FAYETTEVILLE -- Kids to adults in their early 40's won't entirely comprehend the significance of today's ceremony honoring Sidney Moncrief.
They can't. You had to be there in Arkansas and of an age to be fully cognizant back then to understand the impact of Super Sid, our state's true super hero of the 1970s with status since rivaled only by Corliss Williamson.
Moncrief, the Little Rock Hall alum who became a Razorbacks basketball icon and an eventual five-time NBA all-star, will have a banner permanently hung in his honor at Walton Arena during halftime of today game between Arkansas and Mississippi State.
Williamson starred for Nolan Richardson's 1994 and 1995 national champion and national runner-up teams that represent Arkansas' basketball zenith. The fan passion behind those teams and the Richardson teams before them from 1989-93 that built Walton Arena was pioneered in the 1970s in Barnhill Arena by Eddie Sutton and his "Triplets" (Ron Brewer, Marvin Delph and Moncrief).
The Triplets, named as such during their 1978 Final Four run by the late Al McGuire, college basketball's premier color man broadcaster at the time, were each revered in their own way. None quite like Super Sid.
Sidney was one class younger. So he starred as a senior in 1979 as the lone remaining Triplet when he took Larry Bird to the wire in an epic 73-71 loss to Indiana State in the Elite Eight.
Sidney played with unmatched intensity. A wiry 6-4 guard equally at home yanking rebounds away from 7-footers and twisting and turning amidst the trees while dunking over them or stealing from point guards on the perimeter, Sidney's fanatically ceaseless effort bred contagious admiration.
Even adults still influenced from growing up during Arkansas' segregated times marveled at this black work of determined athletic art. Some even could be heard wishing aloud for "a son like Sidney."
Sidney still needs no Moncrief for Arkansans to identify the subject. Corliss, who will be honored Feb. 18 at Walton Arena, and Nolan, who will be honored Feb. 24, likewise require no last name to be identified in Arkansas.
Neither does Eddie, who also deserves a banner in Walton Arena.
HOMAGE TO HERMAN
Another one-name Arkansas icon, Herman, whose Herman's Ribhouse restaurant in Fayetteville is better known simply as Herman's, leaves the restaurant with only his spirit tonight for the first Saturday Razorbacks postgame since he opened it New Year's Eve, 1964.
Herman Tuck died this week at 85.
It's been decades and several owners since Herman actually operated Herman's, Fayetteville's uniquely permanent dining party beloved not just by Razorbacks fans and Razorbacks staff but visitors and staff of Razorbacks' opponents. Knowing Herman still lived here seemed to ensure that all operating Herman's would respect its menu and traditions sustaining its success, which they did and do.
Alas that those heading corporate takeovers of Arkansas icons like the Razorbacks seem seldom to respect what worked.
Still 50 years garbed with its Razorbacks red and white tablecloths and no anthracite shades of gray, Herman's now remains more Razorbacks clad than the Razorbacks themselves.
Sports on 02/07/2015