Team Meets President (merged thread)

[huskysupporter]

Can you believe Stef? Over the top!

Not sure of the context of her giving "bunny ears" behind the president, but on it's face, that was a totally classless and disrespectful thing to do on her part. If the President suggested doing it, that is one thing, but if that was her idea, that is pretty disappointing.

I hope she issues an apology through the school.

 

[pap49cba]

Bunny ears ..a real problem?
Hey, we've been to Barack's place so often, doesn't some of this fall into the realm of "family photos".

No.

 

[huskysupporter]

No.

Agreed. Why she thought that would be funny, is beyond me. Pretty embarrassing actually.

 

[UConnCat]

Pretty cool picture of Geno and the President in the blue room:

https://twitter.com/petesouza/status/362728748929396736/photo/1

 

[Vowelguy]

Sadly, I agree with condemnation of Stef. Too bad that it has tarnished a great day.

 

[UConnCat]

Perhaps a beheading is appropriate. I hope CD is all over this.

 

[huskysupporter]

My wife is a pastor and in our many discussions, we have concluded that God has a sense of humor. I am hopeful that our President has one, too.

I understand the concept of respecting the office of POTUS, and of representing your school/state/community with proper behavior (something we tell our students whenever they go on field trips!) but good grief, there is a huge difference between being "disrespectful" in a way that is clearly playful and friendly, as is the case here, and the mean-spritedness in some of the crass statements political opponents make about each other or when the Iraqi journalist threw a shoe at President Bush.

Let it go folks.

It was disrespectful. Plain and simple. It is the POTUS. Shows a total lack of class.

 

[JS]

The 1st thing that came to my mind when I saw the photo - how stupid can they be! The team members were invited guests of the president of the United States. The juvenile, wise ass fingers were not only not funny, they were inappropriate and disrespectful not only to the president but also to Obama as a person.

I hope their punishment equals the level of embarrassment they brought to the team and their coaches.

More pungently put than I would put it, but my reaction was the same -- anger and embarrassment. They represented poorly, IMO.

Someone said in the other thread that the President started the familiarity. Well, this takes familiarity too far.

High spirits are great, but this group is old enough to express their high spirits in an acceptable way so as not to risk making a bad impression. This was immature and thoughtless at best.

I don't have any feeling there should or should not be a punishment, but the two players ought to be made to realize that their actions were controversial even among their most devoted fans.

Some here think we who disapprove are making too much of the incident. Fine. Everyone's free to express his own opinion.

Mine is that next time they get invited to the executive mansion, and they will be, they should be cautioned that one can have a good time while observing the manners and protocol appropriate to the place and the company.

They're at the White House, not a dorm party.

 

[UConnCat]

Madame CDefarge is getting ready...

 

[doggydaddy]

Is it ok if I ask that each poster gets to complain about it only once? How many times does it take to make a point?

 

[johnnyc]

Wow...Kiah Stokes has some big shoulders! Looking forward to seeing her wipe out some people under the boards this upcoming season.

 

[Icebear]

Is it ok if I ask that each poster gets to complain about it only once? How many times does it take to make a point?

It probably is too much given what is already posted. I don't find that all that bad.

 

[huskyblooz]

I laughed! Stef is a goofy kid at heart. Yes, it's the President of the United States, but it takes a 'set' to do that.
If my kid did it I would've read him the riot act (after I stopped laughing). It didn't make Sports Center.

 

[UCONNfan1]

I don't know. I thought it was funny. Last time the kids were in the White House, Obama challenged Maya to a game of 1 on 1 (or vice versa). He is a very down to earth guy and enjoyed a level of familiarity with the players from the last time they were at the White House that apparently carried over to this recent visit.

I don't see how it rises to the level of "crime and punishment". Obama may be the President, but he's also just a guy who had 48 years of life before becoming the most powerful man in the world. When was the last time someone actually treated like a regular guy? I bet he thought it was hilarious.

"Hoping the punishment equals the level of embarrassment they brought to their team and to the school"? Yikes. It's not like they spit on him or pooped on the stage.

I'll be very curious to see comments from Stef, the team, coaches, and University if necessary to see how the situation is viewed by them, and how it was received by the President.

So I just watched the video. It was Stef AND Kiah who did the bunny ears for about 2 seconds and maybe 2 pictures were snapped. The President laughed when they did it. Also at the very end after he shook everyone's hand, he shook Geno's last.

As Obama walked away, Geno patted him on the lower back. Surely a disrespectful gesture to put a hand on the President, and I'm sure people on here will be very vociferous in their demands for a public apology from him as well as calls for the punishment to fit his crime...

 

[UConnCat]

I've had some fun at the expense of those who have expressed disapproval, anger, embarrassment and even condemnation towards Stef and Kiah's actions at the White House. Needless to say, I don't share those feelings. The UConn kids are pitch-perfect in everything they do, on and off the court. On this one occasion two of the players were caught up in the moment and behaved immaturely. The President engaged in some playfulness with the team by doing the Z-snap -- a video of which has been circulated on the internet -- and saying that the UConn jacket "was some nice swag." I suspect Stef and Kiah took the President's moment of playfulness and his use of casual, hip language as a cue that it was okay to engage in some playfulness of their own. They were wrong. They lacked the maturity to understand that the President gets to be playful but his White House guests do not, particularly not at his expense. Oh well. They made a momentary mistake.

I'm sure Geno and Chris will speak to them about it. I doubt the coaches or President Herbst think they've brought embarrassment to the University. If they do, then I'm sure there will be some type of punishment. These are still great kids who are almost pitch-perfect in everything they do.

 

[uconnfan68]

It was disrespectful. Plain and simple. It is the POTUS. Shows a total lack of class.

And I find myself agreeing with both views... now if it had been the UL men... treasonous.

 

[jplotinus]

Is it ok if I ask that each poster gets to complain about it only once? How many times does it take to make a point?

Yes, one reply per poster is sufficient.

All those in favor of a last minute reprieve or pardon, raise your hands

 

[DaddyChoc]

And Marisa looked stunning (as always)......

she is extremly easy on the eyes

 

[DaddyChoc]

nice to see Banks... she's a smooth cute kid

 

[blackbird]

I would be willing to bet Obama did not have a problem with it. And if he doesn't, I surely don't.

 

[Icebear]

Is it ok if I ask that each poster gets to complain about it only once? How many times does it take to make a point?

Sometimes folks full understandings of the ramifications of things are only worked out through a process of interchange, giving and taking. One thought leading to a new insight and then another. Some of the recent posts have been excellent.

 

[warbler1055]

Potus did a great job. This is a presidential ceremony to honor a national championship team not a picnic in the woods or a family portrait joke. It's a formal and official picture with a sitting president for the ages. Sad ending to a wonderful occasion, total lack of judgment and taste from two young women.

 

[Sargassoc]

ABC Good Morning America just ended its first segment with the picture-- and all the anchors, including Gorge Stephanopoulos (who knows a thing or two about presidents and politics), were positive and felt it was a charming and good-natured photo bombing attempt.

As for me, I think that times have changed-- and that's due, in part, to the availability of instant technology that allows, for better or worse, us to capture -- or view-- impulsive moments in ways we haven't been able to before.

I get the point that there's pomp and circumstance-- but ultimately found it harmless and cheerful. Remember: Malia and Sasha Obama photo bombed the last inauguration.

 

[SallyH]

If I may change the subject, BB has the arms of a body builder, wow.

 

[DavidinNaples]

1. Hardly the first time something "sad and disrespectful" occurred in the White House. Nor, I bet, the last.
2. Doesn't come close to undoing an entire summer of UConn women representing the university in the highest and best possible light.
3. Noticeable that Stewie didn't participate. She may be goofy, but she is a superstar w/ grace.