Story from UConn game Wednesday night...

[cto]

Didn't post this earlier because the mood here was too bleak, but I think it is a cute story...

Prior to start of the game, i am walking down that steep stairway at XL Center carrying food and drink for me and my friend.(I had already been to my seat ... and had left my coat there)
I was stopped by a security guard who asked to see my ticket.
Because of all the stuff i was carrying, i could not produce it... so i just said: “I am gong to my seat ... there" ... pointing to an empty seat (with a coat on it) behind the SU bench
The security guard says (disbelievingly) "Sure you are... but you cant go there without a ticket"
At that point, the SU team is leaving the floor after warm ups ... and Baye sees me arguing with the security guard. Baye comes rushing up into stands to give me a big hug.
The security guard ... who was as big and as dark-complected as Baye....
says to me ... "Okay... I guess you really are sittng there." And he lets me continue to my seat.

 

[orange2win]

Great story. Obviously a classy kid. Would love to hear how he got from Senegal to SU. I would expect his native language is French, so he and KJ must have been a pair.

 

[AirForceOrange]

Cool move by your "son" CTO...really root for him every game...you can tell he definitely tries hard every game...

Sent from Kindle Fire HD

 

[Coach Orange]

Sounds like Baye is my kind of young man. Stories like this are why we need to be careful not to turn this wonderful game into nothing more than how many rebounds or blocked shots a kid averages.

 

[sutomcat]

Great story. Obviously a classy kid. Would love to hear how he got from Senegal to SU. I would expect his native language is French, so he and KJ must have been a pair.

BMK is one of the nicest players we have ever had on the team. He is going to be a great success in life, whatever he ends up doing. Reminds me of Q, which is a great compliment to him.

How BMK Came to Hug Cto in Hartford

 

[bballbeadle]

One of the best things of being a college basketball fan is the intimacy. I took a friend to a game years ago (she knew nothing about bball) and she said, "You know so much about all these players! It's like they're part of your family." This is how many Syracuse fans feel. We witness the transition from boys to men, we know their stories, we feel protective and loyal, we feel deep dismay when they mess up, we forgive them when they redeem themselves. Of course, it's about basketball, but it's also about witnessing transformation over and over (or the lack of it) and feeling proud when they do their best and give us their all. This board serves to deepen the connection, and that's why I'm glad someone (ahem! shenexon) told me about it.

Thanks for the story, Joyce!

 

[stuckinbig11]

Add one more reason to like Baye.

 

[dundundun]

Great story. Obviously a classy kid. Would love to hear how he got from Senegal to SU. I would expect his native language is French, so he and KJ must have been a pair.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Great story. Obviously a classy kid. Would love to hear how he got from Senegal to SU. I would expect his native language is French, so he and KJ must have been a pair.

We bumped into Baye, Southerland and Hopkins at Tokyo Seoul last season. My wife commented on how good looking James is "in real life".

 

[albanycuse]

Cool story better than the shitty posts after a loss that usually come up.


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[tee1222]

Thanks for sharing this! Great story, class act all the way.

 

[jimsonjunction]

I love this. And thanks for the link Tomcat. I was shocked to hear that players from Senegal pick up English so much faster than their European counterparts. Apparently it only took Keita one month (!?!) to become fluent.

It always takes a lot of people to make something like this happen, and Kieta seems very aware of that, and very grateful. Certain individuals really went the extra mile to help. But ultimately you have to be open to receiving that help, and Keita's attitude towards life makes it happen. A true inspiration.

 

[Orangezoo]

Wonderful Story and thank you so much for sharing . Baye is such a class act.

 

[LetMeIn]

That is a great story. Baye in general is a great story. I am really glad this opportunity slip through his hands.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

"The security guard ... who was as big and as dark-complected as Baye...."

This kind of thing 'bleakens' my mood, even while i'm reading a charming story around it. This isn't the first time i've seen some 'odd' language in your posts, which is the only reason i mention it now. Not sure if you're suggesting the man's 'darkness' is supposed to have given him kinship and trust with Baye... But, that seems to be consistent with some other statements... Delete this/me at your discretion.

 

[cto]

"The security guard ... who was as big and as dark-complected as Baye...."

This kind of thing 'bleakens' my mood, even while i'm reading a charming story around it. This isn't the first time i've seen some 'odd' language in your posts, which is the only reason i mention it now. Not sure if you're suggesting the man's 'darkness' is supposed to have given him kinship and trust with Baye... But, that seems to be consistent with some other statements... Delete this/me at your discretion.

I thought it was a cute story... nothing more, nothing less. The security guard, very polite and very professional, was doing his job. He was rightfully telling this woman (who happens to be white) that she could not go behind the bench without a ticket. All of a sudden, a tall dark-complected uniformed basketball player shows up and indicates (to the similar looking security guard) that I am "legit." Guard smiles and lets me go to my seat.

So what is wrong with this story? 1) As many here know, Baye is a friend of mine. 2) It would have been incorrect to refer to both men as "African-Americans." 3) I did not want to use the word "black." Given these three points, how else could I have told the story?

BTW, what other "odd" language have I used that offends you? I am a professional writer. I am a "word person." Occasionally folks joke they have to look up words I use ("self-flagellation" comes to mind). I love to learn new words. I assume everyone does. Maybe I am wrong.

It is posts like yours that make me think I should never post anything that suggests I know anyone because I feel bad when people say I am a name-dropper or something. Seriously. (And, as Bill Orange and Fishy know, I hesitated before posting this story -- which I had shared with them --because I was afraid of a reaction like yours).

 

[albanycuse]

Youre just describing people. I dont see that offensive in the least, racist or whatever. So saying someone is black, white, green , or yellow is now politically incorrect? I think its totally cool. So f the pc police and !


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[tee1222]

It is posts like yours that make me think I should never post anything that suggests I know anyone. Seriously.

Please don't do that cto. I like your posts as you have a broad range of knowledge and experience about basketball and other topics that some and I'm only guessing most, certainly appreciate.

While I can understand how the color of skin can be a touchy subject, I don't think you meant any disrespect and Zelda, I'm sorry you feel that way. But to me, that Baye came over and gave her a hug, helped her out and got her back to her seat was what made me feel good

 

[realorange]

I thought it was a cute story... nothing more, nothing less. The security guard, very polite and very professional, was doing his job. He was rightfully telling this woman (who just happens to be white) that she could not go behind the bench without a ticket. All of a sudden, a tall dark-complected uniformed basketball player shows up and indicates (to the similar looking security guard) that I am "legit." Guard smiles and lets me go to my seat.

So what is wrong with this story? 1) As many here know, Baye is a friend of mine. 2) It would have been incorrect to refer to both men as "African-Americans." 3) I did not want to use the word "black." Given these three points, how else could I have told the story?

BTW, what other "odd" language have I used that offends you? I am a professional writer. I am a "word person." Occasionally folks joke they have to look up words I use ("self-flagellation" comes to mind). I love to learn new words. I assume everyone does. Maybe I am wrong.

It is posts like yours that make me think I should never post anything that suggests I know anyone. Seriously. (And, as Bill Orange and Fishy know, I seriously hesitated before posting this story (which I had shared with them)... because I was afraid of a reaction like yours).

CTO, please know there are far more of us that appreciate your stories, opinions and thoughts.

 

[Cuseball]

the story is fine although I can see why the description might have caused a reaction. I think it would have had the same effect by just saying the security knew you were legit once Baye came over.

Go Cuse!

 

[pfister1]

I thought it was a cute story... nothing more, nothing less. The security guard, very polite and very professional, was doing his job. He was rightfully telling this woman (who just happens to be white) that she could not go behind the bench without a ticket. All of a sudden, a tall dark-complected uniformed basketball player shows up and indicates (to the similar looking security guard) that I am "legit." Guard smiles and lets me go to my seat.

So what is wrong with this story? 1) As many here know, Baye is a friend of mine. 2) It would have been incorrect to refer to both men as "African-Americans." 3) I did not want to use the word "black." Given these three points, how else could I have told the story?

BTW, what other "odd" language have I used that offends you? I am a professional writer. I am a "word person." Occasionally folks joke they have to look up words I use ("self-flagellation" comes to mind). I love to learn new words. I assume everyone does. Maybe I am wrong.

It is posts like yours that make me think I should never post anything that suggests I know anyone. Seriously. (And, as Bill Orange and Fishy know, I seriously hesitated before posting this story (which I had shared with them)... because I was afraid of a reaction like yours).

Love your stories and your inside perspective, you have great life experience (as do many others here) that we are lucky to have you share with us ....please don't hesitate for a minute to continue posting.

One thing that makes this place so unique is the wide variety of people who all come here and can converse, usually civilly, on a topic that is so dear to all of us. It is amazing that we have contributions from people of all ages, both genders, all over the globe and presumably from disparate economic situations, differing races and generally a wide range of life experience.

 

[tee1222]

<---
Btw, I do realize that I shouldn't be preaching about any pc topic.

Not even sure how JLH came to be my avatar but I am superstitious and to be completely honest, I've been a dirty old man since I was 12. Please forgive me.

 

[cto]

the story is fine although I can see why the description might have caused a reaction. I think it would have had the same effect by just saying the security knew you were legit once Baye came over.

Go Cuse!

You could be right. However, I (as a journalist at heart) loved that the guard reacted so positively to Baye. Would he have reacted similarly to Trevor Cooney? Possibly. But I don't know. And the point is ... that it was Baye who showed up. I thought it was so sweet that Baye sprang to my rescue. That was the point of the story.

 

[Cuseball]

You could be right. However, I (as a journalist at heart) loved that the guard reacted so positively to Baye. Would he have reacted similarly to Trevor Cooney? Possibly. But I don't know. And the point is ... that it was Baye who showed up. I thought it was so sweet that Baye sprang to my rescue. That was the point of the story.

If Cooney came over he probably would have missed you while trying to hug or stumbled into you and knocked your beverages over!

No worries at all. We all bleed Cuse orange!

 

[CuseTroop]

You could be right. However, I (as a journalist at heart) loved that the guard reacted so positively to Baye. Would he have reacted similarly to Trevor Cooney? Possibly. But I don't know. And the point is ... that it was Baye who showed up. I thought it was so sweet that Baye sprang to my rescue. That was the point of the story.

If you do decide to stop posting these stories here for all (most) to enjoy, maybe you could make a list of posters that you could PM the stories to. If this happens I would love to be added to the list. Love these stories.. Just like the story melancer had today about working at a bank and having JB walk in to deposit a check. I watch these players and coaches on TV and often wonder what they are like in person. At least for now, living so far away, these stories are the closest I get. Can't give you enough "likes" to show you how much I appreciate them