Basketball's 'Shining Moment' Attracts Teams of Loyal Fans

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ^ | April 4, 2003 | RON LIEBER

[WaveThatFlag]

When the National Collegiate Athletic Association's men's basketball tournament ends Monday night, CBS, as it has for the past 16 seasons, will end its broadcast of the final with tournament highlights set to the song "One Shining Moment."

Written on the back of a napkin by a virtual unknown, the wholesome song hasn't appeared on the Billboard charts, nor has it ever been played on the radio as far as anyone knows. A compact-disk single has barely sold 1,000 copies. But with the exception of a couple of college fight songs to which nobody knows the words, "One Shining Moment" is arguably the most famous song in sports.

[WaveThatFlag]

Not exactly breaking news, but if you are one of the millions of people who wonders every year "what's the deal with that song?" you'll thank me. Go Eagles.

[newgeezer]

CBS producer Joseph E. Zappulla has been assembling highlights since the second round of the tournament.

Two years ago, I'm almost positive there was a clip from #15 seed Hampton's upset of #2 Iowa State (first round, obviously).

[Non-Sequitur]

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

[WaveThatFlag]

I was under the impression that they always throw in a little first-round footage. I think the author meant "that's when they start working on it" rather than "that is the body of footage that they choose from." Personally, I think they have been using way too much footage of the finals game in recent years. We are going to see highlights of that game for the next month. ESPN usually devotes a full hour of Sportscenter to the final. Show us the tournament as a whole. The 65 to 1 single- elimination nature of the tournament is what makes it such a unique sporting event.

[Founding Father]

CBS needs to drop its' coverage and let ESPN carry the tournament again.

[WorldWatcher1]

I believe "Rock and Roll Part 2" by Gary Glitter is the most famous song in sports.

(Followed closely by the Queen "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions" combo)

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Interesting story. I haven't watched as much of the tourney this year for two reasons: the war; and after the Arizona-Gonzaga 2OT masterpiece, everything else is anticlimactic.

[WIladyconservative]

WE ARE . . . . MARQUETTE!

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

[WaveThatFlag]

The most famous song in sports is our own National Anthem.

[ILBBACH]

Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Just posted this thread on FR - thought you might like it:

Iraq Chalk Jayhawk

[WorldWatcher1]

Perhaps, but I don't think of sports when I hear the Star-Spangled Banner (probably a good thing).

[WaveThatFlag]

Not necessarily. For me the greatest moment in sports history took place on an ice rink in upstate NY in 1980. And it most definitely involved The Star Spangled Banner.