Team Meets President (merged thread)

[Icebear]

College students lacking proper maturity!! What next? Where will it end? What will we do? Where is the sense of proper conduct and decorum that past presidents and countless politicians have brought by example to the oval office/White House…wait…

Clearly there are differing points of view on the UCONN BunyGate FotoBomb, but, some of the law and order BoneYard posts are so filled with pomposity as to cause the poster(s) to both implode and explode simultaneously.

Hey, I am the Pope of Pomposity and I laughed; never take pomposity too seriously.

 

[Joobie]

I can't count the number of times on this board that Stef has been applauded for her fun loving nature, her endless smile, her laid back, relaxed attitude. This is the girl who went sky diving last Summer & who wore the over the top pink bee hive wig in the team's "Call Me Maybe" video that was shot at WalMart. Bunny ears...just her way of having fun. If you take exception to that, I guess you have to take exception to the other things too. Personally, I love her....just the way she is!

 

[grizz36]

College students lacking proper maturity!! What next? Where will it end? What will we do? Where is the sense of proper conduct and decorum that past presidents and countless politicians have brought by example to the oval office/White House…wait…

Clearly there are differing points of view on the UCONN BunyGate FotoBomb, but, some of the law and order BoneYard posts are so filled with pomposity as to cause the poster(s) to both implode and explode simultaneously.

... or ... in a world so full of meaningless pomposity, what is so insulting about a little humorous exchange between two spirited wonderful young people and an equally spirited wonderful older person?

 

[UcMiami]

Listen, I am am not terribly upset about this and I still love both of these characters and will continue to root for their success, but ...
Most of us think that CD's 4 year tutorial on decorum is a positive for Uconn women's basketball. Does it matter that the team always enters the arena in order of height? Would the world collapse if they wore athletic gear when traveling on commercial airlines? etc. etc. Obviously no. But what she is teaching is to have respect for yourself, the team, the program, the school, the game, and the fans that make it all possible. And to value self discipline. That is all good stuff and while many of the rules may themselves seem petty and/or insignificant, it is their totality that creates the message and learning experience.
This was a moment in front of the national news, state of CT legislators, other dignitaries, and with the President. It was not a particularly serious occasion, and everyone was supposed to have a good time. But this was also not the celebration at the end of the game or goofing around with the team. There was a formality to it that included every one of the members of the team and staff taking some serious time over their appearance - probably more time than they have spent getting ready for any other day in the past year. And while most of the reporting has been lighthearted a lot of the comments posted here and elsewhere are not. I don't think anyone is to bent out of shape about it, but it is one of the few times that I remember the team being the subject of negative comments for actions off the court.
I am sure Stef and Kiah have great pictures to show their grand kids but from a team perspective I suspect the rest of the players would rather not have whatever negative feelings have been generated toward the Uconn program - that strikes me as selfish, which is not a trait I typically associate with any Uconn player.
Again - no big deal. But for the above reasons I do suspect that there will be some response from CD and perhaps Geno.

And Eric - I really like your idea and wonder if some variation of it might not be used.

 

[UcMiami]

I can't count the number of times on this board that Stef has been applauded for her fun loving nature, her endless smile, her laid back, relaxed attitude. This is the girl who went sky diving last Summer & who wore the over the top pink bee hive wig in the team's "Call Me Maybe" video that was shot at WalMart. Bunny ears...just her way of having fun. If you take exception to that, I guess you have to take exception to the other things too. Personally, I love her....just the way she is!

So - you would be fine with her taking communion in you church and fake gagging on the wafer and wine while wearing a bunny suit? That would certainly be fun loving, laid back, and relaxed. Or at the funeral of your mother? Or heckling the commencement speaker at your graduation? Or ...
None of the instances you site occurred in anything approaching a formal setting. I think Stef is great, and her personality is great. And what she brings to the team on and off the court is great. Just think there are moments in life where a certain decorum is important and yesterday happened to be one.

 

[meyers7]

they shouldn't be expected to be perfect, but they should be aware(or be made aware) of how very inappropriate it was. rather childish, i thought.

I don't really think it was, in this instance, "inappropriate".

 

[meyers7]

I don't think anyone is to bent out of shape about it, but it is one of the few times that I remember the team being the subject of negative comments for actions off the court.

ah, but only by a few people on here. (and probably that other place of which we do not mention). Not really anywhere else.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Folks - go on the front page of CNN or the news provider of your choice. We have an NBA player apparently stomping on a homeless person, a not-guilty Zimmerman getting pulled over for speeding and apparently playing with his gun in his glove compartment, some mayor who blames his city for not providing sexual harassment training so he wouldn't have done it, an NFL player using the "N" word, and . . . ARod wanting to continue to be a role model.

Then we have the Prez - who has had more hatred and vitriol expended on him, I suspect partly for being PWB. And who, regardless of political viewpoint, comes across as someone who interacts with people extremely well. And who was, at one point, a professor to college students.

And we have to criticize a light hearted moment - and one that didn't interfere with the perfectly nice "real" photo of the event. Please. No harm, No foul, No insult given, and I honestly believe no insult taken.

 

[Icebear]

So - you would be fine with her taking communion in you church and fake gagging on the wafer

Most people do that on the cheap wine. Mogen David. Ugh.

 

[JimGunther]

Listen (and everyone knows I'm no fan of this President) - he's hosting a group of young women who - among other awards and service to the country - won the NCAA Championship. Not too long ago, he was shooting hoops with the kids. He put them at ease and vice-versa.
I respect the Presidency - and BHO handled the "ceremony" with great good humor but, did nothing to diminish the experience for the team.

 

[huskymedic]

Call off the nipping huskies...

http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rabbit-ear-gate-creating-plenty-of-buzz.html

>>Thursday, August 01, 2013

Rabbit ear gate creating plenty of buzz

Apparently the decision of Stefanie Dolson and Kiah Stokes to unleash "rabbit ears" for President Barack Obama during a group photo at the White House has drawn the ire of a great many UConn fans.

UConn President Susan Herbst requested an explanation of what transpired based on the number of calls her office and the university has received.

UConn's sports information department provided the following timeline.

As Wednesday’s ceremony in the East Room of the White House was winding down, President Obama was posing with the team for a group picture. As the cameras were flashing the president quipped to the players behind him on the stage, “Alright, no rabbit ears now.”

Everyone laughed and after a moment he exclaimed, “Ok, you can go ahead (with the rabbit ears).”<<

 

[FairView]

I wasn't very happy with the situation when I first heard of it – had a problem with a perceived disrespect for the office of the leader of the free world. I was figuring they deserved a slap on the wrist, maybe write a little note apologizing to the prez for getting caught up in the moment and we move on. But now that I see the dialog that took place before the incident, I have no problem with it at all. It makes Stefanie's facial expression priceless and perfect. Now let's get ready to play some basketball.

 

[huskymedic]

Posted it on other relevant thread as well. Call off the nipping huskies...

http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/2013/08/rabbit-ear-gate-creating-plenty-of-buzz.html

>> Thursday, August 01, 2013

Rabbit ear gate creating plenty of buzz

Apparently the decision of Stefanie Dolson and Kiah Stokes to unleash "rabbit ears" for President Barack Obama during a group photo at the White House has drawn the ire of a great many UConn fans.

UConn President Susan Herbst requested an explanation of what transpired based on the number of calls her office and the university has received.

UConn's sports information department provided the following timeline.

As Wednesday’s ceremony in the East Room of the White House was winding down, President Obama was posing with the team for a group picture. As the cameras were flashing the president quipped to the players behind him on the stage, “Alright, no rabbit ears now.”

Everyone laughed and after a moment he exclaimed, “Ok, you can go ahead (with the rabbit ears).”<<

 

[doggydaddy]

I thought this deserved a new thread.

With the words "classless", "embarrassing" and others used to describe Dolson and Stokes bunny ears maybe having all the info would be helpful.

We weren't the only ones as Uconn president Herbst received many phone calls, texts and emails about it.

Well, here is the scoop.

UConn's sports information department provided the following timeline.

As Wednesday’s ceremony in the East Room of the White House was winding down, President Obama was posing with the team for a group picture. As the cameras were flashing the president quipped to the players behind him on the stage, “Alright, no rabbit ears now.”

Everyone laughed and after a moment he exclaimed, “Ok, you can go ahead (with the rabbit ears).

Anyone care to apologize to them?

 

[Kibitzer]

No, because I did not use any of those words in my lone post on this subject. I'll repeat what I posted:

The rules of hospitality call for the host(s) to be gracious and for the guest(s) to be polite. The President held up his end of the deal.

 

[JS]

As the cameras were flashing the president quipped to the players behind him on the stage, “Alright, no rabbit ears now.”

Everyone laughed and after a moment he exclaimed, “Ok, you can go ahead (with the rabbit ears).”<<

That makes me feel better. If he specifically invited it in that jocular manner, then it's a far cry from the initial impression, based on a still photo, that they were of their own accord messing with an attempted official picture.

 

[blackbird]

oops. Don't some people feel silly now..

 

[ASweet3781]

I saw the photo yesterday and thought it was great. Even saw it mentioned on twitter by some "name" people I follow.

Not once did disrespectful come into my mind or theirs. Seemed to be a lighthearted fun moment. But than again I stayed away from this board yesterday. If I had come here I'd read this was the worse thing in the world. I guess I should have known better. I forgot we live in a world where we need to be perpetually outraged about...something...anything.

 

[triaddukefan]

Dont mind me, Im just passing through

 

[meyers7]

As Wednesday’s ceremony in the East Room of the White House was winding down, President Obama was posing with the team for a group picture. As the cameras were flashing the president quipped to the players behind him on the stage, “Alright, no rabbit ears now.”

Everyone laughed and after a moment he exclaimed, “Ok, you can go ahead (with the rabbit ears).

Anyone care to apologize to them?

No, don't have too. I kind of thought, after watching the video, he might have said something to them right before they did that. Looks like I was right.

 

[UCONNfan1]

oops. Don't some people feel silly now..

Agreed. Anyone who has a problem with it now really needs some medication, or a kind person to pull the stick out of their... well, you know what...

 

[doggydaddy]

No, because I did not use any of those words in my lone post on this subject. I'll repeat what I posted:

The rules of hospitality call for the host(s) to be gracious and for the guest(s) to be polite. The President held up his end of the deal.

If you didn't use those words, I wasn't posting about you.

The host instigated the bunny ears. Dolson and Stokes held up their end of the deal as well.

 

[ASweet3781]

read the comments on the article from the London Mail listed in news links - the English don't like it either!

My advice to you is not to care so much what other people think.

#1 Who cares what anonymous people who comment on an article think?

#2 Don't think the English really care...that article you speak of I am on right now and there is 52 comments. Most articles on their page have 500+ comments and more.

 

[UcMiami]

Whoops - after reading the blog and rewatching the video I take back EVERYTHING I have posted on the thread. He clearly did invite the rabbit ears - soto voce - but now I know I can figure it out from the video.
Am really glad of that.
Again - I wasn't bent out of shape about it, just thought it was inappropriate in the setting. With the President inviting it, I think it is now pretty cool! (Context is everything!)

 

[doggydaddy]

My advice to you is not to care so much what other people think.

#1 Who cares what anonymous people who comment on an article think?

#2 Don't think the English really care...that article you speak of I am on right now and there is 52 comments. Most articles on their page have 500+ comments and more.

#3 the article was posted before the info came out the The president instigated the bunny ears.