Aztecs Putting on a Show Out West

Prior to 1999, San Diego State's basketball program had done nothing of note. In their thirty year history in NCAA Division I, they had only made the NCAA tournament three times and had no wins to show for it. This led former athletic director Rick Bay to make a risky move. He decided to hire Steve Fisher as his new basketball coach.

At Michigan, Fisher become the first interim coach ever to lead a team to a national championship. However, soon after, a federal investigation dug up that a bookmaker had paid four of his players over $600,000. While Fisher was never directly linked, the scandal cost him his job and in many eyes, his reputation. Bay, a Michigan alum, decided to give Fisher another chance.

Fisher came in and slowly but surely turned things around. In 2002, 2006 and 2010, the Aztecs made the NCAA tournament, but lost in the opening round each year. Last year, they finally made their breakthrough. The Aztecs were ranked as high as #4 in the regular season polls, finished the season with a record of 34-3, and most importantly, won their first tournament game, making it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen.

Many experts thought the run was a nice one, but expected San Diego State to return to its old history. After all, the team lost an excellent senior class and sophomore stud Kawhi Leonard to the NBA. But all the Aztecs have done so far this season is put up a record of 17-2, including a last second win over conference-favorite UNLV. It is important to note that it isn't just Fisher and his team that deserve the credit.

San Diego State has always had a wild and crazy student section. One annoyed alum complained and told the students that, "You guys think you're the show." The students took his piece of advice a different way and decided to call themselves The Show. They are now considered to be one of the craziest and loudest student sections west of the Mississippi.

Fifth-year senior forward Tim Shelton decided he wanted to show the world Aztec Nation through his two favorite mediums, basketball and hip-hop. His YouTube video called SDSU Aztec Motto showcases TES (Shelton's artist name) rapping about being an Aztec, giving shoutouts to teammates past and present, and giving props to The Show. San Diego State basketball doesn't appear to be going anywhere. The Aztecs are looking to spread the influence all over the world.

Check out TES' Aztec Motto here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXZ0iyQjTAc