The band Phish has a song on their upcoming album that was inspired by a game involving the Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team. It is called “The Line” and it is dedicated to Darius Washington Jr. Yes you read that right. Nearly ten years later, there is a song that came from that moment.
Will ford, of Louisville.com, wrote this:
Phish is arguably one of the most well-known bands in the world; and it sounds like they know a bit of Louisville basketball history. Phish is a jam band that some people have called “The Grateful Dead of this generation.” Phish first formed at the University of Vermont in the mid-1980s and has retained a cult following since then with their transcendent live concerts.
They have weaved Louisville into a song called “The Line” that will be released on their new studio album called Fuego to be released on June 24.
One of the moments that you might recall (if you know your UofL basketball history) is the 2005 Conference USA Championship, a game between Louisville and the University of Memphis.
Long story short, Louisville is up 2 when Darius Washington Jr. (of Memphis) is dribbling up the court after a missed free throw for the Memphis’s last possession. Memphis’s best player on the court was then fouled on a three point attempt (as time expired) by Louisville’s best player Francisco Garcia.
If you know basketball, you know that free throws can very stressful. Now imagine needing to make two out of three free throws to tie the ball game with a possible NCAA tournament on the line.That’s what faced Washington Jr. when he stepped to the free throw line, hence the title of the Phish song.
Click here to listen to “The Line”
And just a reminder of what inspired this track…
