In a college sports era where television has helped pushed power conferences nationwide and some regional rivalries into dormancy, Arizona is headed the other direction this week.
The Wildcats are hosting a reunion of old Western Athletic Conference neighbors BYU and Utah at McKale Center for what are now Big 12 games, hosting BYU on Saturday and Utah on Wednesday.
For that, Bob Elliott can be grateful.
“Putting the history together, the traditions and things that have happened, it’s all good,” said Elliott, a Tucson accountant and former UA analyst who was once the WAC’s leading career scorer. “It’s good things to talk about and good things to remember.”
Still Arizona’s second-leading all-time scorer (2,131) and rebounder (1,083), Elliott was a four-year star for then-coach Fred Snowden’s emerging Wildcat teams in the mid-1970s. Two seasons after Elliott left Arizona in 1977, the Wildcats and ASU took off for the Pac-10, while Utah rejoined them in what became the Pac-12 in 2011.
This season, Utah and Arizona left the imploding Pac-12 to join BYU in the Big 12, where the Cougars moved before last season.
In a recent interview with the Star, Elliott recalled memories of playing in the WAC, what happened to his conference scoring record and what he’s been up to lately as a semi-retired Tucson businessman, UA basketball fan and grandfather.
WAC quirks
Elliott noted some quirks around the WAC, including BYU’s Marriott Center before its original floor was replaced in 2006.
“There was a weird look to it, because the floor was elevated and you had to walk up a couple stairs to get up to the court. So at our game up there my freshman year (a 93-91 UA win), Coniel Norman was hot, and Corn never shot anything other than what now would be a 3. So Corn would shoot the ball in the corner, fade away, go down the stairs, then run off the court to come back up on the other side to get on defense.
“The place that was weird was Laramie, Wyoming. I think they’re around 7,000 feet up, and they had a temporary floor out in the middle of a fieldhouse where they also had rodeos. So first of all, you didn’t want to take a deep breath because if they had a rodeo there a day or two before, it wasn’t gonna smell that good. And then on that temporary floor with the altitude, it was like you’d go up to shoot, to jump, but you went up higher and it would throw your timing off on your release.”
Arizona’s Bob Elliott pumps his fist during a game against Wyoming in 1977 at McKale Center.
Natural rivals
The Wildcats won the WAC title during Elliott’s junior season of 1975-76 and finished second in 1976-77 while playing in a league full of natural rivals — including UA and ASU.
“The thing that was nice about the WAC was you had Arizona-Arizona State, you had BYU-Utah, you had New Mexico-UTEP, and then you had Wyoming and Colorado State. So you could see where the natural rivalries were. You’d go on the road, you knew who you were playing, and it all kind of fell together.”
“(BYU) was always a good rivalry, and I’m glad to see it. I bet they’re happier up in Salt Lake City and Provo because now they get that natural rivalry (between Utah and BYU). I grew up in Ann Arbor (Michigan), so it was Michigan-Michigan State, Michigan-Ohio State. And my freshman year here, it was almost like there was literally a hatred between Phoenix and Tucson. The (UA-ASU) game would start and then the emphasis wasn’t on the game. Everybody’s yelling and screaming over your head at both sides until finally you look up at the end and see what the score is.”
Broken record
While Elliott’s 2,131 points put him atop the WAC’s all-time scoring list when he left in 1977, he now ranks No. 8 (Utah’s Keith Van Horn is the current leader with 2,542).
Elliott recalled the first time he was passed up, by a BYU player who began his college career right after Elliott left the conference.
“The guy who broke my record? Danny Ainge of BYU. I was sitting there in New Jersey, resting, getting ready to play a game (for the Nets) that night. I knew the game was on, and they said he was close enough to break the record, so I was watching.
Once a Wildcat ...
Elliott still stays in touch with the Arizona program today, noting that his relationship with UA coach Tommy Lloyd has brought him closer to the program.
“You know what? I’ve had more interaction with Tommy than I had with Lute (Olson) and Sean (Miller) combined. Not even close.
“Tommy’s heart comes through and I’ve been enjoying the relationship. I’ll text him, or he’ll text me and that kind of stuff was not going on before. He’s created a great environment and a great culture, and reaching back to us old guys is refreshing.
“Matter of fact, I was at practice in the film session when they were getting ready for Iowa State, and the first thing that went through my mind is when we used to talk about the other team, it was usually on a chalkboard with chalk. It wasn’t film and this high-tech stuff that they have to highlight guys and show what they’ve done over the last few games.
“Murph (associate head coach Jack Murphy) had the scout on it and it was to a T. It was great to watch the game and, having been in the film session, see how they were going to attack Iowa State and what to look out for when they had the ball. It was interesting. It was definitely a learning experience.”
No contest
Former UA and pro basketball player Bob Elliott, left, with broadcaster Dave Sitton prior to a UA basketball game against Saint Louis in 2002.
Elliott says he’s “semi-retired” as an accountant, though he was a founder of the African American Museum of Southern Arizona and remains active on several corporate boards.
He says he has no interest in working UA games, instead attending as a fan only when his 10 grandkids’ schedules permit.
“I’ll be 70 this year. I’m done. I don’t want to travel, the prep time (required of analysts). I’m at a point where it’s about trying to go see all your grandkids’ sports that they play. We’ve got 10 grandkids now and and actually one great-granddaughter, so I just want to see them do their thing.
“We try to support Tommy and Adia (Barnes, UA women’s basketball coach). We have two tickets for the guys, four seats for (the women) right behind the bench. But again (if there’s a conflict) am I gonna watch the U of A or am I gonna watch my grandkids? Well, that’s not even a choice.”
