Paul Silas and Louie Orr...

[billyjack]

I tend to start threads about the passing of athletes or sports personalities, which is bittersweet, but i like to recognize people that touched our lives and childhoods.

In the last few days, we lost Paul Silas, and tonight we lost Louie Orr.

I'd love to hear our Creighton brothers weigh in on Silas. To me, I know him first as a champion on my Celtics in 74 and 76, a great era in Boston sports, then as a Supersonics champion a few years later. Rhode Island had a lot of Sonics fans back then.

After that, he seemed to always be around the game, a great coach, spokesman and personality. Sorry to hear of his passing.

Louie Orr, geez, was only 64. Recently was on Patrick Ewing's coaching staff, and relatively recently was the head coach of Seton Hall, doing a really good job from what i remember. From my perspective on the outside of the Pirates intrigue, it seemed crazy that they let him go... but hey, when a crazy man like Bobby Gonzalez is available you gotta make the move?

Louie was a senior PF on Syracuse in the first Big East season in 1980, a leader along with center Roosevelt Bouie... the "Louie and Bouie Show", of course. The Orangemen had gaudy records and fun teams to watch. Still scratching my head over their NCAA's loss to Penn in 79, but Boeheim had odd results his first 10 years.

Anyway, two good guys were lost this week.

On a side note, i also saw that Stuart Margolin passed away too... famous for playing Angel Martin in "The Rockford Files"... typically dragging Janes Garner into his problems and schemes... former cellmate i think of Rockford at San Quentin (?)... something like that. One of my favorite TV characters of all time... "Jimmy, i got this thing..."

Anyway, let's hope i don't have to start another one of these threads for a long time

[Angry Dan]

Silas played for Red McManus on some great Jays teams. They had no conference affiliation back then and traveled everywhere to play.

He averaged 20 boards and 20 points in his three year Bluejay career, an NCAA record. Fun fact, he was a cousin of the Pointer Sisters (Yes We Can Can).

He was finally inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017. They just replayed an interview with him, courtesy of Creighton play by play man John Bishop, on our Jays station, 1620 the Zone. I wish I could find it, I would copy a link here.

[RxJay1]

Fritz Pointer who played with Silas at Creighton was the brother of the Pointer Sisters. He was also a very good player.