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Post by td128 on Dec 1, 2019 11:10:01 GMT -5
Absolutely. Great post. Yes, indeed, the future is spectacularly bright.
LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Dec 1, 2019 10:30:11 GMT -5
I shared this directly with the Board of Trustees and proposed that Keith Simmons give a talk on campus which would be live streamed for the benefit of the entire Holy Cross community both on and off campus.
This story redirects the narrative and is uplifting and enlightening for all of us.
MAJOR props to Keith Simmons '07 and Whitey Moynihan '83 who both represent the best of Holy Cross.
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Post by td128 on Dec 1, 2019 9:10:47 GMT -5
In light of recent developments that brought national attention to Holy Cross, perhaps those atop Mt. St. James in charge of Marketing and Communications might think about promoting this personal story of Keith Simmons. I would also recommend that the administration invite Keith to address the student body at large to share his personal story. I think his experience may be enlightening for many students, faculty, and administrators on campus. Hard not to juxtapose this story that is running in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette to the damage done to Alma Mater given the manner in which the Heather MacDonald talk was handled. Lots of lessons in here for everybody. MAJOR props to Keith Simmons for bringing real glory and honor to Holy Cross. MAJOR props to Holy Cross Crusader alum Whitey Moynihan '83 as well for engaging and supporting Keith when he played for the Crusaders and for being a lifelong mentor to him. Talk about being a "man for others." www.telegram.com/news/20191130/where-are-they-now-former-holy-cross-basketball-star-keith-simmons-comes-home-again WORCESTER — Former Holy Cross men’s basketball star Keith Simmons was at the Hart Center last week to watch the Crusaders play Harvard. Being in the gym, of course, evoked many memories of his hall-of-fame career and playing for former HC coach Ralph Willard.
Simmons’ introduction to Holy Cross occurred 17 years ago when Willard, on the recruiting trail, visited Simmons and his mom, Essie, in their Kingston, New York, home.
Willard, Simmons remembers vividly, extolled HC’s passionate alumni network and told Mrs. Simmons how Holy Cross would make her son into a man and prepare him for the world.
“As a 17-year-old,” Simmons recalled with a laugh, “you’re like, ‘That’s nice, but am I going to play?’”
Simmons graduated from Holy Cross in 2007, played professionally overseas for nine years and has since pursued a career as a certified personal trainer and business owner. He returned to Worcester three months ago, and is living here while the home he and his wife, Amy — a physician’s assistant and also a ’07 HC grad — purchased in Wilmington is being renovated.
He is a co-owner, along with Frank Nash, 1983 HC grad John “Whitey” Moynihan, and his son, Quinn Moynihan, of Stronger Personal Training, a fitness gym with locations in Worcester and Southboro.
Simmons said he is thrilled to be back in the area and close to Holy Cross.
“Now,” the 34-year-old Simmons said, “I’m the passionate alum who wants to reach out and find ways to be of service to the community and Holy Cross’ current student body.”
Simmons, a 6-foot-5 wing, scored 1,654 points for the Crusaders and ranks ninth on the program’s all-time scoring list. Along with classmate Torey Thomas, Simmons led Holy Cross to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2007.
He played professionally in Germany for one year and in Turkey for eight seasons, including seven for the Banvit Basketball Club.
“Where to start?” Simmons said when asked of his overseas experiences. “I had never been out of the country until I started playing, and just the travel alone, seeing different cultures, different religions, different food, different music, different everything, it was very intimidating at first and I was a little bit of a hermit that first year. As you mature, you try to take advantage of it and the whole experience was so transformative, the way I think about my life, my spirituality, my confidence. Everything changed.”
Simmons had a successful playing career on one of Turkey’s top teams.
“We competed for a championship and financially basketball did a lot for me,” Simmons said. “I was able to buy my mom a condo, put my wife through school, pay off her debt from Holy Cross, things like that. It was a transformative time in my life. I have nothing but good things to say.”
Simmons retired three years ago and returned to New York.
Before embarking on the next phase of his life, he took an “epic” three-month, cross-country tour of the United States. Amy accompanied him for a couple weeks. Simmons sent an itinerary to friends and family near and far, and “people were jumping in and out of the trip, which was amazing,” Simmons said.
He made 32 stops and visited 22 states. He went from the far reaches of Alaska, to Birmingham, Alabama, to Acadia National Park in Maine. He toured the West Coast and Midwest, jumped out of a plane in Austin, Texas, and ate alligator in New Orleans.
“It was amazing,” Simmons said, “and a nice way to reintegrate myself to America.”
Back in New York, Simmons had a couple of very successful personal fitness training endeavors, including a corporate wellness program at a financial institution in the city as well as a wellness program for New York University freshmen.
Whitey Moynihan, a mentor to Simmons when he was a student at Holy Cross, contacted him about the opportunity with StrongerPT.
“I continued to get more experience, education and additional certifications and specialties,” Simmons said. “My wife is from north of Boston, so we’ve always been looking to re-locate to this area.”
While the house is being renovated and Simmons is growing his new business, Amy is in New York working at Columbia Presbyterian and pursuing her master’s degree in public health. She is expecting their first child in February.
“A new house, new gym, baby on the way, it’s all good,” Simmons said with his sparkling, signature smile. “It’s all exciting things.”
Simmons, who majored in sociology at Holy Cross, was a three-time first-team All-Patriot League selection and the 2007 Patriot League Player of the Year.
“When I talk about my Holy Cross experience,” Simmons said, “I loved it and I speak very glowingly of it, but at the same time it was a crucible. Absolutely it was a crucible. Coach Willard was the most demanding coach I ever had. He was very tough on us. I remember him telling us, ‘I can’t let up because the world is not going to let up.’
“On top of that, you’re at this really good, high-level institution and you’ve got to go back to your room after practice and read 60 pages a night. And if your paper is due and you’re traveling, ‘we need that paper before you go on the trip.’ Coach Willard said, ‘you will never have anyone demand more of you than I do.’
“I played nine years overseas and we had some tough coaches,” Simmons said with a laugh, “but it was a cake walk (compared to Willard).”
Simmons was inducted to the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2017.
“During my speech, I talked about that ultimately college should prepare you for life,” Simmons said. “Whatever industry you’re going into, whatever you’re going to do, it should prepare you for life. I can honestly say Holy Cross made a lot of the challenges I faced since then easier. I’ll be forever grateful to Holy Cross because of that.
“That’s why it’s very important for me to be in business with a Holy Cross person and to be connected to the Holy Cross community,” Simmons said. “Whatever they need. I’m in town. I’m here. I told that to the basketball program and to my old academic advisor. Absolutely, I’m here. That’s what Holy Cross did for me. It has to come full circle.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg.
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Post by td128 on Nov 30, 2019 5:29:03 GMT -5
Very regrettably, I firmly believe what we have seen transpire at Alma Mater and subsequently throughout our alumni community as a result of the expressions displayed on the pages of the WSJ is that "nothing good happens in a vacuum of leadership."
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Post by td128 on Nov 30, 2019 4:49:59 GMT -5
I welcome submitting the following for purposes of this discussion: Remember, That Famous Voltaire “Quote” About Free Speech Was Written By a Woman (January 2015)"The importance of free speech has been a salient and frequent talking point in the cultural zeitgeist for the last few months, so it’s more than likely that you’ve seen somebody tweet or update their Facebook status with the iconic phrase, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” But do you know where that line actually comes from? Because it sure as hell wasn’t Voltaire.
While the “defend to the death” quote properly summarizes the political beliefs of the French enlightenment thinker and 18th century writer to which they are so often misattributed, the words themselves were never said by him—they were said about him, in a 1906 biography called The Friends of Voltaire. English writer Beatrice Evelyn Hall published the book under a pseudonym, S. G. Tallentyre, and intended for the line to be a reflection of Voltaire’s attitude towards Claude Adrien Helvétius, another French philosopher:
""What the book could never have done for itself, or for its author, persecution did for them both. ‘On the Mind’ became not the success of a season, but one of the most famous books of the century. The men who had hated it, and had not particularly loved Helvétius, flocked round him now. Voltaire forgave him all injuries, intentional or unintentional. ‘What a fuss about an omelette!’ he had exclaimed when he heard of the burning. How abominably unjust to persecute a man for such an airy trifle as that! ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,’ was his attitude now.""
But because she wrote this line in first person, people mistook it for something Voltaire said himself, because despite how much we complain about the Internet, humanity as a species has always been surprisingly terrible at reading comprehension. (The fact that the earlier omelette line had been attributed to Voltaire in an earlier 1881 book by James Parton, The Life of Voltaire, probably didn’t help matters.)
It’s also possible Hall was inspired by a different quote attributed to Voltaire in a 1770 letter which said, “I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.” Even that quote, however, is hotly debated by scholars. Either way, The Friends of Voltaire wasn’t the only time she used the line—she also recycled it in her 1919 Voltaire in His Letters.
So the next time you see someone using that particular quote, kindly remind them Voltaire wrote a great many influential things, but definitely not that. And if you want to quote Voltaire on free speech, here’s something that he did write once, in his 1763 Treatise on Toleration: “The supposed right of intolerance is absurd and barbaric. It is the right of the tiger; nay, it is far worse, for tigers do but tear in order to have food, while we rend each other for paragraphs.” That’s something probably everybody on the Internet could stand to think about, ourselves included." www.themarysue.com/voltaire-beatrice-evelyn-hall/
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Post by td128 on Nov 29, 2019 8:11:19 GMT -5
I appreciate and respect ALL of the comments, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this thread. I would hope and wish that our leaders on campus may try to foster an environment in which much the same could occur atop Mt. St. James. Perhaps some, much of this does transpire but then those engagements should be marketed and promoted to the broader Holy Cross community so as to set the bar and exemplify what Jesuit education means circa 2019. On the topic of the justice system, I think a point worthy of debate is to what extent the justice system is the cause or the effect within our society. I do not pretend to have the total answer to that question but I think it is worthy of debate. Within that debate, I think it is worthy to enter the following into the discussion. My son was strongly dissuaded by a professor on campus from writing a year end paper his freshman year on the topic of Impact of Single Parent Families and the explosive growth of the same over the last few generations. To wit, I welcome submitting the following: cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/135704/NFIFatherAbsenceInfoGraphic071118.pdf
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Post by td128 on Nov 27, 2019 8:45:02 GMT -5
Truly incredible things happen when minds are opened, ideas shared, questions debated, dreams are laid out, and those visions become reality through inspired work ethic.
Not oppression . . . INSPIRATION!!
Let's Win!!
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Post by td128 on Nov 27, 2019 8:34:10 GMT -5
Dean, this thread is clearly political. To wit: There is more to this thread than merely a discussion of free speech and lack of tolerance for differing opinions. There is a political subtext in this thread that concerns those that might find MacDonald's comments outrageous and racially self serving. MacDonald's letter blatantly promotes her abhorrent political/cultural views. Her attempt to discredit the feelings of oppression by some students can and will be viewed by many as another example of white paternalism and supremacy. At this point I will stop with the suggestion and hope that the Dean might shut down this thread. LoveHC If you would like copies of the countless numbers of photographs taken in which members of the 90-Wide are meaningfully engaged with wide numbers of our African-American student-athletes on the Crusader Football team, please feel free to send me an email at lwdoyle128@aol.com and I welcome sharing. Additionally, I welcome sharing our 90W Impact Report with personal messages of gratitude from an array of Crusaders over the last ten years and across the entire racial spectrum. Let's Win!!
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Post by td128 on Nov 27, 2019 6:17:10 GMT -5
Why Are College Students So Afraid of Me? Because adults at places like Bucknell and Holy Cross have convinced them they are oppressed. By Heather Mac Donald Nov. 26, 2019 6:47 pm ET
Few things upset American college students more than being told they aren’t oppressed. I recently spoke at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. I argued that American undergraduates are among the most privileged individuals in history by virtue of their unfettered access to knowledge. Far from being discriminated against, students are surrounded by well-meaning faculty who want all of them to succeed.
About 15 minutes into my talk, as I was discussing Renaissance humanism, a majority of the audience in the packed auditorium stood up and started chanting: “My oppression is not a delusion!” The chanters then declared that my sexism, racism and homophobia weren’t welcome on campus. “You are not welcome,” they added, as if I didn’t know.
The protesters drowned out my response before filing slowly out of the room, still loudly announcing their victimhood and leaving dozens of seats empty that could have been filled by students who had been turned away for lack of space. (The protesters had hoped to occupy the entire auditorium before vacating it, so no one else could hear me speak.)
In a subsequent open letter, a senior claimed that I came to Holy Cross to “discredit, humiliate, and deny the existence of minority students.” In fact, I came to urge the entire student body to seize their boundless opportunities for learning with joy and gratitude.
The maudlin self-pity on display at Holy Cross doesn’t arise spontaneously. It is actively cultivated by adults on campus. A few days before the Holy Cross protest, faculty and administrators at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., convened a therapeutic “scholars” panel to take place during another talk of mine. The goal was to inoculate the university against the violence that I allegedly represented.
Bucknell’s interpersonal violence prevention coordinator; the director of its Women’s Resource Center; the interim associate provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion; a women’s and gender studies professor; and an economics professor discussed rape culture, trauma and racism. Students and faculty were then invited to join in painting “self-care” rocks.
This craft activity, in which participants write feel-good messages on stones, was originally designed for K-5 classrooms. It may not be what parents paying Bucknell’s $72,000 annual tuition and fees had in mind. No matter. According to Bucknell’s interpersonal violence prevention coordinator, it was “especially important” for students who had attended my talk to come to the scholars “space” afterward and practice self-care. The interim associate provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion said that the administration’s willingness to let my talk proceed shows that it values free speech more than the community’s trauma.
In anticipation of my Bucknell talk, student journalists had claimed that “‘free speech’” merely amplifies “hate speech,” and that hate speech such as mine was intended to “attack students of color” and “survivors of sexual assault.” An English professor cheered them on. The Bucknell Faculty and Staff of Color Working Group urged colleagues to support those whose “first-hand experiences with injustice” at Bucknell were “invalidated and perpetuated” by my arguments.
Bucknell’s Democratic Socialists of America organized a protest at which participants—in between chants of “Hey hey! Ho Ho! Heather Mac has got to go!” and “No justice! No peace!”—were encouraged to share their personal experiences of injustice at Bucknell. Sadly, there is no available record of what the protesters came up with.
Students who can be persuaded to see oppression on an American college campus—where traits that still lead to ostracism and even death outside the West are not just tolerated but celebrated—can be persuaded to see oppression anywhere. The claim that American universities, and the U.S. in general, are defined by white supremacy is the one unifying idea on college campuses today, in the absence of a shared curriculum dedicated to civilization’s greatest works. And that idea is spreading. School systems across the country are training teachers and administrators that colorblind standards and the work ethic are instruments of white privilege. Any private institution without proportional representation of minorities and females is vulnerable to attack, since bigotry is the only allowable explanation for the lack of sex and race “diversity.”
The promiscuous labeling of disagreement as hate speech and the equation of such speech with violence will gain traction in the public arena, as college graduates take more positions of power. The former managing editor of Time has already advocated in the Washington Post for allowing states to define and penalize hate speech; potential censors wait in the wings.
Certain ideas are now taboo in the academy—above all, the idea that behavior and culture better explain socioeconomic disparities in the U.S. than bigotry. A Bucknell student protester claimed that my sin is to force “this elementary conversation about whether structural racism even exists.”
Most Americans are eager and ready for a post-racial country. The perpetual invocation of racial oppression on college campuses and beyond, however, keeps race relations fraught.
After the Holy Cross protest, the co-president of the Black Student Union, which organized the walkout with an assist from the student government, told the campus newspaper: “The fact that we pulled this off is actually amazing. I feel so empowered now, and this is just the beginning. This is the start of something more.”
About that, she is undoubtedly right.
Ms. Mac Donald is a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of “The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture.”
For those with access to the WSJ, the comments to this article are particularly interesting.
When weakness is displayed, intolerance becomes more comfortable (including increasingly embraced by faculty and administration), intelligent and respectful discourse declines across the entire spectrum of ideas, and the community suffers.
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Post by td128 on Nov 26, 2019 17:17:55 GMT -5
2019 Football Major AwardsOffensive Player of the Year: Domenic Cozier, Holy Cross, Sr., RB Dick Biddle Coach of the Year: Bob Chesney, Holy Cross 2019 Football All-Patriot League Teams First-Team Offense RB: Domenic Cozier, Holy Cross, Sr. OL: Brian Foley, Holy Cross, Jr. OL: Brett Boddy, Holy Cross, Sr. First-Team Defense DL: Benton Whitley, Holy Cross, Jr. DB: Chris Riley, Holy Cross, Sr. Second-Team Offense* QB: Connor Degenhardt, Holy Cross, Jr. WR: Ayir Asante, Holy Cross, Fr. TE: Derek Mountain, Holy Cross, Sr. Second-Team Defense* LB: Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, Fr. DB: Corey Stefanik, Holy Cross, Sr. STNS: Terrell Prince, Holy Cross, So., LB Nice recognition for these 11 Holy Cross players - congratulations! We lose 5, but 6 return...including perhaps the biggest surprise (I imagine) to some, Second Team, All-PL QB Connor Deghenhardt. Once again, congratulations to all recipients on this honor...and on Saturday GO CROSS, BEAT MONMOUTH! Want to make sure that Sr. DL Mark Ebo gets his due as a Second-Team All Patriot League performer. Makes the total 12 Crusaders. 6 seniors and 6 underclassmen. Congratulations to our Patriot League Coach of the Year Bob Chesney, our Offensive Player of the Year Domenic Cozier, and ALL these Crusaders gaining All-League recognition along with the entire team. I agree with Breezy that Joe Lang would have been most deserving but I have to assume that the few games he missed due to injury probably cost him this recognition. I would add Tenio Ayeni and DB John Smith as well to the list as also being very deserving. MAJOR Kudos to QB Connor Degenhardt as well. Play on and . . . LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Nov 25, 2019 16:22:07 GMT -5
Just sent this to a contact on the hill and welcome sharing it here as well:
Quick question. How and why can't the college allow an area for protesters to protest as is their 1st Amendment right while also allowing a forum for a speaker such as Heather MacDonald to share her views and engage in real debate so as to promote and pursue truth?
The fact that situations such as these persist and that the administration cannot figure out how to provide forums for individuals across all points on the spectrum does not leave a very good impression.
The simple fact is Ms. MacDonald is a highly intelligent individual. Whether one agrees with her views or not should not preclude her from an opportunity to speak and engage.
Holy Cross is better than this or it should be.
Not unlike student protesters upstaging the Harvard-Yale Football game by their sit-in at halftime, who/what gives them the right to disallow others to engage in the pleasure of watching a game. By the same token, who/what gives these students at Holy Cross the right to impede open honest discussion and debate.
I know that most alums who I engage share these feelings and are exasperated beyond description with the Holy Cross administration as a result. Truth be told, our administration looks incredibly weak and likely biased and sympathetic to these sorts of protests when they do not stand up for the pursuit of truth across the entire spectrum of ideas.
When will it ever end?
To say that this is just how college campuses are at this point in our history strikes me as an unacceptable response. We need some real leadership to stand up and lay down the ground rules so that forums on both ends of the spectrum and every point in between have a fair opportunity to speak.
I love Holy Cross more than I can put into words but situations such as these are incredibly exasperating. My knee jerk reaction is never to simply roll over and accept this stuff as "it is what it is". When weakness is displayed, intolerance takes comfort and becomes more aggressive.
Not so sure how that is consistent with the Jesuit principles of pursuit of the truth upon which the college was founded.
Feel free to share this message with whomever you might like.
#BeatMonmouth
Larry
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Post by td128 on Nov 25, 2019 13:35:30 GMT -5
LET'S WIN!!
We take a back seat to nobody and bow down only to Our Lord and Savior.
#BeatMonmouth
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Post by td128 on Nov 25, 2019 7:36:46 GMT -5
Congratulations to Coach Chesney, staff, team, and everybody involved in bringing this Patriot League Championship to Mt. St. James.
Saturday was a spectacular day in every regard. The energy and pride in the pre-game tailgates, throughout the stands and on Fitton Field during the game, and then during the post-game celebration were truly spectacular.
Aside from the play of our Crusaders (and especially freshmen Ayir Asante and Jacob Dobbs, sophomore Walter Reynolds, and senior RB Dom Cozier) on the field, a few specific highlights were:
1. the pre-game walk onto the field with the Worcester Fire Department. Very moving. Major kudos to those on campus involved in making this happen. Another great example of connecting Holy Cross Football to the City of Worcester.
2. Coach Chesney the senior pulling off his primary shirt with approximately 3 minutes to go in the game to reveal his undershirt with big bold letters stating THE CROSS IS BACK. . ADMB rushed over to capture a photo of that. Great stuff.
3. Around that same time, the PA Announcer began announcing "At the end of the game, please stay off the field." Visions of Dean Wormer (not our illustrious friend here but the original) and Niedermeier ran through my mind. Let's just say I was most pleased to see the student body in the far end zone 'challenge authority' and storm the field to celebrate with the Crusaders. The scene is one that the college might want to share far and wide with their alumni. Hard not to compare these students 'taking the field' to those in New Haven but I digress.
Saturday was not a destination -- nor will next Saturday's pursuit of victory in Long Branch, NJ v Monmouth University -- but merely the next steps in the journey to establishing Holy Cross as the perennial preeminent FCS program in the country . . . both on and off the field.
LET'S WIN!!
Friends of Crusader Football Mission: "a commitment to excellence in helping the Crusaders win on and off the field."
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Post by td128 on Nov 23, 2019 4:33:05 GMT -5
Major thanks to Jen Toland of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette for her coverage of this event: www.telegram.com/news/20191122/college-football-holy-cross-players-coaches-alumni-community-come-together-for-weekly-thursday-night-touchdown-clubThis commentary and the TV 3 coverage displayed above have gone absolutely viral on social media. Amazing what can happen when stories of this sort that embrace and elevate Faith, Family, Football, and Friendship/Community are promoted in the midst of our chaotic and secular world. I want to specifically thank the public officials who attended and addressed the team. DA Joe Early, Worcester Chamber of Commerce CEO/President Tim Murray, and Worcester City Councilman and HC graduate Matt Wally were tremendous in their remarks. Early specifically has launched an internship program in his office for the Crusaders (special thanks to Whitey Moynihan for being the catalyst for that). Major props to the owners of Stronger Fitness (Whitey Moynihan, Frank Nash, Quinn Moynihan, and our HC MBB HOF legend Keith Simmons) for graciously hosting this event. Special thanks to Bishop Robert McManus for his incredibly gracious manner and distinction in speaking to the Crusaders and all those in attendance. What an honor to have the Bishop with us and convey his blessing brought back from Pope Francis himself. WOW!! The bulk of the credit for this event goes to our fabulous Head Football Coach Bob Chesney for his leadership and Whitey Moynihan '83 for his execution. A truly great night for Holy Cross, the Crusaders, and the City of Worcester. Everybody wins. Now speaking of winning, we have a game today . . . LET'S WIN!! College football: Holy Cross players, coaches, alumni, community come together for weekly Thursday Night Touchdown ClubWORCESTER — Holy Cross football coach Bob Chesney’s career brought him to the “Heart of the Commonwealth” seven years ago when he was hired at Assumption.
Chesney and his wife, Andrea, own a home in Worcester. Their children, Lyla, Hudson and Bo, attend Nelson Place Elementary School. Bo was born here.
“For me,” Chesney said, “calling Worcester home is important.”
Also essential, Chesney, who is in his second season at HC, believes, is integrating his players in the Worcester community.
“These guys call it home, too,” Chesney said, “but they don’t leave campus as much as you think.”
This fall, with support from the Friends of Crusader Football and spearheaded by Holy Cross graduates John “Whitey” Moynihan, Larry Doyle and Mark Cannon, the HC football program launched the Thursday Night Touchdown Club, an initiative that promotes camaraderie, community involvement and alumni connections.
Each Thursday night throughout this season, Chesney and a positional group visited a local restaurant — O’Connor’s, Volturno, Pampas Brazilian Steak House, Wicked Wings, Pepe’s, Quinn’s and Peppercorn’s among them — handed out tickets to an upcoming game and mingled with patrons, staff and owners.
“We’re all in our Holy Cross (logo) polo shirts,” senior running back Domenic Cozier said, “so when we walk in everyone is like, ‘Oh, that’s the Holy Cross football team.’ It’s nice having that support. People will come up to us and say, ‘Good luck this Saturday.’ Knowing the city of Worcester is rooting for us, we really like that. We really appreciate that.”
Moynihan, Doyle and Cannon reached out to fellow alums to fund the dinners, and Moynihan lined up the restaurants.
“It was great leadership on Bob’s part, ‘How do we formulate programs to connect Holy Cross football closer to the city?’ ” Doyle said, “and this Thursday Night Touchdown Club was his vision. Whitey executed here locally, I reached out to our alumni to raise some funds, and it’s been an incredible success. It’s tightened the bonds among the team and the alumni, but ultimately the college to the city community, and that’s fabulous.”
The Thursday Night Touchdown Club is another venue of the Holy Cross Gridiron Leadership Council’s “90-Wide” Mentoring Program that connects alums to current Crusaders and promotes the Friends of Crusader Football mission, “a commitment to excellence in winning on and off the field.”
The entire Holy Cross team gathered for the final Thursday Night Touchdown Club dinner this week, less than 48 hours before the Crusaders play for the Patriot League championship Saturday at Fitton Field. A win over Georgetown and Holy Cross claims the PL crown for the first time since 2009.
Stronger Personal Training, a fitness gym in Worcester owned by Frank Nash, Whitey Moynihan and his son, Quinn, and former Holy Cross basketball star Keith Simmons, hosted Thursday’s dinner — folding banquet tables were covered in purple tablecloths — and players enjoyed ribs, chicken and cornbread from The Coop Barbecue in Millbury.
“It’s nice to have the whole team here,” HC senior safety Corey Stefanik said. “It feels like family. It’s good to all be together.”
Special guests Bishop Robert J. McManus and Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., as well as Matthew Wally, District 5 city councilor and a Holy Cross graduate, and Tim Murray, president and CEO of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce, each addressed the team and offered encouragement for Saturday’s game and beyond.
Chesney said he has received a lot of positive feedback about the Thursday Night Touchdown Club from his players, restaurant owners and their patrons, the community and Holy Cross alums.
“We want to raise some awareness about the program and involve ourselves in the lives of people in the community,” Chesney said, “and hopefully they’ll involve their lives in ours as well. We have to win if we want the community involved, and we have to get out and get involved with them. We’ve done that; now we have to continue to try to win some football games. (Worcester) is a community I’m proud to be part of, and I hope it’s one that’s proud to be part of our team.”
—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @jentandg.
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Post by td128 on Nov 22, 2019 10:03:54 GMT -5
Sent this message to the faithful this morning and welcome sharing it with our ardent supporters who frequent these parts.
Friends of Crusader Football Mission: a commitment to excellence in helping the Crusaders win on and off the field.
Any words I might add here would only detract from the special messages shared at last night’s culminating dinner of the Holy Cross Football "Thursday Night Touchdown Club."
Who spoke?
- Worcester County DA Joe Early, a strong supporter of the Crusaders via a newly instituted internship program in his office for the Crusaders invited them to come by his office anytime.
- Worcester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Murray encouraged the Crusaders to embrace opportunities in and around Worcester and stick around post-graduation.
- Local business owners/partners Frank Nash, Quinn Moynihan, and Holy Cross’ own hoop legend Keith Simmons spoke on “chasing one’s dream" and connecting with the special Holy Cross Alumni community and the regional Worcester community at large.
- Holy Cross alum and Worcester City Council member Matt Wally told the Crusaders how he “bleeds Purple” and will be with the team on Saturday for their pursuit of a Patriot League Championship.
Who headlined this fabulous event organized by #90Wide mentor extraordinaire Whitey Moynihan ‘83?
The leader of our Catholic flock in the Diocese of Worcester, Bishop Robert McManus who brought back a blessing from a recent meeting with Pope Francis and bestowed that blessing on the Crusaders.
Take 3-minutes and listen to our Crusaders Miles Alexander, Corey Stefanik, Kevin Bucceroni and Jon Jon Roberts on the excitement of playing for a Patriot League Championship. Yours truly gets to throw in a little color on our best in class 90-Wide and our finest FCS coach in the land Bob Chesney talks about the Thursday Night Touchdown Club.
Let’s Win!!
Thank you to Jen Toland of the Worcester Telegram and Gazette and Kevin Shea and Andy Lacombe of TV 3 for covering this dinner and “spreading the faith and the mission” to their readers and viewers.
LD
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Post by td128 on Nov 13, 2019 8:34:01 GMT -5
With all due respect to those commenting on this, I welcome sharing that my views on this thread range from comical to pathetic to classless.
Obviously everybody is entitled to their opinions but I might guess that many posting here were not at the post-game reception on the field at Goodman Stadium after HC knocked off Lehigh. You would have witnessed dozens of Crusaders (many of whom drove 5-6 hours) who played for CTG embrace him and have numerous group photos taken with him. I commented on how special this scene was. The show of strong mutual respect was admirable by all involved.
Perhaps you also missed the fact that after that gathering, where did TG then head to? By invitation to attend the HC Parents post-game tailgate and further embrace those current Crusaders who played for him and more photo ops many of which I have seen. Lots of smiles and bear hugs.
TG may have some shortcomings -- as we all do -- but to take shots at an individual who bled Purple in the fashion that he did and give more airtime to situations at his current school that we likely have no specifics on . . . .well . . . wow . . . comical, pathetic, classless.
More than a small handful of current and former HC staff have told me that TG was one of the most well liked and respected individuals on campus.
I acknowledge that TG could wear people out given his manic intensity but there have been dozens of parents (including some current parents) who have told me that TG "delivered exactly what he told us when sitting in our living room or in his office."
I welcome sharing the following comment shared with me from a Crusader who played for TG: "I came to Holy Cross an overconfident if not downright cocky 18 year old. Four years later TG had made me a man."
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Post by td128 on Nov 5, 2019 5:43:58 GMT -5
I welcome sharing this message that went out to the 90-Wide distribution this morning with the fans and faithful who frequent these parts:
Fellow Crusaders,
While I certainly love to win, I actually have a far greater appreciation and desire for a consistent commitment to excellence.
Winning on the field is a function of so many smaller battles culminating in the final score. Winning off the field is a function of a wide array of components but in my opinion is ultimately highly correlated with the quality of the people involved in the effort and the manner in which people engage each other. I believe strongly that winning is actually a byproduct of a commitment to excellence. I mean, one can win without being excellent but more often than not when one pursues excellence then winning is almost assuredly right around the corner.
I personally view every instance in which a Crusader student-athlete connects with a 90-Wide mentor as a win. Every time a younger alum meets a more experienced Crusader is also a win. What about when a Crusader 90-Wide mentor shares an internship or job opportunity? Win, win!!
Add it all up and before you know it a culture of winning stemming from this overall commitment to excellence begins to take shape. What are the qualities we like to emphasize in doing so? Humility + an attitude of gratitude + competitiveness + real commitment + unbridled motivation + men and women for and with others = EXCELLENCE!!
On these notes, our 90-Wide has two HUGE wins to announce with the introduction of our next two alumni mentors (now totaling 142) to the fold. When I comment that as Crusaders we take a back seat to nobody, why do I state that with such confidence? Because of Crusaders like Jeff Wiley '89 and Ed Greissing '73. Please join me in formally welcoming to the 90-Wide 2013 Ring of Honor inductee Jeff Wiley '89 and Ed Greissing '73. I think after you read their bios and see their accomplishments, you will join me in thinking, "wow, talk about a commitment to excellence" and then beyond that, you will also think . . . WIN . . . WIN . . .
Many around these parts know Jeff from his exploits and accomplishments both on and off the field. He has actually been involved in the 90-Wide in the past (yet yours truly has not included his contact in our 90W file . . . UGH . . . sorry) in terms of mentoring future Crusader physicians along with his partner Dr. Stephen Fox '78 in their orthopedic practice in Concord, NH. On the field, Jeff pretty much rewrote the record book at the time of his graduation having led the Crusaders to tremendous success and countless victories. (https://static.goholycross.com/custompages/sports/football/archives/histcarr.htm#Wiley_Jeff).
He needs no introduction to most Crusaders from that era. Our younger Crusader brethren should know that Jeff epitomizes our 90-Wide mission statement in terms of a commitment to excellence in winning on and off the field.
In regard to Ed Greissing '73, he redefines the professional term "accomplished". For those with an interest in public service and the fields of public health and public policy, Ed Greissing '73 is 'the man to see'. How so? Check this out:
Mr. Edward Greissing is Executive Director of the Center for Public Health at the Milken Institute. Mr. Greissing works with leaders representing global business, government, investors, philanthropy and thought leaders to reduce the health and economic burden of disease in order to improve the health of individuals and communities everywhere.
He previously served as a member of the Executive Committee, Global Leadership Team, and Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Sanofi. During his nearly four decades in the biopharmaceutical industry, Mr. Greissing led a wide range of Public Affairs and Global Corporate Affairs teams, first at the Upjohn Company and Pharmacia and later with Sanofi. His teams delivered a strategic approach to stakeholder management, new product launches, and a freshness program for life cycle management resulting in improved patient outcomes, increased shareholder value, positive business results, and viewed externally as a desired and trusted business partner.
Prior to entering the industry in 1978, Mr. Greissing was on the staff of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee, where he contributed to a variety of investigations and reports. He earned an AB in History from College of the Holy Cross and an MA in Congressional Studies and Politics from The Catholic University of America.
Industry and Company Leadership/Accomplishments: Chairman of the PhRMA Government and Policy Washington Representatives on four occasions (1978=2008); PhRMA Board Management For Ten CEOs and Five Board Chairs (1980-2014); Orphan Drug Act (1983); Drug Price Competition and Patent Restoration Act (1984); W.E. Upjohn Award for Corporate Leadership (1985); Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990; Identified Members of the Global Scientific Review Panel to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Halcion (1992); Created Friends of the Congressional Glaucoma Caucus - An Eye Screening Initiative To Improve Eye Care and Encourage Early Diagnosis (2000); STOP Obesity (2006); National Transitions of Care Coalition (2007); Partners in Patient Health (2009); Chronic Disease Prevention and Wellness (2010); Founding Member Sanofi U.S. Foundation (2010); Innovative approaches to U.S. Market Access and Government Reimbursement (2010/2016); Executive Committee and Global Leadership: Sanofi Mentor and Individual Development Program; Military Veterans Initiative; New Business and Innovation Model Committee (2006-2016); and the Executive Co-lead for the Sanofi Diversity and Inclusion Program (2013-2016).
Thank you Jeff. Thank you Ed. Welcome to the 90-Wide.
Let's keep chasing excellence and winning is sure to follow. As we rack up the wins and elevate the excellence then let's widen the gap for our best in class 90-Wide.
Speaking of excellence and winning, I hope many here will join me and the Crusader faithful in cheering on our Crusaders over the coming weeks as the team chases a Patriot League Championship. Let's toast to 'a commitment to excellence and winning on and off the field' this Saturday when our Crusaders take on the Leopards of Lafayette at Fitton Field.
See you there.
Let's Win!! LD
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Post by td128 on Nov 4, 2019 18:55:19 GMT -5
Hunter who?? In more important news:
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Post by td128 on Nov 3, 2019 9:53:11 GMT -5
Very special day yesterday for the Crusaders. Senior leadership from our captains Dom Cozier and Chris Riley ultimately carried the day. Tenio Ayeni and Ayir Asante are clearly special talents. Not sure if people could see that Tenio's touchdown catch was an over the shoulder one handed catch. WOW. . a la OBJ . . !! Defense bent but did not break. Lots of young talent on this side of the ball as well with many sophomores and freshmen getting meaningful minutes. This bodes very well for the future. Jacob Dobbs especially is a HUGE talent. Runs like a deer and hits like the proverbial Mack truck. IMO, the area of our team needing most improvement is our Red Zone conversion rate. www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs/current/team/703/p2While the pre-game festivities with family, team parents and friends were great and the game itself was a well played competitive tilt with the good guys coming out on the top, the real highlight of the day for me was the post-game gathering on the field. Seeing the exultation on the faces of our players in the company of their parents and families and surrounded by a large number of alumni who came from near and far was really special. The emotion was palpable. The respect that many of our current players and alums displayed for the the man CTG who gave them the opportunity to play college ball was special as many of these individuals posed for photos and/or shook hands with TG and former assistants, especially Coach Dimichele. By the same token the respect, admiration, and love displayed by our team for our current coaches is very readily apparent. From a personal standpoint, seeing our head coach BC embrace a lady who was wheeled out onto the field in her chair (not sure who this lady is) was remarkable. The love and caring that was on display in that moment was special and hard to describe. With 300-400 individuals milling about for the better part of a half hour, the respect and admiration for everybody involved in the game and everything surrounding it is a memory I will not soon forget. Our Holy Cross Football Family is a very special group. Proud and honored to be a part of it. Still plenty of work to do. On to Lafayette . . . LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Oct 31, 2019 3:14:01 GMT -5
I have tremendous respect for both CTG and HCBC and know that they have tremendous respect for each other. In fact, very shortly after TG was let go in an unceremonious and classless style on that Sunday after the Yale game, Coach Chesney embraced TG and encouraged him to come 'hang' with him and staff at Assumption. On the flip side, some here may recall that the hiring process of our new coach seemed to go on for an extended period of time. Whom did TG recommend that HC hire early on in the process? HCBC.
TG bled Purple with the best of us and cared and worked like very few men/women I have encountered on Mt. St. James. Football is the ultimate team sport both on and off the field requiring support of all involved in order to have real long term success. The fact that a Patriot League AD with ~30 years worth of experience in the league hires a coach who had been dismissed by another PL school would seem to have some strong messages in there as to how things work behind the scenes but I digress.
MANY parents both past and present have shared with me how much they appreciated TG's 'character development' of their sons and how he delivered exactly what he had sold during the recruiting process. The same is said of HCBC. This says a lot about both of these truly fine men. I am honored to count them both as close friends. I welcomed supporting TG and certainly welcome doing the same for HCBC and staff.
Not that I needed further confirmation of a divine presence but the current Patriot League standings and this weekend's game would seem to indicate that the Man upstairs may have a passing interest (pardon the pun) in this stuff and a wee bit of a sense of humor to boot.
Looking forward to this Saturday's game and what I believe is the best of athletics in all sports both amateur and professional, that is, true student athletes competing at the Division 1 level.
LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Oct 18, 2019 15:57:21 GMT -5
Having had the pleasure of engaging Derek over the last few years, he is a credit to Alma Mater and the definition of a Crusader both on and off the field. He has a VERY BRIGHT future.
First things first as far as his future goes, though, I expect he will be a leader on the field tomorrow.
#BeatHarvard
Let's Win!!
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Post by td128 on Oct 14, 2019 16:08:22 GMT -5
Congratulations to both Connor and Ayir. Richly deserved and always nice to get the recognition.
Let's Win!!
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Post by td128 on Oct 13, 2019 4:45:14 GMT -5
The best QB and player on the field yesterday was #10 in white. Extended drives both with his feet and his arm. 4TD passes, no picks, and led the team to 500+ yards of Total Offense.
Brown's QB was outstanding and is certainly a great athlete but our Crusader QB was better and deserves MAJOR credit (along with PL POW honors.)
I welcome giving it to him . . .
CONGRATULATIONS Connor Degenhardt!!
Additionally, how about the speed of our linebackers. How often did #43 Jacob Dobbs and #29 Liam Anderson tackle the Brown RBs as they tried to turn the corner to no avail. No substitute for speed. Speaking of speed, Ayir Asante and Spencer Gilliam clearly were much faster than the Brown DBs. Additionally, #4 Corey Stefanik was also all over the field leading the team in tackles for the second week in a row. #55 Kevin Bucceroni (I believe) with a second blocked field goal having done the same last week v Bucknell. Great team win.
Moving right along . . .
BEAT HARVARD!!
LET'S WIN!!
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Post by td128 on Oct 7, 2019 6:55:34 GMT -5
Messages sent to the Friends of Crusader Football and 90W *********************************************************************** Mon, Oct 7, 2019 6:15 am"The family will receive relatives and friends Tuesday, October 8, 2019, 2-8 pm at Church of the Presentation, 271 West Saddle River Road, Upper Saddle River, NJ. A Mass of Christian Burial is planned for Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at 10:30 am also at Church of the Presentation. Interment will follow at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bergen Catholic High School to further support the revitalization of the school's athletic field."www.legacy.com/obituaries/northjersey/obituary.aspx?n=john-mcgovern-jack&pid=194090058&fhid=21793May Jack rest in peace and may his family find peace and solace in the memory of his life very well lived. LD/Spense Friends of Crusader Football ***************************************** Sent: Sat, Oct 5, 2019 7:20 amSubject: Jack McGovern '80 Fellow Crusaders, We are saddened to share with you that we lost a legendary Crusader and loyal son of Holy Cross with the passing of Jack McGovern yesterday. Jack was a giant among giants and a Crusader among Crusaders both on and off the field. I recall as if it were yesterday living across the hall from Jack in summer camp 1979 when as a lowly walk-on freshman, I met this larger than life itself Crusader who was Jack McGovern as he graciously welcomed me into his room and introduced me to a number of other senior Crusaders. That engaging personality grew ever larger and the positive and everlasting impact it had on countless individuals connected to our great college and to Bergen Catholic is the stuff of which legends are made. We will share details of Jack's services with our Crusader Football Family yet prior to that whether you knew Jack personally or not, please offer a prayer on his behalf and that of the entire extended McGovern family. Thank you. Special note of gratitude to Tony Rocchio '80, Jack's teammate both at Holy Cross and from their high school days at Bergen Catholic, who stood by Jack's side and that of his family every step of the way. With deepest regret, LD/Spense “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinithians 2:9
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Post by td128 on Sept 30, 2019 15:16:21 GMT -5
I welcome putting forth this proposal once again:
This gets me to thinking, who would be interested in the following league:
UMaine UNH Vermont Boston University Northeastern Rhode Island UMass Holy Cross Fordham UConn
Would love to entice Army into the league as well but might be tough to entice them to join for football.
7 teams for FCS Football. UMAss and UConn would have to drop down but how long can they tread water?
10 teams for hoops and other sports with a real commitment to being an outstanding league.
Next candidates for admission, perhaps Albany and then Bryant. I would imagine that they would both want in.
Effectively the old Yankee Conference. Call it the American Revolution Conference. Generate some old New England rivalries, less travel time and less expense, hopefully more student and local fan excitement with many weekend doubleheaders at selected arenas.
Who's in?
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