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Post by hc87 on Aug 23, 2019 14:41:25 GMT -5
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Post by ndgradbuthcfan on Aug 23, 2019 14:44:20 GMT -5
He actually said "most extraordinary President...." ....a meaningful distinction....our curly, headed fellow alumnus has a column on it today... You are 100% correct, my bad. But I still say "wow".
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Post by hc87 on Aug 23, 2019 14:47:26 GMT -5
All that speech needed yesterday (not that it needed anything) was some guy yelling out in the Oval Office: "WE LUV YA COOZ!!!!" when Bob started to choke up.
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Post by hc6774 on Aug 23, 2019 14:53:06 GMT -5
Read today's Dan Shaughnessy's story on BostonGlobe.com
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Post by hchoops on Aug 23, 2019 15:03:53 GMT -5
Paywall block please cut and paste
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Aug 23, 2019 15:20:23 GMT -5
Ninety-one-year-old Bob Cousy just finished his career with one last crossover dribble, one last dazzling behind-the-back pass. The Cooz was at the White House Thursday to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump. It is the nation’s highest civilian honor, and Cousy said, “It allows me to complete my life circle.’’
And what a life. The son of French immigrants, Cousy grew up in New York City in an apartment without running water and used his basketball skills to earn a ticket to Holy Cross and international fame with the Boston Celtics. He was the LeBron James of his era, “Mr. Basketball,’’ changing the way the game was played and winning six championships in his Hall of Fame career.
In retirement, Cousy coached, worked in television, remained in Worcester with his bride of 63 years (Missie Cousy died in 2013), and became an inveterate reader of books. Trained in the Jesuit tradition of independent thinking, the Cooz listens to all sides of every debate and makes up his own mind. He reads alone in his den for up to five hours a day, then he watches Fox News until bedtime.
In the last few years, Cousy has urged everyone he knows to read Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “Between the World and Me,’’ which is a letter from the author to his teenage son about feelings and realities associated with being black in the United States.
The tome provoked Cousy to reflect on his own views on race and inspired him to pen a letter of contrition to his long-ago teammate Bill Russell. Cousy mailed Russell Coates’s book along with his letter of apology. Cousy’s late-life introspection inspired a best-selling book (“The Last Pass”) by author Gary Pomerantz. All of which explains how the Houdini of the Hardwood performed some Oval Office magic Thursday.
After graciously accepting his medal, Cousy stood at a podium in front of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and delivered a five-minute speech. The Celtics legend thanked everyone profusely, including the Holy Cross Jesuits for installing his moral compass, then concluded his remarks with, “This is special because it is being presented by the most extraordinary president in my lifetime.”
Standing behind Cousy, a little to the left of the Celtic legend, the president reached out with an encouraging pat on the back. A video clip of the exchange was quickly tweeted out by the White House.
The seemingly reverential remark infuriated some Cousy loyalists, including former Worcester Telegram columnist John Gearan, who fired off a mass email, writing (in part), “My lifelong hero, Bob Cousy, has fallen from his pedestal and crashed into smithereens.”
Not so fast, everybody. The statement by Cousy was carefully crafted. Look up the word “extraordinary’’ in the dictionary. In my Google search, it comes up as “1. Very unusual or remarkable.’’
There you go. Would anyone disagree that President Trump is “very unusual”?
It was a perfectly gracious and ambiguous remark. Everybody heard what they wanted to hear. Like feathering a pass underneath to Russell for an easy dunk, the Cooz deftly made the president feel great while remaining loyal to things he believes. Masterful. The Jesuits should be proud. I reached Cousy on the phone Friday to ask if he was intentionally vague with his remarks.
“In my mind, the word ‘extraordinary’ is in the mind of the beholder,’’ he acknowledged. “The haters can put whatever connotation to it they want and the people on the other side can also do so. That’s exactly what I had in mind, so this way everybody can put whatever connotation they want to it.
“Trust me, I did this a month ago. I practiced every day and kept making hand note revisions. My bride and I were registered independents for 63 years. I wanted to maintain my independence. I didn’t want to be a robot thinker on every issue that comes along and have to vote the way the party votes. “I’ve been to the White House five times [Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Reagan, Trump]. I’ve been through the experience. I’m not awed, but I am respectful of the most powerful office in the world.
“So whoever’s there, in my mind, you have to be respectful, especially at 91 when they’re hanging a medal around your neck that is so meaningful.
“So I very carefully tried to broach . . . I wanted to say an appropriate thank you to the president, so that’s what I eventually came up with.’’
When I told Cousy that some of his backers felt betrayed by his characterization of the president, Cousy said, “My daughter Marie from Seattle is not a hater — she doesn’t have that emotion in her body — but she is certainly not a Trump fan and she was able to accept this graciously. So I’m not worried about anyone else.’’
Back on Bob Cousy Day at the old Boston Garden in 1963, as a teary-eyed Cousy tried to get through his retirement speech on the parquet floor, a fan in the upper deck spoke for everybody when he broke an awkward silence by bellowing, “We love you, Cooz!’’ True then. True today.
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Post by hchoops on Aug 23, 2019 15:26:09 GMT -5
Well, for the vast majority who read that quote and did not read Shaughnessy’s column, both lovers and haters of Trump, they interpreted that comment as a strong endorsement. If Cousy did not want that interpretation, he could have said something else. He even added, he goes back before FDR.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Aug 23, 2019 15:29:17 GMT -5
What a shame it is that this cannot be as simple as the president of the US honoring a great American. People have to bring their politics into it.
I think one of the previous presidents in my lifetime--he'll go unnamed-- should be regarded as the worst president in history for doing untold damage to the culture and the country. Still, if he had awarded the medal to Mr. Cousy and made the same speech that the current office holder made, I would have said the same thing I said earlier: "Great speech by the president and our Bob Cousy."
What a sad statement by my classmate Dan S: "When I told Cousy that some of his backers felt betrayed by his characterization of the president....."
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Post by hchoops on Aug 23, 2019 15:35:32 GMT -5
What a shame it is that this cannot be as simple as the president of the US honoring a great American. People have to bring their politics into it. I think one of the previous presidents in my lifetime--he'll go unnamed-- should be regarded as the worst president in history for doing untold damage to the culture and the country. Still, if he had awarded the medal to Mr. Cousy and made the same speech that the current office holder made, I would have said the same thing I said earlier: "Great speech by the president and our Bob Cousy." What a sad statement by my classmate Dan S: "When I told Cousy that some of his backers felt betrayed by his characterization of the president....." If you mean my post, I did not criticize anything Trump said. I am a great admirer of Cousy.as a person. But he made the speech political by for some reason adding the “extraordinary” term.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Aug 23, 2019 15:39:34 GMT -5
No-- I was referring to the "wow" post here and Shaughnessy's Globe column
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Post by efg72 on Aug 23, 2019 15:46:43 GMT -5
Dan asked a question that his readers might want addressed, but not necessary for the moment. If asked he could have approached it differently.
He made it clear in interviews he would be voting for Trump in 2020 , so for supporters and haters remember we all vote our conscience and nobody else matters that is why you go into a voting booth.
People need to get over their personal politics and as graduates or friends of Holy Cross enjoy the moment for the recognition of a wonderful man and Crusader.
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Post by moose1970 on Aug 23, 2019 16:03:36 GMT -5
Ninety-one-year-old Bob Cousy just finished his career with one last crossover dribble, one last dazzling behind-the-back pass. The Cooz was at the White House Thursday to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump. It is the nation’s highest civilian honor, and Cousy said, “It allows me to complete my life circle.’’ And what a life. The son of French immigrants, Cousy grew up in New York City in an apartment without running water and used his basketball skills to earn a ticket to Holy Cross and international fame with the Boston Celtics. He was the LeBron James of his era, “Mr. Basketball,’’ changing the way the game was played and winning six championships in his Hall of Fame career. In retirement, Cousy coached, worked in television, remained in Worcester with his bride of 63 years (Missie Cousy died in 2013), and became an inveterate reader of books. Trained in the Jesuit tradition of independent thinking, the Cooz listens to all sides of every debate and makes up his own mind. He reads alone in his den for up to five hours a day, then he watches Fox News until bedtime. In the last few years, Cousy has urged everyone he knows to read Ta-Nehisi Coates’s “Between the World and Me,’’ which is a letter from the author to his teenage son about feelings and realities associated with being black in the United States. The tome provoked Cousy to reflect on his own views on race and inspired him to pen a letter of contrition to his long-ago teammate Bill Russell. Cousy mailed Russell Coates’s book along with his letter of apology. Cousy’s late-life introspection inspired a best-selling book (“The Last Pass”) by author Gary Pomerantz. All of which explains how the Houdini of the Hardwood performed some Oval Office magic Thursday. After graciously accepting his medal, Cousy stood at a podium in front of a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and delivered a five-minute speech. The Celtics legend thanked everyone profusely, including the Holy Cross Jesuits for installing his moral compass, then concluded his remarks with, “This is special because it is being presented by the most extraordinary president in my lifetime.” Standing behind Cousy, a little to the left of the Celtic legend, the president reached out with an encouraging pat on the back. A video clip of the exchange was quickly tweeted out by the White House. The seemingly reverential remark infuriated some Cousy loyalists, including former Worcester Telegram columnist John Gearan, who fired off a mass email, writing (in part), “My lifelong hero, Bob Cousy, has fallen from his pedestal and crashed into smithereens.” Not so fast, everybody. The statement by Cousy was carefully crafted. Look up the word “extraordinary’’ in the dictionary. In my Google search, it comes up as “1. Very unusual or remarkable.’’ There you go. Would anyone disagree that President Trump is “very unusual”? It was a perfectly gracious and ambiguous remark. Everybody heard what they wanted to hear. Like feathering a pass underneath to Russell for an easy dunk, the Cooz deftly made the president feel great while remaining loyal to things he believes. Masterful. The Jesuits should be proud. I reached Cousy on the phone Friday to ask if he was intentionally vague with his remarks. “In my mind, the word ‘extraordinary’ is in the mind of the beholder,’’ he acknowledged. “The haters can put whatever connotation to it they want and the people on the other side can also do so. That’s exactly what I had in mind, so this way everybody can put whatever connotation they want to it. “Trust me, I did this a month ago. I practiced every day and kept making hand note revisions. My bride and I were registered independents for 63 years. I wanted to maintain my independence. I didn’t want to be a robot thinker on every issue that comes along and have to vote the way the party votes. “I’ve been to the White House five times [Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Reagan, Trump]. I’ve been through the experience. I’m not awed, but I am respectful of the most powerful office in the world. “So whoever’s there, in my mind, you have to be respectful, especially at 91 when they’re hanging a medal around your neck that is so meaningful. “So I very carefully tried to broach . . . I wanted to say an appropriate thank you to the president, so that’s what I eventually came up with.’’ When I told Cousy that some of his backers felt betrayed by his characterization of the president, Cousy said, “My daughter Marie from Seattle is not a hater — she doesn’t have that emotion in her body — but she is certainly not a Trump fan and she was able to accept this graciously. So I’m not worried about anyone else.’’ Back on Bob Cousy Day at the old Boston Garden in 1963, as a teary-eyed Cousy tried to get through his retirement speech on the parquet floor, a fan in the upper deck spoke for everybody when he broke an awkward silence by bellowing, “We love you, Cooz!’’ True then. True today. as an attorney i spent my legal career representing clients in civil litigation matters. i did not always like my clients personally but my responsibility was to always provide the best legal representation possible. bob cousy clearly understood the significance of appearing at the white house and receipt of the medal of freedom which he so richly deserves. he has too much class to make it a political event. his message was clear as to what he meant by "extraordinary president"
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Post by efg72 on Aug 23, 2019 16:56:50 GMT -5
What he meant is in his own words which unfortunately to the public interpretation is always in the “eyes of the beholder”
Cousy is a gracious and kind man These awards are not political by definition and should be respected as such
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Post by timholycross on Aug 23, 2019 17:03:42 GMT -5
I'd consider getting trashed by John Gearan a badge of honor. And that sentiment has nothing to do with politics.
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Post by ndgradbuthcfan on Aug 23, 2019 17:08:58 GMT -5
What a shame it is that this cannot be as simple as the president of the US honoring a great American. People have to bring their politics into it. I think one of the previous presidents in my lifetime--he'll go unnamed-- should be regarded as the worst president in history for doing untold damage to the culture and the country. Still, if he had awarded the medal to Mr. Cousy and made the same speech that the current office holder made, I would have said the same thing I said earlier: "Great speech by the president and our Bob Cousy." What a sad statement by my classmate Dan S: "When I told Cousy that some of his backers felt betrayed by his characterization of the president....." It is impossible that any of the previous presidents could be regarded as the worst president in history.
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Post by HC92 on Aug 23, 2019 17:21:13 GMT -5
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Post by efg72 on Aug 23, 2019 17:29:43 GMT -5
What a shame it is that this cannot be as simple as the president of the US honoring a great American. People have to bring their politics into it. I think one of the previous presidents in my lifetime--he'll go unnamed-- should be regarded as the worst president in history for doing untold damage to the culture and the country. Still, if he had awarded the medal to Mr. Cousy and made the same speech that the current office holder made, I would have said the same thing I said earlier: "Great speech by the president and our Bob Cousy." What a sad statement by my classmate Dan S: "When I told Cousy that some of his backers felt betrayed by his characterization of the president....." It is impossible that any of the previous presidents could be regarded as the worst president in history. Now that statement deserves a thread on a much different site. I have been in meetings with every President since Ford and like Cousy, my wife and I are non partisan, but I totally disagree that you couldn’t make that determination. The question is what are the metrics. if this is where we are going please close the thread and just celebrate all Bob Cousy has accomplished and given in his life. Willing to bet few if any have come close to his contribution
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Post by timholycross on Aug 23, 2019 17:36:29 GMT -5
I agree, efg. Hopefully Dean Wormer is warming up in the pen.
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Post by HCFC45 on Aug 23, 2019 17:48:45 GMT -5
Yes, Cooz does very well for 91 and did an excellent job yesterday! He got very emotional when mentioning his wife Missie. I’ve read that when she passed he still did things as though she was still there, like talking to her, etc. I did not know about his teen years in NY. Also was very happy to hear the mention about Holy Cross and what he took from that 4 year experience! The part that really upset me the most was that stupid, yes worse than stupid reporter/press person who asked the question about employment numbers just as the event ended and the others hurling questions at Trump! Just let a beautiful/emotional event end properly without making an a$$ out of yourself! !
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Post by rf1 on Aug 23, 2019 20:01:06 GMT -5
Cousy would have been better served by not making a political statement and just thanking the president for the honor and for hosting the event. His endorsement of Trump as the greatest president of his lifetime was sure to bring criticism given how controversial he is.
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Post by gks on Aug 23, 2019 20:08:28 GMT -5
Cousy would have been better served by not making a political statement and just thanking the president for the honor and for hosting the event. His endorsement of Trump as the greatest president of his lifetime was sure to bring criticism given how controversial he is. I think at this point in his long and successful life Bob Cousy could care less what you or anyone else thinks about his point of view. Congrats Cooz!
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Post by crosspride on Aug 23, 2019 20:12:13 GMT -5
Cousy would have been better served by not making a political statement and just thanking the president for the honor and for hosting the event. His endorsement of Trump as the greatest president of his lifetime was sure to bring criticism given how controversial he is. Did you read any of this thread? That’s not what he said. It was calculated and well put by Cousy. If there were more politicians - and people for that matter - like Bob Cousy in this country, it would be a much more civil place.
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Post by sader81 on Aug 23, 2019 20:23:09 GMT -5
The President just gave Bob Cousy the highest honor a President can give a person. Like the President or not, he is doing his best that he can, whether his name is Trump, Carter, Obama or Bush. You don’t call him an @$$h**e when receiving an award, as it is the country that gives you the honor, not the person. Being gracious is appropriate, and that’s what Cousy was yesterday, and I am proud to share a similar diploma with him.
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Post by thecrossisback on Aug 23, 2019 20:30:23 GMT -5
www.telegram.com/news/20190823/bob-cousy-reflects-on-presidential-medal-trump-meetingWORCESTER — From the moment President Donald Trump placed the Presidential Medal of Freedom around Bob Cousy’s neck at the White House late Thursday afternoon the Holy Cross and Celtics legend didn’t take it off until he arrived back at his Salisbury Street home that night. Then he draped the medal around his copy of the Bob Cousy Award, a trophy of him dribbling a basketball that is presented to the top point college point guard in the country each year. “After a couple of glasses of champagne,” he said Friday morning at his home, “I decided that was an appropriate place to leave it for the night.” On the return flight to Worcester aboard a private plane supplied by Polar Beverages President and CEO Ralph Crowley Thursday night, Mr. Crowley provided champagne to toast the 91-year-old Mr. Cousy. Airport limos are not allowed on the grounds of the White House, so Mr. Cousy and his family waited for theirs on a sidewalk nearby after the ceremony. Never shy to poke fun at himself, Mr. Cousy explained, “I’m sitting in my wheelchair with the medal around my neck and my family around me and people are walking by staring and thinking, ‘What the heck is that old fart doing sitting the middle of the sidewalk?’” Related content NBA legend Bob Cousy receives Medal of Freedom August 22, 2019 He was enjoying himself. “It ends my life cycle,” the 1957 NBA MVP said. “There’s nothing further. Not I thought about getting the Medal of Freedom for the last 20 years or so.” Mr. Cousy remembers his reaction when Kevin Condron, Jack Sharry and Ken Kaufman told him five years ago that he deserved the honor. “I actually said, ‘What’s the President Medal of Freedom?’” Mr. Cousy recalled. Since then Mr. Cousy has learned a great deal about the award and he was honored to join Bill Russell, his former Celtics teammate, in receiving it. Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only two other NBA players to be presented the award. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the country’s highest civilian award that recognizes those who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” The medal was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the year Mr. Cousy retired from the Celtics after winning six NBA championships. President Kennedy was one of six U.S. presidents to invite Mr. Cousy to the White House. Lyndon Johnson invited him twice. During a ceremony at the Oval Office, President Trump detailed the highlights of Mr. Cousy’s life on and off the basketball court. When he called Mr. Cousy the “Wizard of Worcester,” he didn’t quite pronounce Worcester properly. “Put him in the category,” Mr. Cousy said, “of every flight crew I’ve ever been with flying into Worcester. It’s always, “Wooster or War-chester.’” After President Trump, Mr. Cousy spoke for a few minutes and he became emotional when he mentioned his devoted wife of 63 years, Missy, who died at age 85 six years ago. “I didn’t feel like that was going to happen,” he said. “I had practiced (reading) that every day once for 30 days since I first jotted down what I wanted to say. But it did happen (Thursday) for whatever reason. It would have been nice for her to be there.” “The whole family teared up,” Mr. Cousy’s daughter Ticia Brooks said, “when he talked about my mom passing and about how she would have loved this.” Ticia and her sister Marie have received all sorts of congratulatory text messages and the house phone repeatedly rang while Mr. Cousy spoke with a reporter Friday morning at his home. At 91, Mr. Cousy could be the oldest person to receive the President Medal of Freedom. “It makes me feel vital in that I was able to get there and go through it,” he said. “The champagne and red wine helped.” Mr. Cousy compared the high of receiving the medal to winning one of his championships, the first of which he earned at Holy Cross as a freshman when the Crusaders captured the 1947 NCAA crown. During his remarks at the White House, Mr. Cousy said the honor was special in part because “it is being presented by the most extraordinary president in my lifetime and I’m a B.R., for before Roosevelt.” Mr. Cousy, a long-time independent, said he respects the White House as the most powerful office in the world and he felt compelled to pay tribute to the president. “I understand how controversial Trump is,” Mr. Cousy said. “So I didn’t want to say something that was going to go viral and get all of us in trouble, but I thought that was a nice middle ground and ‘extraordinary’ I suppose can be interpreted in any number of ways in the mind of the listener.” In addition to the official Presidential Medal of Freedom, Mr. Cousy also received a miniature version, pins and the award certificate signed by Trump. “This is amazing,” said Ticia, who taught kindergarten and second grade for 42 years before retiring a couple of years ago. “Very few people get it and as an educator we used to teach the kids about the Medal of Freedom and now my dad gets the Medal of Freedom. It’s pretty amazing.”
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Aug 23, 2019 20:34:36 GMT -5
What a class move by Polar Beverages to provide the family with the private plane!!
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