If you haven't heard the story of Western Kentucky, see the quotes and link below.
As an ex Division 1 player, I am thankful that they had the courage to break racial barriers.
Even though my college coach (fired my senior year) made my 4 years draining and joyless, I realize that it was easy compared to what the players and coaches went through in the 60's.
We need more courage like that in the world!
Gswede
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/sports/ncaabasketball/27western.html?pagewanted=1&ref=sports
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — With 20 N.C.A.A. tournament appearances, a Final Four berth and a spot among the top 10 in victories by a Division I program, Western Kentucky has an unusually strong résumé for a team regarded as a tournament darling.
The No. 12 Hilltoppers play No. 1 U.C.L.A. in a West Region semifinal Thursday night, a matchup of two of the most storied programs in college basketball.
U.C.L.A.’s history with John Wooden, Lew Alcindor and 11 national titles is often romanticized, but memories of Western Kentucky’s run of dominance in the 1960s seem to have faded with the set shot and canvas sneakers. In part, the run came about because of Western Kentucky’s willingness to integrate its team at a time when such a policy was still taboo in the South. Those involved with Western Kentucky still take great pride in the university’s breaking of racial barriers.
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And another: “I can also tell you that Western will never advance to any high finish in the upcoming N.C.A.A. tournament simply because you can’t win the big games with five Negro players. They don’t possess the intelligence nor stability to meet such a challenge.”
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tiger........Let the Legend grow
I was way off point when I predicted the Patriots would beat the Giants although having lived in NYC for over a decade, I was happy for the Giants stunning victory.
One thing that was ON POINT was the article I wrote last summer (a must read, see below called "Tiger - No athlete can compare") which is even more telling now with Mr. Woods winning another title, his 5th in a row.
Do you realize that some golfers have not won 5 times in a career?
As a good friend told me recently, "Woods is the most dominating force in any major professional sport to date". No argument there.
What he is doing is bordering on the miraculous. My favorite golf announcer and major title winner Johnny Miller said, "The guy is not even human". Those of you who play golf understand that. If you don't play, you probably have no clue how great this guy is.
Let's look at some facts courtesy of the NY Times article on March 17 (link is below) :
"Woods continues to defy belief. He has won 16 of his last 25 PGA Tour events.
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At 32, he has as many victories as Hogan had at 46, which is unbelievable even to him.
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"Yeah, well, tying Mr. Hogan, when I first started my career, there's no way I could have ever dreamt I would be here right now," said Woods, who now trails only Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82) in career victories.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/sports/golf/17golf.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
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Gswede
One thing that was ON POINT was the article I wrote last summer (a must read, see below called "Tiger - No athlete can compare") which is even more telling now with Mr. Woods winning another title, his 5th in a row.
Do you realize that some golfers have not won 5 times in a career?
As a good friend told me recently, "Woods is the most dominating force in any major professional sport to date". No argument there.
What he is doing is bordering on the miraculous. My favorite golf announcer and major title winner Johnny Miller said, "The guy is not even human". Those of you who play golf understand that. If you don't play, you probably have no clue how great this guy is.
Let's look at some facts courtesy of the NY Times article on March 17 (link is below) :
"Woods continues to defy belief. He has won 16 of his last 25 PGA Tour events.
-----
At 32, he has as many victories as Hogan had at 46, which is unbelievable even to him.
-----
"Yeah, well, tying Mr. Hogan, when I first started my career, there's no way I could have ever dreamt I would be here right now," said Woods, who now trails only Jack Nicklaus (73) and Sam Snead (82) in career victories.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/sports/golf/17golf.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin
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Another article I read this week has some interesting points (link below) about Tiger's dad:
YOU THINK of that comment by Earl Woods, a long while ago, and maybe everything starts to make sense, the way his son is doing in golf what nobody, not Bobby Jones, not Ben Hogan, not Jack Nicklaus ever has done.
He's taken the game over, Tiger Woods has, body and soul, getting into his opponents heads and no less significantly getting the ball into the cup. He has us reaching into the past for comparisons, peering into the future for possibilities.
"I wanted to make sure," Earl Woods said shortly after Tiger turned pro, "he'd never run into anybody who was mentally tougher than he was."
Earl left us two years ago. The words never will leave.
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Tiger has reached that most intriguing point in his career, where having caught Hogan and Palmer, having stepped ahead of Nicklaus at a similar age, the only competition is from Woods himself. It is a game he dare not lose. And will not lose.
He's done everything before. He will do everything again. As Earl Woods somehow understood.
When in 1994 Tiger left the clubhouse for his first U.S, Amateur final, Earl whispered to him, "Let the legend grow."
http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_8610291
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Even though Jack Nicholas has more major titles, I now call Woods the BEST EVER. Jack's record may be shattered by the time Tiger is 35 (only in his prime by the way). One thing is clear, it will be passed sooner rather than later.
Enjoy this ride. Like MJ in basketball, you will never see another like him.Gswede
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