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ScuttleBu(r)t: Remembering Raymond Bray

ScuttleBu(r)t

ScuttleBu(r)t …

Received a text wondering if I noticed that the late Raymond Bray will be replaced by four people when it comes to operating the Gold Medal Classic basketball tournament in Hermansville.

I was just surprised it wasn’t five. He did much for that prestigious event.

The longtime Gold Medal tournament director died last week. He also taught school, coached Norway football and basketball, and officiated four sports.

“There are times that people come into your life and you just appreciate the opportunity to get to know them,” said Paul Polfus, Carney-Nadeau’s UP Hall of Fame basketball coach. “The ones who become your friend because they are real. You know what you see is what you get, and what you hear is honest and sincere. There aren’t that many around. One of these people was Ray Bray.”

Iron River’s Jan Quarless, another UP Hall of Famer, was an NMU football teammate with Ray during the early 1970s.

“Good athlete, great competitor, great easy-going guy,” Quarless told me Monday. “Ray was able to recognize that you could have fun playing the game.”

I can’t ever remember not running into Ray Bray and not having a better perspective on things. Rest in peace, Raymond …

My boys in Vegas, this would be the Westgate, have updated the NCAA basketball title odds.

Duke remains the favorite at 3-1 to win the championship. Tommy Izzo’s MSU Spartans stand at 10-1 and mighty Michigan at 14-1.

In this week’s games, Michigan is a two-point favorite over Texas Tech and Michigan State is six better than LSU …

Quinnesec’s Brian Phillips and Kingsford’s Jared Cudnohufsky competed in the pro bowling tournament at Carpentersville, Ill.

Brian, according to his brother Brad, bowled with former Major League Baseball pitcher John Burkett. He spent 16 seasons in the bigs with six teams …

Check out ironmountaindailynews.com for an updated story on Iron Mountain’s 1939 championship basketball team. We’ve added the team picture.

Gotta believe “Chin” Fornetti was a match-up problem for opponents …

Fond du Lac head football coach Steve Jorgensen, who brought the Cardinals to Flivver Field this past season, has stepped down after one year.

Kingsford held a 6-0 lead on Fondy before the WIAA Division 1 state semifinalists took control.

Jorgensen, who coached Oshkosh North and Kimberly to state titles, may stay with the Cardinals staff as an assistant …

UP Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association meet today at the Holiday Inn in Marquette to select the best girls and boys basketball players.

I remember the good, old days when NMU would welcome this meeting with open arms, knowing that 30 UP media members would provide great publicity for the school …

Burt Angeli is a Daily News columnist and sports writer. He can be reached at bangeli@ironmountaindailynews.com or 906-774-2772, ex. 25. Follow him on Twitter @ScuttleBurt

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