OT: Syracuse great Pearl Washington dies.

hopefully throughout his life he was happy as a clam at high tide

RIP, Pearl.   Among the many players who personified Big East power basketball in the 80's.   That was a great basketball conference in a great basketball era.

I still remember the epic recruiting battle for the crop of point guards that came out of NYC that year. Pearl went to Syracuse, Mark Jackson went to St. John's, and Kenny Smith ended up at North Carolina.

RIP to the man behind my mgoblog handle...favorite player of all time.

Some great wars in that conference back then, the names echo basketball lore: Chris Mullins, Mark Jackson, Jerome Lane, Sherman Douglas, Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing just to name some. The Coaches were just as popular as the players and bring up visions of sweaty small gyms: Lou Carneseca, John Thompson, John Chaney. Pearl Washington is a part of that fabric, it was a great time for college basketball.

As a Syracuse alum as well, it's a sad day in Orange nation. I met Pearl once at an alumni event in DC. Great, personable guy.

remember him fondly.

here's one memory:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLxOrzM-NUo

guys like him made the big east. 

RIP

 

LINK from one of the Syracuse Sports Blogs