Iconic Seasons 1979 Finale: Spartans & Sycamores, Legacies & Lasting Impact

This is the season finale of Iconic Seasons 1979, which explores the lasting impact of the 1979 NCAA championship game, highlighting both the winning Michigan State Spartans, led by Magic Johnson, and the runner-up Indiana State Sycamores, led by Larry Bird. The episode delves into the Spartans' enduring bonds, reunions, and the influence of their coach, Judd Heathcote. It also examines the complex legacy of the Sycamores and their coach, Bill Hodges, including his post-coaching career and the university's struggle to honor the team's accomplishments. The episode explores how both teams have been remembered, and the special place the 1979 championship holds in the history of the sport, and how the clash between the two teams became a defining moment in basketball.

Transcript

  Hello, and welcome back to Iconic Seasons. I'm your host, Aaron Meyer. And today we're concluding our journey through the 1979 season, a year that delivered a clash of Titans, a cultural phenomenon, and a whole lot of heartbreak in the world of college basketball. We've talked about the Michigan state Spartans, and we'll do that again to end the episode.

But to start, we're gonna dive into the story of the Indiana State Sycamores. This isn't just about a team, it's about a moment in time, a small school from Terre Haute that captured the nation's imagination,  led by a coach named Bill Hodges. Quiet guy. And another guy who could sometimes be quiet as well, Larry Bird. 

Let's start with Bill Hodges, a man who after his coaching career found himself teaching history at a high school. I can imagine this, can you?  The classroom itself was this testament to his past.  He had this long winding journey back to the classroom, a humble ending, but also a place that ultimately helped him find happiness.

He had a sign in his room that said, you love history.  Under it was a collection of his life, photos from his time at Zionsville Community High School, his Air Force days, his children, his grandchildren, and of course, Photos of his basketball teams and then tucked away in the corner, indistinguishable from the rest, was a team photo of the 1978 79 Indiana State Sycamore.

There he is, the big kid with the bushy blonde hair, hands clasped behind his back, Larry Bird. Hodges reflects that some of his students really get into sports history, but many of them don't even know who Larry Bird was. It's hard to believe, but that's how much time has passed. There are days, Hodges says, when he wonders if it was all a dream. 

This season, the 1978 79 season, that all culminated in that championship game against Magic Johnson and Michigan State, Had a massive impact on his life, but not all that good.  He took the sycamores to the Final Four. He even got a framed, handwritten letter from the legendary John Wooden. But after he resigned from Indiana State, he couldn't get a job offer.

Except one from Palm Beach Junior College in Florida.  A long way down from the national stage.  Hodges did get another shot as an assistant coach at California State University Long Beach. His head coach was fired and Hodges was out of a job once more.  He fell into depression and even spent some days at the beach watching the waves.

He described it as a soul searching thing, and reminds me of Pat Riley from the aforementioned winning time sitting on the beach before he got his coaching job, so full circle there.  Eventually he would take a job at an NAIA school, a far cry from the NCAA, but he did get back into Division I as the coach of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. 

I just had a hard time with the fact that some people thought that his success with Indiana State was all because of Larry Bird. When he brought Mercer State back to Indiana State, the players were amazed how little the university had done to commemorate that special season. You couldn't find a picture of our team anywhere, Hodges said.

There weren't any banners hanging. Nothing.  I think that was the only place in the world where they were ashamed that they went to the Final Four. After bouncing around from job to job, Hodges eventually ended up teaching high school history. Even coached JV basketball.  He was then called to be an assistant coach at Murray State University in Kentucky. 

His team had a dramatic win that caught national attention. One day, his basketball secretary handed him a two word message, great play. When he asked who it was from, the reply was, he said his name was Judd, the great Judd Heathcote.  The media still followed Hodges and all of his connections to Indiana State, but he sensed that the attention lavished on him upset the head coach at Murray State.

After just one season there, Hodges left coaching altogether, but he couldn't stay retired for long, and he ended up teaching history in Virginia. He was even invited to a Final Four dinner for all the coaches who had coached on college basketball's biggest stage. He shared a table and laughs with Judd Heathcote, who joked,  He claimed I ruined his life. 

It's funny, because Hodges actually genuinely enjoys teaching, especially when his students become interested in history. That's the best part, he said.  He also enjoys living with his grandkids, who ironically are clueless about his role in history. When he watched a replay of the 1979 game with his family, his grandson asked, Did you used to be a basketball coach?

It was a bittersweet moment for Hodges.  I watched that thing and I thought, damn, I should have gone this way and not that way. In the end though, he admits he's happy and reading through his account of his time. I get the sense that even though he only had this one shining moment to use the phrase from the NCAA tournament, it was that it was a star that burned bright and shown bright and that he can point to even.

All these years later, of course, we can't talk about Indian estate without talking about Larry Bird after taking over for the Pacers years later, he hired Hodges, former teammate Carl Nix is a scout. He did not hire Hodges until Mel Daniels, the former assistant at Indiana State, invited Hodges to work at the NBA's pre draft camp.

It was a chance for Hodges to spend time with Bird, and he observed that Bird was still damn quiet and reserved. You can sit down with Larry, and if you don't start talking, it's gonna be silent, Hodges noted. Despite all of this, Hodges still had a soft spot for Indiana State. He even joked that he would go back and coach there if they wanted him.

The shadow of the 1979 season continued to follow not only Hodges, but the team itself. As the years went on, the 1979 team had many reunions. There was a 10th anniversary game between the 79ers and an All Star game. The team got together again for a 20 year reunion, and the grandest reunion of all was a silver anniversary celebration. 

The school struggled to honor the past, and as an Indiana Hoosiers fan, I can relate to this. It's difficult to find a way to bridge the past into the future, and only the most successful franchises are able to do that are the most successful universities. Indiana University, since Bobby Knight has left, has struggled to find that.

And they've looked to do it in many different ways, trying to forget the past and move to a new era, trying to honor the past and hire a former player that's connected to our famous coach.  Indiana State, with this one bright moment, really seemed to struggle to do this.  There was even An incident where the coach who succeeded Hodges at Indiana State instructed that the photo of the team be taken down.

He wanted to scrub away any reference of the dream season. Thankfully, the team's former trainer rescued the photo from a dumpster of all places. For a time felt estranged from the university. When the school outsourced its sports medicine program, several members of the team, including former manager Rick Shaw, felt that the administration hadn't been straight with them. 

He even refused to attend the 20 year reunion. He said, I have real bitter feelings for ISU. Others also felt that the university did not value their contribution. The former players may have had a greater urge to be involved in the school if their basketball program had remained successful, but the program fell in hard times.

The university itself was also struggling, but on occasions  that did honor the 1979, there were some that were truly memorable. At the 10 year reunion, Larry Bird put everyone up at his hotel. At the 20 year reunion, the entire team was inducted into the Indiana State Hall of Fame. Bob King was there also.

Bird told stories about him to an audience of thousands. Each of the team members spoke and reflected on the past. Bob Heaton said. Now we're coming up on 30 years. That's just life, you know? It goes by so quickly.  Larry Bird himself came back to Indiana State in 2004 to have his jersey retired at the Holman Center.

He was clearly moved by the occasion. He said that 1979 was a very special year. It was special for one reason. We played together, we played to win.  He admitted that he was heartbroken that he didn't bring a championship trophy to Terre Haute.  Then, finally, he delivered an epitaph for that season. Hell, he said, magic was just too tough. 

And that's the story of the Indiana State Sycamores. A team that came so close to glory in 1979. A team and a coach that went on to live very different lives. Now, 

let's wrap on the 1979 Michigan State Spartans, a team that captured the nation's attention and whose legacy continues to resonate even today. We're going to explore the highs of their championship victory and the bonds that were forged and how those players have carried their experience through the years.

That 1979 championship was more than just a game. As we've documented, it impacted all aspects of the culture. The clash between Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Indiana State and Larry Bird became that defining moment in basketball history.  But today, of course, we're talking about the Spartans. The Spartans, coached by legendary Judd Heathcote.

They were a team of talented individuals who came together to create something truly special.  The championship game itself was a spectacle, and the team's journey to get there was equally compelling. But what happened after the final buzzer? How did this monumental victory affect these players?  We've got some sources from today that provide some great insights on that.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this team is their enduring bond. Despite the years and the different paths they've taken, players remain closely connected. As Terry Donnelly says, to say that I was a participant in a game and played as well as I did is really special. I love when February and March come around every year.

I start getting calls from reporters who are doing articles. I get to enjoy that the rest of my life. Reunions and gatherings. The team has had several reunions over the years, each one highlighting the strong friendships that were forged during that magical season. In 1989, they played a friendly game to mark the 10th anniversary of their title.

They even reprised their opening tip play from the championship game.  According to one of the sources, the All Stars wanted to shut up the guys who were always bragging about their titles. And the champs were too proud to go down without a fight.  In 1999, the 20 year reunion was an intimate low key dinner. 

And in 2003, for the 25 year reunion, There was a grand celebration with the unveiling of a bronze statue of Magic Johnson outside the Breslin Center. Johnson said,  Knowing that even when I die, I'll still have a presence here is just an unbelievable feeling. During that reunion, they gathered at Coach Izzo's house.

Magic took over, asking each player to stand up and tell a story from the championship season. Judd Heathcote said, Magic just took over. It's a good thing, too, because the Berkovichs of the world wouldn't say shit unless he made them.  Beyond the team events, the players have maintained their own relationships.

Darwin Payton, for example, stays in touch with Magic and notes, The best time to catch him is before he gets busy around 7 in the morning. He's usually on his way to the gym.  Magic makes a point to seek out Mike Berkovich when he's at the palace of Auburn Hills.  Greg Kelser recounted a story of Magic spotting him on Rodeo Drive. 

You couldn't see the street that well, and there were a lot of people walking by, Kelser said. The opportunity for Irving to catch me was maybe a second, but he caught me. It reminded me how unbelievable the guy is. He just sees everything.  The relationships between players and their coach also deserve some attention.

Judd Heathcote, who often had to manage Magic's larger than life personality, remained an important figure in their lives.  Despite the embarrassment he may have felt when Johnson did an imitation of him, Heathcote said Johnson's television show wasn't Irvin, it was him trying to be what he wasn't. 

Heathcote received a fruit basket with a card from Johnson that read, Thank you for helping me become a better basketball player, a better man, a better person. Love, Irvin Magic Johnson. The legacy of the 1979 Spartans extends beyond the court. The team has become a symbol of unity, camaraderie, and the enduring power of shared experiences.

As Greg Kelser stated, we were unbelievable teammates together, and out of it we formed a great friendship and a bond that will never, ever be broken.  Now it's also important to acknowledge the broader context of Michigan State's basketball program. The team's 1979 victory became the standard by which all of the teams are measured,  as it's noted in the sources.

Yet IZO is the first to concede that none of his teams has captured the attention of Spartan Nation, much less the entire nation, quite the way the 1979 squad did, even with the success of the program under Tom Izzo, the 1979 team. Holds a special place in the hearts of fans that team that season was something truly unique They created a moment in sports history that continues to inspire and entertain as the sources mentioned it baffles me even today To say it's still the highest rated game in history  the 1979, Michigan State Spartans were more than just a basketball team They were a phenomenon their stories a testament to the power of teamwork Enduring strength, a friendship, and the lasting impact of a truly special moment in sports history.

Their legacy lives on, not just in the record books, but in the hearts of the players and the fans who remember that incredible journey.  That's it for season two of Iconic Seasons, where we've explored the unforgettable journey of the 1979 Michigan State Spartans.  And the Indiana State Sycamores. These two teams, forever linked by their epic championship clash, represent more than just basketball.

They embody the power of teamwork, rivalry, and enduring legacies.  Spartans, led by Magic Johnson, demonstrated exceptional camaraderie and lasting bonds that continue to this day with reunions, gatherings, and personal connections.  Their coach Jud Heathcote played a crucial role with his influence felt years later. 

The Spartans victory became a benchmark in college basketball, with their story continuing to captivate fans and historians to this day. Meanwhile, the Indiana State Sycamores, despite falling short of the title, also left an indelible mark on the sport and the university. The story of their coach Bill Hodges is one of the great highs and humbling lows.

The struggle of the Indiana State program and its difficulties in connecting with former athletes. Even with the great Larry Bird at times highlights the complex relationships with celebrating the past.  These teams and their stories have shown us that Iconic Seasons are not just about wins and losses.

They're about the people, relationships, and the moments that transcend the game.  Thank you, and we'll see you next time for Season 3 of Iconic Season.  Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of Iconic Seasons 1979. If you liked this week's episode, leave us a rating or review.  Until next time, keep your dribble low and your eyes up.