Like many champions before them, Michigan celebrated Monday's title triumph by watching "One Shining Moment" play over a special video montage. Before the song became a college basketball ritual, the NFL nearly took it.
ESPN's Ryan McGee shared a history of "One Shining Moment" the morning after Michigan cuts down the nets following a 69-63 victory over UConn. There's an alternative timeline in which the Seattle Seahawks could have commemorated their championship by hearing the famous song.
David Barrett wrote and recorded the original version of "One Shining Moment" in 1986 after watching Larry Bird play. Despite that basketball inspiration, the song was supposed to air after the Super Bowl instead.
CBS wanted to use "One Shining Moment" at the end of Super Bowl XXI between the New York Giants and Denver Broncos in 1987. Barrett recalled receiving the request from CBS creative director Doug Towey.
"Yes, it was a basketball song, but you know what you do not do in that situation?" Barrett said. "You do not say no to CBS. Why yes, Doug Towey, please use my song for the Super Bowl!"
"It was written for basketball"
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What was at first an unfortunate break, CBS nixed plans to play "One Shining Moment" when the Super Bowl post-game broadcast ran long. However, Towey had another idea that worked perfectly for Barrett.
"He said they wanted to use it for March Madness," Barrett remembered. "So, my little song about basketball, you know what? It figured out a way to make sure it was still a basketball song."
Two months later, CBS used "One Shining Moment" after Indiana defeated Syracuse in the men's National Championship Game. The network played a video package that included Keith Smart's game-winning shot in the closing seconds of an instant classic.
CBS has since aired remakes of Barrett's iconic song from Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross, and a poorly received version from Jennifer Hudson in 2010. Barrett also reflected on "One Shining Moment" moving away from football to basketball in an interview with Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo Sports.
"It was written for basketball and it was almost as if the song had a mind of its own," Barrett said. "The way the song became what it became, it was a very unusual ride."
