I have been thinking of you alot since I sat glued to the TV during the championship game.
I know that there may be nothing I or anyone else can say to ease the pain and discouragement of what happened.
Still, for whatever it's worth, you, and your team, were terrific. And part of playing for high stakes under great pressure is the constant risk of (???) error. I know. I have lost two political races and made countless mistakes over the last twenty years. What matters is the intensity, integrity, and courage you bring to the effort. That is certainly what you h ave done. You can always regret what occurred but don't let it get you down or take away the satisfaction of what you have accomplished. You have a great future. Hang in there. Sincerely, Bill Fucking Clinton
Chris Webber is my favorite player of all time. I transcribe this for posterity, mine own, and for future generations.
i never realized how much Bill and Webber had in common.
I suspect C-Webb might be an under-discussed FD fave. He's certainly one of mine.
Of his generation of players, none probably inspires more imagination about what should have been. More years with Nelson (I still don't understand how that relationship didn't work, either in personal or basketball terms). Keeping that Bullets team together. Just one more season with the Kings with a healthy knee.
So many beautiful possibilities.
And my favorite part of the letter: it's addressed to Mayce--somebody looked that up for Bubba, or he remembered it from the NCAA coverage. Wonderful.
Mr. Six--knee health notwithstanding, the Webber Kings came within a Swedish fun hair of beating the Lakers in the conference finals. Greatest series in the history of anything, ever.
I always thought it was cosmic that Arkansas won the tournament a year after BC took office, but I guess then i would have to give W credit for Texas in the Rose Bowl. So, never mind.
Not to digress about politics on a basketball blog...but to do exactly that: Per Ghost Deini, amazing how similar their trajectories were. Both made it to the top...and while no one disputes the greatness of intellect or talent, if you had to write an epitaph on their careers right now, both would be remembered for their gaffes and what they didn't accomplish.
And to disagree with goathair...I think the Fab Five were a perfect kickoff for the Clinton years. The guy campaigned on MTV, played a sax on Arsenio...was a different, youthful candidate, just as the Fab Five brought hip-hop flavor into the college game.
I think the kind Dr. Dribbles is getting at what I was trying to say. The Fab Five are so ground-breaking that in my head they had to be directly opposed to the stodginess of the GHW Bush regime, and that's exactly what Clinton was too. I just imagine them actually fighting that outlook rather than following after it.
Despite all his faults, Bill Clinton is an amazing human being. That the president of the United States could find time, one week after he took office, to personally write to a college basketball player about a botched play is the reason why Clinton is beloved by "everyday people" and black people love him like he was one of their own.
anyone who was here last April will remember this iconic post, which contains probably my favorite comment on the W. administration and references Clinton.
I would think that Bill as an FD president, as in so many things, has a mixed record. The president who committed to saving Yugoslavia but who allowed Somalia and Rwanda to devour themselves is perhaps only perversely Darkonian. Which, I don't know, maybe makes him FD after all.
"The president who committed to saving Yugoslavia but who allowed Somalia and Rwanda to devour themselves is perhaps only perversely Darkonian"
Since when does being a humanitarian or doing the right thing have anything to do with being FD? Nelson Mandela and Jesus of Nazareth must be super FD.
Bubba Tubbypants writing about integrity and courage. That's coffee snortin' out your nose funny. Hysterical letter from one corrupt dipwad to another.
couldn't read it... can we get an executive summary?
ReplyDeleteit's readable. and amazing. where did this come from?
ReplyDeleteApril 9, 1992
ReplyDeleteDear Chris,
I have been thinking of you alot since I sat glued to the TV during the championship game.
I know that there may be nothing I or anyone else can say to ease the pain and discouragement of what happened.
Still, for whatever it's worth, you, and your team, were terrific. And part of playing for high stakes under great pressure is the constant risk of (???) error. I know. I have lost two political races and made countless mistakes over the last twenty years. What matters is the intensity, integrity, and courage you bring to the effort. That is certainly what you h ave done. You can always regret what occurred but don't let it get you down or take away the satisfaction of what you have accomplished.
You have a great future. Hang in there.
Sincerely, Bill Fucking Clinton
Chris Webber is my favorite player of all time. I transcribe this for posterity, mine own, and for future generations.
i never realized how much Bill and Webber had in common.
while the letter itself is genuinely intruiging, the most interesting aspect of it is how effeminate i find Bill's handwriting to be.
ReplyDeletethis post reminds me of another one out there on Cwebb. . . http://www.unkut.com/weed/2007/04/nba-playoffs-2007-a-warrior-weed-owners-last-stand/
Pretty sure "(???) error" = "mental error," but that's tricky handwriting. Damn lefties.
ReplyDeleteI think it's mental error.
ReplyDelete---
For some reason, I always imagine the Fab Five occurring during Bush the Elder's Presidency. I think it works better thematically that way.
FREEDRUDGEREPORT
ReplyDeleteSeriously tho.. incredible find, wherever you got it from.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's referenced in an earlier Sports Bog column.
ReplyDeleteIt should be noted this was written less than a week after the game and about six weeks after the inauguration.
ReplyDeletejust like c webb is your fav players B. Clizzy is my fav president. Thanks for the transcription...
ReplyDeleteI suspect C-Webb might be an under-discussed FD fave. He's certainly one of mine.
ReplyDeleteOf his generation of players, none probably inspires more imagination about what should have been. More years with Nelson (I still don't understand how that relationship didn't work, either in personal or basketball terms). Keeping that Bullets team together. Just one more season with the Kings with a healthy knee.
So many beautiful possibilities.
And my favorite part of the letter: it's addressed to Mayce--somebody looked that up for Bubba, or he remembered it from the NCAA coverage. Wonderful.
giptjoy: getting immense playing time = happiness
Mr. Six--knee health notwithstanding, the Webber Kings came within a Swedish fun hair of beating the Lakers in the conference finals. Greatest series in the history of anything, ever.
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was cosmic that Arkansas won the tournament a year after BC took office, but I guess then i would have to give W credit for Texas in the Rose Bowl. So, never mind.
Not to digress about politics on a basketball blog...but to do exactly that: Per Ghost Deini, amazing how similar their trajectories were. Both made it to the top...and while no one disputes the greatness of intellect or talent, if you had to write an epitaph on their careers right now, both would be remembered for their gaffes and what they didn't accomplish.
ReplyDeleteAnd to disagree with goathair...I think the Fab Five were a perfect kickoff for the Clinton years. The guy campaigned on MTV, played a sax on Arsenio...was a different, youthful candidate, just as the Fab Five brought hip-hop flavor into the college game.
I think the kind Dr. Dribbles is getting at what I was trying to say. The Fab Five are so ground-breaking that in my head they had to be directly opposed to the stodginess of the GHW Bush regime, and that's exactly what Clinton was too. I just imagine them actually fighting that outlook rather than following after it.
ReplyDeleteOho! Then yes--unlike our executive and legislative branches, or the warring Chris Paul/Deron Williams camps--we are agreed.
ReplyDeleteDespite all his faults, Bill Clinton is an amazing human being. That the president of the United States could find time, one week after he took office, to personally write to a college basketball player about a botched play is the reason why Clinton is beloved by "everyday people" and black people love him like he was one of their own.
ReplyDeleteanyone who was here last April will remember this iconic post, which contains probably my favorite comment on the W. administration and references Clinton.
ReplyDeletereal talk
what a find! nicely done shoals.
ReplyDeletefor me, its just nice to see someone holding out his hand to help someone else in turmoil.
I would think that Bill as an FD president, as in so many things, has a mixed record. The president who committed to saving Yugoslavia but who allowed Somalia and Rwanda to devour themselves is perhaps only perversely Darkonian. Which, I don't know, maybe makes him FD after all.
ReplyDelete"The president who committed to saving Yugoslavia but who allowed Somalia and Rwanda to devour themselves is perhaps only perversely Darkonian"
ReplyDeleteSince when does being a humanitarian or doing the right thing have anything to do with being FD? Nelson Mandela and Jesus of Nazareth must be super FD.
Of course Mandela is FD. Jesus of Nazareth.....um........
ReplyDeleteso are we saying that bill literally, freed darko?
ReplyDeleteto further BR's Mandela point.
ReplyDeleteand really this entire post is a great read for the few here who don't regularly no mas.
lastly, unrelated but equally awesome are these Wire prequels: http://www.amazon.com/Wire-Complete-Fourth-Season/dp/B000QXDJLI
Bubba Tubbypants writing about integrity and courage. That's coffee snortin' out your nose funny. Hysterical letter from one corrupt dipwad to another.
ReplyDelete"I know that there may be nothing I or anyone else can say to ease the pain and discouragement of what happened."
ReplyDeleteFYI the actual letter says "disappointment" not "discouragement."