Style Archive: Final Four Edition

Author:
lukewinn and Luke Winn
Publish date:
Mar 29, 2011

After adding 40 entries in the 2010-11 regular season (installment one; installment two), and 20 more after the tournament's first week, the Style Archive is back with a four-part Final Four edition.

Part I: Now

The top 10 things spotted during the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight:


Knock'em Out Dance! Heath Houston, VCU The freshman adapted a boxing-inspired dance (formerly called the "Where We Go") from his prep days in Georgia into VCU's signature tourney-win celebration. (Photo: US Presswire)	Last Beard Standing Brandon Rozzell, VCU The Richmond product's shooting (4-of-7 on threes against Kansas) is powered by his facial hair, which outlasted all other tourney beards to reach the Final Four. (Photo: AP)
Blueblood Shelvin Mack, Butler He took a hit above the eye against Florida, but vowed to have it fixed up, plus a fresh haircut, for the Final Four. "Gotta look pretty for the cameras," Mack said. (Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)	Chinner Fredette The Jimmer, BYU When Florida's Vernon Macklin tripped Fredette in the Sweet 16, the world received confirmation that the BYU star does, in fact, bleed like a normal human. (Photo: Derick E. Hingle/US Presswire)
Patriotic Kick Shelvin Mack, Butler For both wins in New Orleans, he wore the Team USA Nikes he received as a standout member of the college select squad this summer in Las Vegas and New York. (Photo: Bob Rosato/SI)	Kobes > Jordans Harrison Barnes, North Carolina Barnes wore CP3-edition Jordans (inset) the first time UNC faced Kentucky but switched to Kobes for the rematch. Interesting, because UNC is a Jordan-sponsored team. (Photo: Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
Team Blueprint Kentucky Jorts' attempt at an "I'm posing with Jay-Z smile" was subpar, but whatever: The Wildcats still got their picture. This has to be considered a major upgrade from Drake. (Photo: @uknum1 on Twitter)	#TeamSully Jared Sullinger, Ohio State The Twitter-savvy first-team All-America displays his family hashtag on the back of his Nikes -- and he'll do it next year, too. He's passing on the NBA draft. (Photo: @mike_vorkunov on Twitter)
Carrot Ropes Mike Bruesewitz, Wisconsin The Badgers were bounced in the Sweet 16, but he stays in the picture due to the highly questionable decision to ditch the carrot fro for cornrows. Apparently a mullet is next. (Photo: @mbruesewitz31 on Twitter)	Wildcat Salute Derrick Williams, Arizona He might soon be taking his signature post-dunk celebration to the NBA, where if GMs are smart, he'll be one of the first five players selected. College hoops will miss you, D-Will. (Photo: Getty Images)

Part II: Then

Five fantastic photos from the SI Vault, courtesy of vault-minder Andy Gray (@si_vault on Twitter):

In the 1990 NCAA tournament, Loyola Marymount players honored fallen teammate Hank Gathers, who died on March 4, 1990, in various ways. Bo Kimble shot free throws left-handed, and this unidentified player wrote tributes on his Reebok Pumps:

An unidentified Loyola Marymount player's shoe tribute to Hank Gathers. (Andy Hayt/SI)

North Carolina's Phil Ford had so much style that he even looked good while doing rehab. Here, he's icing his elbow during the 1977 NCAA tournament.

Phil Ford's elbow-icing routine in the '77 tourney. (AP)

Artis Gilmore was loved later on for his afro, but here, let's appreciate the greatness of his Jacksonville jersey, which had an inverted team/number arrangement, and an amazing yellow belt:

UCLA's Sidney Wicks grabs a rebound away from Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore. (Neil Leifer/SI)

While on the subject of basketball belts, we present Jim Ritchie and Jerry West of West Virginia. The Logo has his eyes closed, but still, it's a classic image from the 1960 tourney at Madison Square Garden.

West Virginia's Jim Ritchie and Jerry West in the 1960 NCAA tournament. (AP)

And finally, one of the greatest afros-waiting-for-rebounds shots of all-time, showing VMI's Ron Carter battling two super-styled DePaul Blue Demons:

VMI's Ron Carter, sandwiched by two DePaul afros in the 1976 tournament. (Neil Leifer/SI)

(Peruse past SI.com Style Archives: 2006-07 | '07-08 | '08-09 | '09-10)

Part III: Film

We're broadening the Archive to include non-basketball film footage from NCAA tournament sites. While these do not represent any stylistic achievements, they do document the tourney scene:

First up: North Carolina players battling at Catch Phrase in the locker room in Newark, as captured by SI's Dan Greene:

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Next, the Kansas band making its way down the San Antonio River while playing Tequila!, as captured by SI's Pablo Torre (@SIPabloTorre on Twitter):

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And finally, Florida's police escort to New Orleans Arena before the Elite Eight, as captured by yours truly from an upper-level vantage point:

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Part IV: Music

To make sure Tequila! isn't the only tune you hear today, we'll leave you with tracks that are Style Archive-approved -- the SI + Gorilla vs. Bear Tourney Playlist, which is now 17 songs deep: