It's become clear the past couple of weeks that the San Diego State basketball team is having a once-in-a-lifetime kind of season, indeed the school's first in which a team that shoots a round ball into a hoop is being given a legitimate shot at contending for a national championship. Sure, if you're Duke, North Carolina or Michigan State, reaching the Final Four is routine. I'm writing about San Diego State here. There is no reason to sell the school short, but the Aztecs have never been known as a basketball powerhouse. Far from it. When coach Steve Fisher arrived at Montezuma Mesa 12 years ago, SDSU had what was arguably the worst major college basketball program in the United States. Now the 2010-11 Aztecs are among the best.
Which leads us to this, our list of the greatest teams in the history of San Diego, be they professional, college or amateur. Level doesn't matter -- accomplishment does.
1. 1963 Chargers - The only local major professional team to win the championship of an entire league, the Chargers were led by veteran QB Tobin Rote, the RB tandem of Paul Lowe and Keith Lincoln, and WR Lance Alworth's 61 receptions.
2. 2009 Park View Little League - How about not just a league title, but a world championship? The Blue Bombers from Chula Vista captured our attention for a week with their inspired play, and they came home to rousing ovations.
3. 1998 San Diego Padres - Once CF Steve Finley hit that ninth-inning grand slam against the Diamondbacks in April, the NL West race was over. LF Greg Vaughn hit 50 HR, closer Trevor Hoffman had his best season and P Kevin Brown shut down opposing batters in a magical summer.
4. 1994 Chargers - There is not a Bolts fan in adulthood who can't immediately conjure up an image of LB Dennis Gibson knocking down that last-second pass in Pittsburgh to put the team in their first Super Bowl. Stan Humphries, Junior Seau and how about Leslie O'Neil and the late-Chris Mims combining for 23.5 sacks?
5. 1973 San Diego State men's volleyball team - The school's only Division 1 national championship. The Aztecs defeated top-ranked Long Beach State at the Sports Arena, and Duncan McFarland -- who became a longtime coach -- was named MVP. Chris Marlowe won a volleyball gold medal 11 years later.
6. 1988 Morse High football - Teddy Lawrence was an option QB with a per-carry average of 19 yards per game. Tommy Bennett joined him at UCLA. Gary and Cary Taylor ran the ball. They crushed Darnay Scott's Kearny team 51-6 back when the Komets were a force. They beat Vista for the CIF championship 48-14.
7. 1955 San Diego High football - Okay, it's hard to separate high school football teams, so let's keep them together. The Cavers, led by Art Powers, were crowned by some the mythical "national champions."
8. 1986 and 1987 Point Loma High girl's basketball - Terri Mann and the Pointers dominated prep hoops statewide about as much as UConn does today in college ball, led by coach Lee Trepanier.
9. 2003 La Costa Canyon High baseball - Named national and state champions and Justin Machado was state Coach of the Year. The Mavericks set CIF records with 32 wins in a season and 27 straight victories.
10. 2010 San Diego State football - The 1977 Aztecs won 10 games and had a better defense, and the 1979 edition took down better opponents, but neither of them capped off their years with bowl game victories. Ronnie Hillman, Ryan Lindley, Vincent Brown, Andrew Preston and the rest of the red & black got the job done.
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The rousing Poinsettia Bowl victory by SDSU over Navy was a wonderful Christmas present. May the gifts keep flowing generously off the Mesa in the new year. Merry Christmas!
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