The last time there was no NBA in Utah, college hoops was king

Like a 3 a.m. toothache, the misery of the NBA lockout continues.

The increasingly bitter labor fight threatens the 2011-12 season and leaves professional basketball fans from Madison Square Garden to Staples Center pondering life without Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

In Utah, it has been 33 years since there was no pro basketball ? a full season without a single game at the Salt Palace, the Delta Center or EnergySolutions Arena.

Back in 1978-79, the Utah Stars, who provided the state with its first taste of professional basketball and won an ABA championship while doing so, were long gone. The Jazz, limping along as a lame duck in New Orleans, were still months away from packing up and moving to Salt Lake City.

Clearly, it was a different time for basketball fans in a state with 1.4 million residents, about half the population of today.

In The Salt Lake Tribune, Key Airlines advertised a new non-stop flight to Boise, Safeway offered a half-gallon of ice cream for $1.19 and parents were informed they could buy their kids? Christmas foosball table for only $199.

Located on the edge of a downtown district being revitalized by the construction of the ZCMI Center, and later, Crossroads Mall, the Salt Palace did not house a pro basketball team. But Disco Night ? adults only, please ? was a popular event.

For movie-goers, the list of top attractions included Jaws 2, Grease, Heaven Can Wait and the unforgettable cinematic triumph, Going Coconuts.

Story continues below

On the football field, LaVell Edwards was well underway in building a powerhouse program at BYU, though the Cougars were still more of a regional than national power ? the big breakthrough win at Texas A&M was still a year away. And Utah was just beginning to crawl out from underneath the wreckage of the Tom Lovat years under second-year coach Wayne Howard.

Basketball?

In the post-Stars, pre-Jazz era the only option was the state?s colleges and, in ?78-79, fans flocked to the games.

?It really had been a fever with the Stars,? said veteran sportscaster Bill Marcroft, now retired. ?They left a taste that was unquenchable. The only way people had to quench it was by going to see the college games.?

BYU?s average crowd for home games exceeded 19,000 ? second in the country. Utah averaged over 12,000 fans to its games at the then-Special Events Center. The two Western Athletic Conference games between the rivals drew almost 39,000 fans.

?There was tremendous enthusiasm,? said ex-Cougar Fred Roberts. ?BYU people felt we had a chance to be good again, I think.?

Former Utah coach Jerry Pimm remembers students camping outside in freezing temperatures in order to secure tickets for the Utes? biggest games.

It happened at BYU, too.

Next Page ?

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/52862974-87/byu-utah-basketball-ainge.html.csp

how to get ios 5 eric holder eric holder avengers trailer the avengers trailer the avengers trailer minka kelly