D3 Championship Belt

[Gregory Sager]

I don't know what the hell I just stumbled on, but I laughed way harder than I should have.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, you should go back to Just Bill's post on page one that starts this board and then read from there.

I suspect that Just Bill does that every now and then and asks himself, "Why the heck did I do that?"

[sac]

I don't know what the hell I just stumbled on, but I laughed way harder than I should have.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, you should go back to Just Bill's post on page one that starts this board and then read from there.

I suspect that Just Bill does that every now and then and asks himself, "Why the heck did I do that?"

I've often wondered how many people have read post #2 and just closed their window.

[sac]

I don't know what the hell I just stumbled on, but I laughed way harder than I should have.

If you have a couple of hours to spare, you should go back to Just Bill's post on page one that starts this board and then read from there.

I suspect that Just Bill does that every now and then and asks himself, "Why the heck did I do that?"

Some helpful quotes from along the way

Sometimes I go back and read the first 4-5 pages of this thread and I think... what a ridiculous waste of time I created for all these people.

Here's the complete history of the 61 pages of the D-III Championship Belt^TM, Abridged...

"Hey, here's an idea"
"Sure let's try it"
"This is kind of fun"
"Let's not get carried away" - Pat
"Baubles and Gewgaws"
"What if an NAIA team gets it?"
"They can't"
"Yes, they can"
"No, they can't"
"43-man Squamish"
"Trademarked!"
"A whole summer in Stevens Point doesn't sound like fun"
"How do we transport this thing"
"Photoshopping!"
"Go Crown!"
"Maybe we need an ark"
"Go Caltech!"
"Legal Weasel"

There. That about covers it. Fill in anything I missed.

[Greek Tragedy]

"A whole summer in Stevens Point doesn't sound like fun."

Yeah, I resent that!

[Just Bill]

There's a weird point on the early pages where the Belt^TM goes from being a concept to a living, breathing, tangible beacon of hope for the world. It's beautiful and terrifying all at the same time.

[Just Bill]

January 24th will be the 10th anniversary of the illustrious Division III Championship Belt^TM. Might need to plan something special. They grow up so fast.

[sac]

It got you a gift

[Just Bill]

It got you a gift

[Gregory Sager]

I hope that there will be Belt^TM cupcakes at the birthday party on January 24.

[HOPEful]

Legend has it that The Belt's^TM origins can be traced back to "Mr. Magic", Dick Williams, the former television and radio presenter and magician who holds the Guinness World Record for hosting the longest-running television magic show. Magicland was a weekly half-hour live-audience magic series for children and first aired on WMC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Memphis, in 1966. In the first ever show, little Robby Newman was asked to come to the stage to assist with a disappearing act. "Mr. Magic" tied a magic belt around Robbie, and much to the amazement of those in the crowd, Robbie disappeared. What happened after that is still a bit of a mystery, but rumor has it that the magic belt stayed in Robbie's possession. As Robbie grew older, he started to believe that the belt itself had magical powers and that whenever he wore it, he excelled in his endeavors. Several years later, and ironically enough, he found himself playing for the Magicians of Memphis' LeMoyne-Owen College. In 1975, with the help of the belt's magical powers, Bob Newman carried the Magicians to the first ever DIII Basketball National Championship and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. However, a sophomore on the Wittenberg team that the Magician's beat in the quarterfinals seemed to sense the power emanating from Newman's prized possession and during the post game celebration, stole the belt for himself. Two years later, Rick White brought the D3 title to Springfield, Ohio, with the help of the belt... In the years to come, this very same belt would switch hands many, many more times and would eventually become The Belt^TM...

If you don't believe me, check Wikipedia.

[HOPEful]

Here's the complete history of the 61 pages of the D-III Championship Belt^TM, Abridged...

"Hey, here's an idea"
"Sure let's try it"
"This is kind of fun"
"Let's not get carried away" - Pat
"Baubles and Gewgaws"
"What if an NAIA team gets it?"
"They can't"
"Yes, they can"
"No, they can't"
"43-man Squamish"
"Trademarked!"
"A whole summer in Stevens Point doesn't sound like fun"
"How do we transport this thing"
"Photoshopping!"
"Go Crown!"
"Maybe we need an ark"
"Go Caltech!"
"Legal Weasel"

There. That about covers it. Fill in anything I missed.

Don't miss out on the quote pyramid either! 

[augie77]

As a sophomore at Augustana in 1975 I attended the first ever DIII Final Four in Reading Pennsylvania.  Robert Newman and Lemoyne-Owen beat the Vikings in the semi-final, and Newman absolutely couldn't miss down the stretch-both free throws and baskets (threes weren't yet conceived).  His run seemed magical, or horrific, depending on one's allegiance  Thanks for telling "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would put it.

[ronk]

As a sophomore at Augustana in 1975 I attended the first ever DIII Final Four in Reading Pennsylvania.  Robert Newman and Lemoyne-Owen beat the Vikings in the semi-final, and Newman absolutely couldn't miss down the stretch-both free throws and baskets (threes weren't yet conceived).  His run seemed magical, or horrific, depending on one's allegiance  Thanks for telling "the rest of the story", as Paul Harvey would put it.

Did u go to the Final 4 the next year? I was at that semi(Augustana-Scranton) and the 1st of our 2 national titles.

[augie77]

I was indeed.  The Royals student section's incessant chants still ring in my ears.  Good times! As an Augustana fan, I'm still awaiting a basketball championship.  Close calls, but no cigars!

[augie77]

In 1975 it was Newman's magic belt that did us in.  I've always figured against Scranton in 1976, it was the priest on the bench!