Finally A Video Of Bird Vs Birdsong!

Cougar Basketball
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I have been looking for a video of the classic 1977 first round NIT game between Indiana State with Larry Bird and Houston with Otis Birdsong. I finally found it. There were over 8000 fans in Hofheinz Pavilion that night.

Something’s that stood out in watching the video:

This video shows how great of a shooter Otis Birsong was. If you do not have him in the top 3 pure shooters in UH school history think again.

Larry Bird - He was only 20 years old in this video, Wow he did it all, Shooting, rebounding, diving for loose balls, passing. The thing that most surprised me was how great of a player he was as an offensive rebounder. From this game you could tell he would go on to total legendary status.

Enjoy fellow Cougars. How many of you were at this game?

https://youtu.be/mMSUYuyd-Bo

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I was there. What a great game!

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Thank you for posting. Great memories.

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I was there.

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I was there as well. Tremendous game.

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Wow!!! Thank you for posting this. I was only 7 years old. I’m not sure if I had been to a UH basketball game yet.

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Yep, I was there. Before the game I was wondering who this goofy looking blonde kid was. We found out pretty quick, I think Bird scored about 40 points.

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Awesome post. Thank you for posting. Indeed Otis was awesome. Unfortunately the teams he played for were not. Can you imagine if the Rockets had traded for him in the 80’s when Hakeem, Akeem got drafted? Lady luck…
I hated the Celtics in the 80’s. I loved the Lakers then. These legendary games are for me NBA’s greatest era. You always need two to tango and that was it. Pushing the three point line back ruined it for me.

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I was there with my family. Awesome game!

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Great memories. I moved here from Terre Haute (Indiana State home) in high school. Several old friends made the trip and had a great time visiting. Win-win!

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I was 4 at that time and don’t believe I was there but pretty sure my dad was.

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I was there with my father who had become a big Coog hoops enthusiast.

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This game happened 47 years ago, and I have a strong memory of how it ended. My wife and I were sitting near the Basket where the last shot was taken. In my mind I still could see it.

To my thrill I discovered that my memory was correct! After 47 years.

Bird took the last shot, but was too far past the Goal. He was close to the baseline. His shot bounced off the rim and fell away as the horn sounded. YouTube confirmed my memory!

Upon informing my 3 children that I had correctly remembered a Basketball Game from 47 years ago, they chuckled, aware that I don’t correctly remember last week.

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I guess I should report that I was there too. I was just happy that UH had one more home game at the time that meant something.

I do feel privileged to have witnessed the legend of Larry Bird early in his career.

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Also in the building. You knew they were going to get a shot to win and almost certainly Byrd would take it-just so exciting to see it bounce away. Birdsong was just so smooth!

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I was at that game also. Coach Lewis told me the week of the game that the lanky white kid Bird would be one of the greatest players to ever play against the Cougars was he ever right.
Well I saw it with my own eyes and like Tucson we were sitting at the end Birds shot rimed out at the buzzer. Great memories

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I was there as well. Bird vs Birdsong that night was better matchup than Bird vs Magic a year later in NCAA National Championship Game.

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I was there too! Dang I’m getting old…

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I was there, and that night I was 29 years old.

In June I will be 77.

Astonishing!

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Was at the game and talked to Otis about this game last year when he was at Fertitta.

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