Who Would You Choose?

The WCC has an ad that features a former player from each team in the conference. Some are recent, some are historical. Bill Russell for USF, Jimmer for BYU. Others are: Hank Gathers - LMU, Patty Mills - SMC, Jeremy Pargo - GU, Doug Christie - Pepp, Steve Nash - SCU, and Gino Pomare - USD. Nik Raivio was the UP player.

Who would you chose instead of these players as the face of their schools? I'm surprised John Stockton wasn't the GU player. As for the Pilots, I might have chosen a different player, Pooh Jeter, for example.

Given that UP joined the league in 1976, who would you choose?

A no-brainer for me....Luke Sikma!

Luke epitomized the student/athlete we all want to see....the struggle to gain playing time; the excellent results in the classroom; the captain and star of the team; and finally the young man who graduates on time and contributes to the positive image of an American in Europe.

And he’s nice to old people too....

Nik is a nice enough guy....but he wasn't at UP for four years, he is certainly not the epitome of the student/athlete, and he's whined himself through the D-League and now Europe. He's currently attempting to get out of his contract in Greece.

No, not Nik!

Pooh.

Easy pick for me.

Curt Ranta!!!!!!

Ok, probably Pooh.

Not fair to ask Stoney or the Rochin doppelgängers.

Pooh or Jose Slaughter.

Looking at the WCC list again, it would appear they leaned towards NBA professionals, and again, Nik just does not look like the best choice from UP. The other picks in the WCC have real merit because they are ‘known’ players.

If being ‘known’ and having an NBA career is the criteria, good friend Pooh is a very nice choice, but another who had a lengthy NBA career and is still near the top in Pilots stats is Darwin Cook.

I was serving overseas when Darwin played at UP (1976-1980) but I had the good fortune of meeting him a couple of years ago at an LMU game….a terrific guy helping youths in the California high desert region, Darwin is the Varsity Boys and Girls basketball Coach at Antelope Valley Christian School.

At UP, Darwin was a 6’-3” PG; he is currently fourth in scoring, and first in assists all time at UP.

Darwin, played nine years in the NBA with the New Jersey Nets, Washington Bullets, San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets. Darwin also played in Italy for ScavoliniPesaro, where he won two Italian Championships in 2 of the 4 years playing there. I believe he also coached at UNLV and Pepperdine after his professional days were over.

So based upon the criteria the WCC seems to have set out, I would say Darwin Cook would be a very fine representative of UP…..and Pooh too.

Jason Robbins

If you're going just on name recognition what about Coach Spo?

I was going to say that Erik Spoelstra would make a lot of sense. Others to consider:

Jose Slaughter
Pooh
Canaan Chatman
Matt Houle
Luke Sikma

Others??

Coky
Brian Mills (accomplished Abercrombie model)
Kasey Flicker
Nick Kirkwood
Grant Tracy

Zach Gourde

DTLegend wrote:If you're going just on name recognition what about Coach Spo?

Yes, absolutely!

With coaches, administrators, and students coming and going over the last 100+ year it's encouraging to remember that UP has attracted a number of really "good guys" that are still held in high regard by their friends and fans.

When one considers Spo's leadership and hard work at UP that carried him from an entry level fungo in the NBA to a highly recognizable head coach of the NBA champions----he's a slam dunk! Not only is he recognizable, he’s worthy of WCC recognition.

DTLegend wrote:If you're going just on name recognition what about Coach Spo?

If they're going for recognizable names this is a fantastic idea.

I would have gone with Eric Sandrin or Ryan Jones.

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:
I would have gone with Eric Sandrin or Ryan Jones.

Hahahaha......Well, either would be worthy if UP was a two year school and classes were optional….

Darwin cook was a great player, but Rick ravio was the heart and soul of the pilots. No question that he was the greatest of all pilots and that includes cincY. h Powell.

Greg Anthony?

Elgin Baylor?

PurpleGeezer wrote:Elgin Baylor?

Huh? Is this a post-Pliney drinking pick?

PurpleGeezer wrote:Elgin Baylor?

Ha ha, even Greg Anthony stuck around longer than Elgin.....or actually showed up, for that matter.

Did Elgin actually get admitted? I'd always heard UP wouldn't let him in (transfer from College of Idaho). Wikipedia mentions "an inadequate scholastic record."

up7587 wrote:Did Elgin actually get admitted? I'd always heard UP wouldn't let him in (transfer from College of Idaho). Wikipedia mentions "an inadequate scholastic record."

OK, you asked for it:

Here’s a quick look at Elgin’s non-relationship to UP:

Elgin Gay Baylor came out of Washington, D.C., and enjoyed a three-year residency in Seattle due to unbelievable basketball ability but less-than dazzling scholarship skills

No college with academic integrity would touch Baylor when he emerged from high school, but the College of Idaho in Caldwell (now Idaho St) offered him a scholarship to play football and basketball. But when College of Idaho fired the basketball coach after Baylor’s freshman year and cut Baylor’s scholarship, Baylor flirted with UP for a moment, but was turned down flat by the admissions office, and eventually ended up at Seattle U.

In the ‘50’s and ‘60’s Seattle U and UP would face off at least twice a year and sometimes as many as four times. Unfortunately for the Pilots, Baylor played some of his best basketball when he faced them.

Examples:

Jan. 6, 1957, at the University of Portland: In the second of back-to-back games against the Pilots, Baylor had 41 points and 23 rebounds. In the first, had 33 points and 21 rebounds for a two-day total of 74 points and 44 rebounds

Feb. 26, 1957, vs. Portland: With 51 points (and 20 rebounds), Baylor reached 692 points for the season, a national record for a sophomore, and broke the Seattle U. all-time record for field goals, achieving 280.

Jan. 12, 1958, at Portland: Baylor had 28 points17 rebounds.

Jan. 30, 1958, vs. Portland: Seattle U. wiped-out a 19-point Portland lead at Seattle’s Civic Auditorium inside the final three minutes with Baylor knocking down 20 of his 60 points (to go with 14 rebounds) in the final 7:15.

Jan. 31, 1958 vs. Portland: A record crowd of 6,100 in Civic Auditorium watched Baylor score 43 points and snatch 22 rebounds, block numerous shots and set up baskets for teammates in what became an 84-80 victory.

One of the gentlemen who recruited many of the Pilots in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, including a brief flirtation with Elgin Baylor, still attends every game at the Chiles Center and can tell you a number of true recruiting tales from those days that just leave you shaking your head at their audacity and underhandedness…..those were different times, but I’m sure some of that still exists at some schools.

Thanks. However, Idaho St. is in Pocatello. The College of Idaho is still in Caldwell. They are the Yotes.

up7587 wrote:Thanks. However, Idaho St. is in Pocatello. The College of Idaho is still in Caldwell. They are the Yotes.

Yea, I've been to both towns.....guess I couldn't tell them apart....

Darwin Cook will be inducted into the WCC Hall of Fame at ceremonies during the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas in March.