Quick Final Four Observation No. 7: A.J. Price's Dad and 1979

Tony Price, the father of UConn's senior guard, was in the 1979 Final Four with a couple of dudes named "Bird" and "Magic."

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"Daddy knew Magic before Showtime."

On Monday night during the National Championship, it's a virtual guarantee CBS rolls out clips from the '79 title game: Bird vs. Magic. It's widely thought that game began the concept of "March Madness" and, frankly, helped out ESPN's growth (they started televising the Tourney's early rounds in 1980, and tons of people got into the Tourney because of '79). It's the 30th anniversary this year (that math took us 10 seconds, depressingly) and people love to celebrate events at five and ten year intervals (like jerks you went to HS with). But lo and behold, look at 'dis: there's a connection between 1979 and 2009, and we don't mean Michigan State in the Final Four. Naw. A.J. Price's dad was the PG on the Penn team that Magic's team beat in the semis. Ah ha! Full circle! Love it when a plan comes together.

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