Oh really!!!
hehe
Posted on 07/31/2004 12:58:52 PM PDT by Typelouder
Browns In Awe of President By Zac Jackson, Staff Writer This report filed July 31, 2004
President Bush greets Phil Dawson Saturday morning.
Photo By John H. Reid III
The chance to meet George W. Bush had Browns kicker Phil Dawson feeling downright giddy.
That no introduction was necessary—the President recognized Dawson and recalled a game-winning kick he’d made at the University of Texas—left Dawson speechless.
Shock and awe, NFL style. Bush visited the team before practice Saturday morning, played catch with the Browns receivers, and mingled with players, coaches, and staff.
“It was great to catch a pass from the President,” receiver Dennis Northcutt said. “That is something that when I am older and retired I can tell my grandkids about the time that I was playing wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns and I caught a pass from the President of the United States.”
Bush was in town for the opening ceremonies of the International Children’s Games. He addressed 2,200 young athletes from nearly 50 countries in Cleveland Browns Stadium Friday night. His surprise visit to Browns camp preceded planned rallies in Canton, Cambridge and Pittsburgh later Saturday.
Well, maybe it wasn’t a total surprise. It’s not like the President of the United States just drops in for a cup of coffee and a little football talk.
“We were notified this morning that there was a possibility the President might be coming,” Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia said. “But it didn’t help the surprise that we were having breakfast with all these men in suits and guys holding rifles and all these police officers.
“This was one of the safest places to be today.”
Dawson had met Bush when Bush was the governor of Texas and Dawson was at the University of Texas, just miles away from the state capitol.
“I’m definitely a big George Bush fan,” Dawson said. “When I was at UT, he would come over and use the weightroom and run around the track. I was a young political science major with all kinds of questions.
“He was a big Longhorns fan when he was governor and he still is as President. It was quite an honor and thrill for me today.”
President Bush and Butch Davis
Photo By John H. Reid III
Dawson’s wife, Shannon, sang at Bush’s first gubernatorial inauguration in 1994. Dawson isn’t sure Bush remembers that, but Bush sought out Dawson Saturday and recalled the 50-yard, game-winning field-goal that Dawson kicked as the Longhorns rallied to beat Virginia in 1995.
“I’m going to call my wife and tell her about it right away,” Dawson said, “but she’s not going to believe me. She’ll be mad she didn’t come to practice this morning.”
Dawson didn’t get the opportunity to kick with the President Saturday but was an interested observer to Bush’s game of catch.
“He threw a pretty mean spiral,” Dawson said. “We may need to sign him up.”
Said Garcia: “He was throwing a decent spiral. It was diving a little bit on him, but it had a good spin and rotation. I wasn’t going to coach him up all that much.”
Long snapper Ryan Pontbriand, a Texas native and a strong Republican, said meeting Bush was something he’ll never forget.
“I was a little jealous, wishing I was a receiver so I could play catch with him,” Pontbriand said. “I had to throw a few elbows to get through the crowd, but I got to shake his hand. He knew who I was and that I had gone to Rice. I was impressed.”
Maybe Pontbriand really is
the most famous long snapper in the history of football.
“Just an unbelievable experience,” Pontbriand said.
Defensive back Michael Jameson played high school football in Killeen, Texas, and went on to star at Texas A&M University. Jameson said he’s just starting to become interested in politics but will remember Bush’s visit.
“He might be a Longhorn fan, but the George Bush Presidential Library (named for Bush’s father) is on campus at Texas A&M,” Jameson said. “And as long as he rooting for the Texas teams, it’s all right with me.”
Never one to avoid a conversation, defensive lineman Kenard Lang held a political roundtable with reporters following practice on Bush’s visit and November’s presidential election.
“I felt like taking him aside and talking about a few issues that I have,” Lang joked. “But I didn’t get the chance before he left.”
Lang wouldn’t share his exact presidential opinion—“I’ll wait until Judgment Day,” he said—but did offer Bush one bit of campaign advice.
“If he becomes a Cleveland Browns fan,” Lang said, “then I’ll vote for him.”
The consensus? Politics aside, the Browns are smiling,
“I kept waiting for them to play ‘Hail to the Chief’ on the loudspeakers,” Pontbriand said. “That would’ve made it even cooler.”
And Kerry can't even throw a baseball 40 feet, or catch a football.
Oh really!!!
hehe
Kerry's day ...
Any questions?
Compare and contrast with Kerry's experiance with the Marines at Wendy's
Check this out Lady.
I'm not a sports fan (I live in Cincy) but this article sure brought tears to my eyes. God bless our President.
It is a stark contrast, isn't it. Bush respects the Browns, engages in conversation with them and makes it personal. Kerry, looking for a picture to make the news, uses two Marines and does so in a phony and condescending manner.
Mama T's day
"...Kerry's experiance with the Marines at Wendy's"
After today, I have a feeling that very few Marines will be molested by Poseur Kerry (the French looking candidate) unless it's all been very well scripted.
Go Browns!! w0000f!! wh000f!
Kerry makes the classic mistake of not only taking his eyes off the ball before he catches it, but actually closing them. Tsk, tsk!
The President and Butch Davis
Speaking about offensive tackle Ryan Tucker, Bush cracked: "He went to the same high school as my wife, but he's not as good-looking."
Laura Bush and Tucker went to Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, Texas, and Tucker played football at Texas Christian University.
As he prepared to leave, Bush told the squad: "Go get 'em."
Is that Kay Bailey behind Laura?
Wow. He gets more handsome as he gets older.
TC
yes he does!!
Check out the threads from today re: that picture. The Marines said they were NOT amused that Kerry bothered them, and that they were Bush men all the way! :-}
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