

1:56 for anyone who doubts there is a foul on the play that put robinson on the line that led to the game winning free throws, theres clearly a hand check visible on this video and likely even easier to see for the ref on the baseline.. just saying

[njphilf]

@daxcata

Foul my ass. Game was fixed. SHU should have won. Just one more championship game that refs/umps blew

[velvet1965]

@njphilf  robinson STILL hasn't been fouled.

[Playboyy1985]

haha i just saw it on espn classic.....What a Joke of a call...... Even Rumeal Robinson was confused when he heard the whistle

There'd be investigations of Match-fixing by that referee if that happened today

[gbop63]

it wasnt a foul

[liduck52]

The worst thing aout that call was that he wasn't even shooting.

[jmir80]

@liduck52 And... that's why it was a one and one.

[GWhiz99]

I was not a big sports fan growing up and was a high school senior when Michigan beat Seton HALL 80-79 in OT in the 1989 NCAA men’s basketball title game and was just starting to learn a little bit about various sporting games. Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but notice tournament MVP GLEN Rice starred for the Wolverines, while Bill Frieder—the coach who ditched Michigan just before the tournament began--turned 49 years old the day L.A.P.D. was videotaped beating motorist Rodney GLEN King: 3/3/91

[GWhiz99]

Head coach Steve Fisher won the Michigan Wolverines’ first men’s basketball title (1989) and won the San Diego State Aztecs first NCAA tournament game (2011). Unrelated to: watch?v=2iA_OXhrq4k The Aztecs 2010-11 roster includes guard D.J. Gay, who was born Feb. 15, 1989—exactly one month before Bill Frieder abruptly resigned on March 15, 1989, giving way to interim coach Fisher. The Wolverines championship run ended with beating P. J. CARlesiMO and the Seton Hall Pirates 80-79 in overtime

[GWhiz99]

Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball coach Bill Frieder abruptly resigned on March 15, 1989 to take the same job at Arizona State, giving way to interim coach Steve Fisher. Ironically, 2,591 days (7 years, 1 month, 6 days) before his resignation, a Feb. 9, 1982 Associated Press story carrying a Harry ATKINS byline included this text: “The important thing is that Frieder never quit on his team and has ever let those who stayed quit on themselves.” Unrelated: WSSU founder Dr. Simon Green ATKINS

[GWhiz99]

Unrelated to watch?v=VDBxtbVaO4c ex-Michigan Wolverines coach Steve Fisher led his San Diego State Aztecs to two 2010-11 regular season wins over Mountain West Conference rival Jimmer Fredette (b. FEB. 25, 1989) and his brigHAM Young Cougars. Fredette was born 10 days after Aztecs guard D.J. Gay and on NFL QB Pat White’s 3rd birthday. Unrelated to 242-54-4062: Wesley’s Housing Center at 1325 East 10th directly across from La Tolteca Mexican Restaurant at 1326 East 10th. Blue Flame evokes torch

[GWhiz99]

Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball coach: Bill Frieder, Steve Fisher. Frieder succeeded John M. "Johnny" Orr (b. 1927). U.S. Sen. Johnny Reid "John" Edwards (D-NC; b. 1953) shares Orr’s JUNE 10 birthday. Orr’s birth in YALE, a town in CRAWFORD County, KS is unrelated to Fisher as SAN DIEGO AZtecs head coach despite YALE grad George Walker Bush of CRAWFORD, TX giving his infamous “mission accomplished” speech aboard USS Abraham Lincoln off SAN DIEGO. John F. kERRY & edWARDs lost to Bush in 2004

[GWhiz99]

Michigan Wolverines basketball coaches: Bill Frieder, Steve Fisher. Frieder succeeded John M. "Johnny" Orr (b. 1927). U.S. Sen. Johnny "John" Edwards (D-NC; b. 1953) shares Orr’s JUNE 10 birthday. Unrelated to watch?v=YsJyfJ0b-WA, U.S. Supreme Court Justice ELena Kagan was confirmed 63-37 with the lone U.S. Senate Demoncratic NO vote cast by Ben Nelson. Nelson was preceded as Nebraska governor by Kay ORR, the state’s 36th. Johnny ORR died on Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton’s 36th birthday: 8/19/82

[TheDukeFan96]

This is known as the game Michigan shouldn't have won.

[gbtrat]

That foul call was nonsense. A referee saying look at me I am going to help decide the national championship. A pity because while Steve Fisher has the national title, P.J. was always a better college coach.

[Knightmessenger]

Unfortunately, the official dvd of this game didn't have much better encoding than 2008 youtube quality. (looked really good pillarboxed on ESPN-U HD recently)

Still, I could have made a better transfer of the tape with my dvd recorder.

[MWolverine9]

he got mugged down there!!

[Eaglesfanmd]

seton hall got robbed

[MgoMuse]

Go Blue!!!

[wildazcat25]

kudos to Michigan with the turmoil of Bill Frieder! but all year the two best teams were Arizona and Georgetown. Senior forward Sean Elliot and the CATS v. freshman phenom Alonzo Mourning and the HOYAS dukin it out! but that's what is great about the tourney! anyone has a chance!

[toaofvahki]

John Clougherty, the ref who bungled this call is the Bill Buckner of college basketball referees. Incredibly, The NCAA never addressed this issue. And now he supervises ACC refs?!? Still the way PJ and the lads handled having the NCAA title robbed from them was classy.

[toaofvahki]

John Clougherty, the ref who bungled this call is the Bill Buckner of college basketball referees. Incredibly, The NCAA never addressed this issue. And now he supervises ACC refs?!?

[hipandhop1]

i just met the referee who blew that call today. he is now the acc supervisor of officials. great man who has high integrity of the game. met jamie luckie also who refed the final four last year. i really want to be a big time ref. the ref who called this play had refed like 5 consecutive final fours and was the best in the business. i cant even tell that the michigan player was touched and his name will live on in infamy bc of this call. he had and still does have a great career

[adl3444]

What a waste of a talented person. 6 1/2 years in prision for bank fraud. 

[hedi06]

lol there is all the withe on the bench and all the black on the floor!!!!

[freedomfighter881]

All it would of took was a commitment by Lebron to stay in Cleveland last year. Here are some teams I think Izzo would leave for.

Lakers and Celtics: With both Jackson and Rivers retiring, who in their right mind would pass on coaching the two premire franchises in leauge history?

Pistons- If Illitich becomes owner and decides to clean house, what better of a coach to start over with?

Heat- I think Riley cans Spolestra if the Heat don't win the title, and with Izzo coaching the big 3=CHAMPION

[freedomfighter881]

I know I'm going to get shit from Spartan fans but I think Michigan basketball is a couple years away from coming back. Why do I think this? The reason why Izzo got a stranglehold on the top recruits in the state was by saying things like "dirty fab 5." That has all completely blown over now and recruits today won't remember it because they weren't alive. Now if I was a Michigan basketball recruiter I would stress the fact that Izzo can leave for the NBA at any time

[FRSFreeStatePlus]

Great game that won by a guy who shot less then 70% from the Foul Line who made two clutch Free Throws in Rumeal Robinson.

[howapel]

I just watched Webber's TO call. So I had to watch something to cheer me up.

[SpartyFan1213]

Unquestionably the worst foul I have ever seen given the circumstances. And yes I'm a MSU fan but I am looking at this unbiased and objectively. you cannot tell me that was a justifiable call. Props to Robinson for knocking them down but it's a shame such a back-and-forth game was decided by by this.

[jmir80]

@SpartyFan1213 This has got to be a winner for "stunning lack of self-awareness."

No, the worst call I have ever seen was Spartan Bob's spike fiasco. You go ahead and watch every NCAA game that has ever been played, and then watch the rest of the games that will ever be played. I guarantee you, you will never see a spike play take less than a full second. 99% of the time two seconds will run off. Your call was so bad that it led to a RULE CHANGE on who has control of the game clock.

[SpartyFan1213]

@jmir80 That spike has nothing to do with this game, I'll admit the spike was controversial to say the least, but that is irrelevant to this video and this discussion. Like I said, this is the worst foul I have ever seen given the circumstances of this game.

[dukenthaylor]

Rumeal THE CHEST Robinson!

[ErikS1975FreeState]

The biggest Free Throws that Rumeal Robinson ever made

[cbaldwinjr]

That really was a ticky-tack foul on Rumeal Robinson. To his credit, he knocked those FT's down...but that was pretty awful. And I'm a Big Blue fan. But since CBS got the NCAA Tourney, has there ever been a team that came out of nowhere like Seton Hall? Seriously, they haven't really sniffed success since and were a questionable call from winning a national championship.

[thecarrotdude]

shittin hall lost

[cbaldwinjr]

@DanielSong39

Really? Because Rice was under the basket. The pass went to Terry Mills, not exactly their clutch all-american. Seton Hall got squeezed something fierce.

[rentslave]

It shouldn't have come down to that:Greene had gotten out of control a minute earlier.Pookie should have given him a breather.

[walterlv01]

I was 12 when I watched this game live and to date I have never seen a foul call worse then this. I think the reason this game gets overlooked when people talk about the great NCAA title games is because it was decided on such a bad call.

[Breckenhick]

If there is no foul called he goes to the basket for an easy layup and the same result anyways 2 points.  Seton Hall was too afraid to play tough defense on that play.

[cbaldwinjr]

@Breckenhick

Lol...what did you see there? Robinson was PASSING the ball for one. For two, Terry Mills wasn't exactly the 'guy' for Michigan. And three...that's an AWFUL touch foul to decide a national championship. If you can even call it a foul.

[lumpagogo]

True enough, per walter . The Hall covered the bet and had the ball with 15 secs left--PJ call time out! It is certainly one of the most unforgettable NCAA title games and probably the last featuring a NYC area team.

P.S. Listened to the wrong guy--made no bet. The guy said: "I think Rumeal Robinson is gonna blow it wide open." You was way off base, Jack. You cost me monies!

[klank99]

@walterlv01 ummm u obviously don't watch very much basketball if this is the worst call you've ever seen... even if u a die hard seton hall fan, there's no need to overexaggerate things...

[kascnef82]

this was the last time a new jersey team went to a championship game. Hopefully this year Seton Hall can win it.

[qukarlz]

seton hall sucks dude

[xxmc2000xx]

this was the worst call in any situation ever. Terrible way to end the game

[toeazy34]

My favorite NCAA CB Tourney Year Ever!! Also my best bracket choices ever!! Had the illini, Michigan, and SH in the final 4 that year. (Had Illini winning it all though) Anyway, if only I could pick games today as well as back then. These days lucky to get into contention entering the Final 4. Also this was the year that Princeton almost took out Zo and Georgetown. Glenn Rice was the man the entire tournament. Good work Maze and Blue!!

[nowayguy]

Seton Hall wasn't robbed at all, the human element is part of what makes sports great. Do you think that was the only wrong called made all game? I'm fairly certain if you were to watch the whole game that you would see bad fouls on both sides.

[njcashquiz]

@nowayguy You're an idiot.

[1hooters1]

exactly

[griffconn16]

THAT WAS NOT A FOUL AT ALL!!!!!!

[serozharhoades]

holly shit, that was the close one, GO MICHIGAN

[dcollucci]

That championship was absolutely stolen from Seton Hall and that criminal referee has not been sufficiently punished in the years that have followed.

[2incher]

oh my god where was the foul? WHERE

[EagleLC21]

Worst call I have ever seen given the situation. I saw VERY little contact, if any at all.

[Deaux007]

Foul call with :03 and driving for the game-winner in the championship... It is still a wonder what the foul was, exactly.

[catsandbeer]

you forgot 'in overtime'

[BrenMcCloud]

GO BLUE!!

[theboxmonster]

Gaze was open

[collierscourt]

I guess ol lady Karma came around and bit Rumeal Robinson on the ass eh? Do a lil' googlin' if you don't know what I mean. The guy is a piece of slime...pure swine for what he did to his OWN FREAKIN' MOTHER!!! Hope you enjoyed those free throws Rumeal - don't drop the soap you worthless bag of garbage...

[bernardinho98]

@collierscourt stfu none of that shit is true you dont know him and never will, i do and none of it is true, youve done shit just like that so mind your own fuckin buisness and stop talking about someone who you have no idea who he really is, your fuckin slime go suck a dick

[collierscourt]

@bernardinho98 Fair enough, I've never met Rumeal Robinson and I'm a reasonable person so I'll tell you what I do know and then you can enlighten me since you know him. I know that his adoptive mother (Helen Ford) has accused him of swindling her out of her house in Cambridge. She says that she signed over the mortgage to him as he had promised to help her make the payments. He told her she was helping him (along with his girlfriend Stephanie Hodge) invest in property in Jamaica.

[collierscourt]

@bernardinho98 He was arrested on Sept 4 2009 for bank fraud, bribery and wire fraud. He's being sued by AmEx and he declared bankruptcy, jilting at least 4 creditors including Mercedes Benz. His brother, Donald Barrows says that was a strip club addict and once had Hodge on a $150 grand a year payroll as "marketing director". But again, I don't know the guy, I'm just going by what his mother, brother and arrest record have said. You know Robinson, so please tell what is not correct...

[collierscourt]

@bernardinho98 and btw, you don't know me either. So you kind of destroy your own argument when you say "youve done shit just like that" Correct? FYI: I assure you I've never caused as much pain and embarrasment to my loved ones as Mr. Rumeal Robinson has.

[collierscourt]

Wow, I had forgotten how this game ended. What a horrible terrible stupid useless call that was! I hope that ref resigned in shame....absolutely incompetent.

[39xu]

Definitely a no-call situation. Seton Hall should not have been called for a foul with 3 seconds left in OT. Terrible call.

[39xu]

Horrible call.

[antidoaks]

of course bronx, no foul and the hall has better uniforms. Can someone say HOMER

[burgessmaster]

that is the biggest bullshit call i have ever seen. who calls a foul with that much time on the clock. the ref was horrible. he didn't even touch him

[wjosmun]

Was that the foul at 1:58? Man, I'd be pissed if I were a Seton Hall fan. Super-pissed. The national championship is on the line. To blow the whistle on something so innocuous... what a nightmare.

[cubbs357]

He had to foul dude you don't let glen rice take a free shot.

[jcaudill6921]

Its gotta make you sick to lose a game on a bullshit foul like that. Someone should have fuckin murdered that ref. What an attention seeking whore. He wasn't even touched yet you decide a championship game on a play like that?

[phioness]

looks weird seeing the whole team trying to get the rebound at the charity.

[MICHIGANallDAY2]

glen rice was the man

[BeatlesFanatic98]

Dang. PJ Carlesimo had a huge beard when he coached Seton Hall.

[PontiacG5GT08]

It wasn't a great call but it was a good call that had to be made. Seton Hall fans seem to forget that John Morton got away with a travel on his game tying 3 point shot. Seton Hall still had three seconds left to steal the game away from Michigan but they failed miserably. Rumeal Robinson made the most clutch free throws I've ever seen and he was weak in that area.

[badboymad1]

he was tapped and there was a foul call but langdon was called for traveling for duke in 99 against uconn and he was murdered

[qukarlz]

haha he wasn't murdered

[Bronxbombers3457]

bumped? more like tapped, if anything, and they "tapped" into each other. Pussy call, let them play. 3 Seconds, OT, ncaa should be embarrassed. Better looking uniforms? You must be a chick... with no taste to boot ... cause SH's are clearly nicer lol.

[cbaldwinjr]

LMAO...better unis? Typical classy New Yorker. Then again, if you're spewing all this revisionist history about a 20 year old game...you might be from Jersey. Ann Arbor>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>anyplace­ in New Jersey. Robinson got fouled. Tough call, but a GOOD call. And a 61% free throw shooter knocks down both for a National Championship. Don't complain. Find another outlet for your pissiness that the Stankees are headed for another October at home ;)

[PontiacG5GT08]

It was actually a good call. Rumeal Robinson was bumped just enough to make the ref blow his whistle. Michigan would have won anyway as they were clearly the better team with nicer uniforms.

[roverjackson]

This is one of my all-time favorite championship moments. I used my NCAA Basketball 09 on XBox 360, to make the 2009 Michigan-Seton Hall championship rematch. To the celebrate the 20th anniversary of that memorable game. I will tell you who won the title game on my XBox 360 in the next few days.

[StickTheJ]

that wasn't a foul

to close a game to call that

[Bronxbombers3457]

and I agree- if PJ never left what a dynasty there would have been at the Hall. He had great teams in the late '80's and early '90's. Saw a movie the other day with Chevy Chase and Darryl Hannah (Invisible Man from '92, don't ask me how I ended up watching it lol) where Darryl Hannah mentions that she thinks "Seton Hall will go all the way" when they were talking about the tourney. I saw a game from '93 when Terry Dehere broke the BE scoring record against St John's. That team was stacked!

[Bronxbombers3457]

you hit it on the head. That call ruined a great game. What a joke. The NCAA obviously covered that BS up by barely ever mentioning this game when it was one of the best ever up until that suppossed foul. If they didn't blow the whistle and Rumeal put up a shot- coulda been one of the greatest endings. That guy that said "who cares about the foul" is obviously a Michigan fan. Or an idiot. Or both lol.

[howarjo1943]

Saw the 2nd half on ESPN Classic yesterday. Glen Rice was ridiculous and easily the best player on the floor. John Morton was awesome for one night.

That foul call was total bullshit and its amazing the commentators said nothing about it. Packer actually briefly said it was a good call by the ref on the broadcast. If I were a Hall fan, my ass would still be burnt by that call. Mich was the better, more talented team, but the Hall was incredible defensively that season.

[cougar031682]

today is the 20 year anniversary of the game. watched this as a kid, not yet a Michigan fan, and was amazed by Glen Rice's performance that game and trhoughout the tournament. Awesome. GO BLUE!!!

[Xtreem9087]

What if.. PJ never left the Hall. He was building a dynasty. He was recruiting New Jersey and NYC getting the best big man in NJ every year. The best guards also. He started incorporating top international talent. If he didnt leave the it would have been a HELL OF A CAREER.

[weimert20]

agreed tomorrow is the 20 year anniversary of the game - horrendous call that seems to get overlooked historically - PJ and his team handled it well did not whine when they could have

[jcaudill6921]

What a horrible way to end a great game. You swallow your whistle at that point of the game especially when NO ONE TOUCHED HIM.

[youweremyfirst]

Who cares about the foul. I think it's cool that U of M won since their coach Bill Frieder decided to bail on them and go to AZ right before the tournament. It was destiny for the wolverines to win. Go blue!

[Pothole12]

My heart breaks every time I watch this. Biggest bullshit call ever.

[samoanseb8]

GO GAZE!!!

[generalbullmoose]

Glen Rice was a man on a mission that whole tournament. He was bloody incredible all six games.

[iWolverine]

Been looking for this everywhere! Thanks!

[TheOtherView]

This was favorite game ever.

[mazenblu]

Great game... and don't think for a second that Glenn Rice was going to miss that next shot. He scored 31 in that game and still holds the record for most points scored in one tournament. En Fuego!!!

[BraveSoccer]

This game had to be fixed wasnt even close to a foul

[bdabueva]

So let me get this straight. You think the fix is in because the ref put a guy who made 67% of his free throws on the stripe?

[benben20002002]

wht the fucking call, anyway seton hall rock, i love it

[speedsk8r27]

Terrible call. Seton Hall got them back, anyway, sending the program back to the stone age when Amaker got there.

[CurtisJ83]

I didn't even see a foul! What kind of call was that?

[HolaMichael42]

just came to see this after hearing about it on Mike and Mike on ESPN. I've seen the Robinson free throws a million times, but did not know about the foul that sent him to the line. That is on par as Ronnie Lott's mystery PI call in the NFC Championship game against Washington, except this was for a championship. Rice would have had a great look though, and gotta think the way he had been stroking it, he would have put it down.

[revengeofaone]

LOL facial hair @ 1:32 or so

[tomata182]

it was from this game and the one prior against Illinois that I became a Michigan fan!!! Go Blue or go home!!! BLUE FOR LIFE!!!

[tinmaddog16]

Glen Rice was the MAN that whole tourney. He still holds the record for most points in a single tournament.

[iKC3]

that was the worst call seton hall should be 1989 national champs

[SLFiveMan]

Some good points are made on that last foul by both sides despite all the low class name calling and foul language. I'd have to agree that "swallowing the whistle" down the stretch would be the wrong approach although I always did think it was a bit of a ticky-tack foul to call in that spot. Would've loved to see Robinson kick it out to Rice there for one last jumper that decides the championship. Still it was a great game with outstanding performances by Rice, Robinson and John Morton.

[awchandlee]

the 80's were the best college basketball

[btc1988]

sour grapes from seton hall fans. Maybe if you had stopped glen rice a couple more times throughout the game you would have won. you can't pin the outcome of a 45 minute game of basketball on one play

[MetricSU]

Yes, sour grapes. Kind of like when U-M fans whine about "the trip" in 1990 and the "extra second" in 2001 in the Michigan State-Michigan football games. Of course, the phantom foul was in an NC game, which makes it even worse.

[btc1988]

Ive never whined about them, sometimes you get the breaks sometimes you don't, thats sports for you

[lakedelton1]

I am unbiased, by the way, but that's not the point here. Swallowing a whistle? What a cowardly way to show lack of accountability. So as your ref swallows the whistle on a foul...does he turn a blind eye to a foot on the baseline, three-point line or sideline? Once again, sure let them play....by the rules.

[yacsfc]

It looks like his body was turned. So how could that be a blocking foul? He was sliding to follow his man. Perhaps I missed something??

[1hooters1]

it is debateable on whether or not this was a foul, but what is not debatable is the stupidity of actually calling it - in this situation refs should be instructed to let the players decide the outcome and to swallow their whistle.

[lakedelton1]

...and by they way....THE PLAYERS DID DECIDE THE GAME!! Seton Hall DECIDED to foul Rumeal Robinson with three seconds left. Rumeal hit the free throws.....game over. Swallowing a whistle is as bad, if not worse than stealing.

[1hooters1]

there is no way that pj carlesimo would have sent his players out there to foul, only an idiot would do that. swallowing a whistle and letting them play is worse than stealing? yet again, i love michigan fans - so unbiased!

[jec162]

fuck satan hall, you idiots forgot about the drag of the feet travel morton had in regulation that led to an overtime

[Yankee25112]

For all the Michigan fans the way they won that game was worse than any of the Fab Five scandal that would come after-Seton Hall was denied the title so 'high and mighty' Michigan could win a championship

[1hooters1]

worst individual call of the last 20 years in the ncaa tournament - you do not call a blocking foul with one second left in the ncaa championship game - john clougherty should be embarrased that he made such a bullcrap call.

[hooptron]

It was three seconds moron, and Michigan would have made that shot anyway. Sore loser!!!

[1hooters1]

you have no way of knowing if that shot would have gone in - a hacking foul is one thing - but a blocking or a charge is a pointless call made by an official who wanted his name in lights, clougherty admitted years later that he should not have made the call. the call is correct, that was a foul, its the pointlessness of the call. let them play!

[hooptron]

Either way, you can go back with any game and say that call or this no call cost us the game. Look at the crap Jordan got away with. Let us have our championship. Lord knows we haven't done jack since. This year's team is looking promising though. Go Blue!

[lakedelton1]

a blocking foul is a blocking foul. quit you're whining.....go blue.....bitch.

[1hooters1]

i love to hear the michigan fans unbiased opinion - i am a college basketball fan and hate when refs get overly involved - i have no feelings towards a particular team - i'm guessing you also think all the recruiting violations by fisher were no big deal as well

[lakedelton1]

ok hooter boy, let's stick with this. A foul...is a foul. If you foul early or late in the game....a foul is a foul. And if refs, umpires, judges were consistent with this....we would not be having this debate.

[kingofthetoilets]

Seton Hall true winners, the ncaa bailed michigan out

[lakedelton1]

where is your ring...oh yeah....you don't have one. quit whining you jealous pig. go blue.

[playmaker026]

seton hall got jobbed, that foul should've been a no call.

[blaquemark]

The state of Michigan was the basketball capital that year...Stones and the Wolves baby!