Chris Webber makes it official; Fab Five under one roof at national title game
Former Michigan star Chris Webber showed up to the national title game Monday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta wearing Michigan blue, completing a Fab Five reunion 20 years after they lost to North Carolina in the 1993 title game.
There had been widespread speculation about whether Webber would make it to the championship game against Louisville to support his alma mater. Former teammates and Fab Five members Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson and Jimmy King all were committed to attend.
During a first-half timeout, the crowd roared when several members of the Fab Five were shown together in the stands.
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Webber addressed his decision to attend the game on his Twitter account.
"I'm here at the Georgia Dome to show my support for the Michigan men's basketball team in its quest for the national championship. I've know some of the players on the team since they were kids and I'm excited for them and all the student athletes on the court tonight who are wearing the Michigan uniform. It has been a great season and I wish them all the best."
Webber has been a polarizing figure for Michigan fans for the past decade since the school was forced to vacate both Final Four appearances made by the Fab Five in 1992 and 1993 because of payments made by Michigan booster Ed Martin to Webber and other players.
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The fall out from that scandal contributed to the Wolverines missing the NCAA tournament for a decade. The program only recently recovered and has now come full circle by reaching the national title game once again. These Wolverines are also dominated by young stars as they were the youngest team in the entire tournament.
Webber went on to a lengthy NBA career, but is haunted by the way his college career ended that night against the Tar Heels 20 years ago when he called timeout under pressure from North Carolina defenders in the waning moments. The Wolverines didn't have a timeout and officials called a technical foul on Webber. The sequence basically ended any chance for the Wolverines to tie or win the game.
Considering the historical effect the Fab Five had on the college game, it's a shame that it has taken this long for them to reunite at a Michigan game. But there is no better and more appropriate time than the national title game for it to finally happen.
NCAA tournament video from Yahoo! Sports
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• An A-to-Z look at Monday's national title game
• Will Michigan's Fab Five reunite to cheer on the 2013 Wolverines?
