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Message: [QUOTE="OrangeXtreme, post: 3107234, member: 41"] My jersey retirement speech, go Orange! “I have a snowy memory from childhood. The concrete seats soaked through our wool blankets and the bottoms of our jeans. The players’ cleats tore holes in the withered grass. Midfield was an open wound bleeding mud. Still, it was the players who commanded my young dreams -Ehrmann, Hurley, Monk, Wolfley- big names, headlining the monster movie posters in my mind. Yes, I wanted to grow up and be like them. Dreams are the blue prints for our future achievements. Dream big. Nearly a half century later, I’m back where they sweated and bled, having spilled my own sweat and blood on this same spot as a young man, but tonight, this honor of a lifetime, which fulfills the wildest of those childhood dreams, is only the second most wonderful thing SU has given me. The first is my beautiful wife, Illyssa. There is no greater blessing in this world than family. The rest is a board game. Still, while this moment is mine, only a fraction of the honor belongs to me. I wouldn’t be here without my teammates, or my coaches, led by Coach Mac. However, one man, has been more than a coach to me. Coach George O’Leary took me under his wing when I was thirteen, and he’s been there for me until this day. He taught me what hard work really is, and perseverance, and toughness, and loyalty. Behind any accomplishment is a mentor. Humility is a true measure of strength. I’d like to thank my partners and friends at Barclay/Damon, as well as John Wildhack, Pete Sala, and the rest of the Syracuse University administration for making this day so special. I’d also like to thank you -the Orange faithful- who for decades have treasured the ups, and forgiven most of the downs. I was, am, and will be, one of you. God bless you all, and go Orange!” [/QUOTE]

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