Here's to your speech, Mr. President

Dallas - Ft Worth Star-Telegram ^ | 1/23/2004 | Randy Galloway

[Utah Girl]

Old friend George Bush spoke to the nation this week in his State of the Union address.

What followed has been much commentary about his speech in newspaper sports sections coast-to-coast. Very, very strange. In our job, writing about the state of the union normally means a rip job on Don Fehr for orchestrating an alleged destruction of major league baseball.

But George W. tricked everybody in this speech. Right in the middle of assessing homeland security, Iraq, our brave troops, the economy, etc., Mr. President wandered off into steroids in the jock kingdom. Because athletes are role models for our youth, Bush said, sports leaders should immediately crack down on the use of illegal muscle medication.

I say bravo. In the political media, however, they are asking why the president spent more time talking about steroids than Social Security.

My defense of Mr. President (and I hereby give George permission to use this for his answer) is that guys and girls who partake of steroids will not live long enough to see a Social Security check.

But mainly, it's personal reasons why I'm applauding Bush for his verbal version of 'Roid Rage against sports leaders who tend to be weak in this particular area of drug enforcement.

First, it allowed me to begin this Sports section column by using "old friend" in referring to the president of the United States.

Honk if you are impressed. Sure, it's blatant name-dropping, but I've been accused of worst.

Second, Mr. President gave me an easy column. Never underestimate the gratitude I feel when this happens. Or also the self-importance that engulfs me when the president says something about sports that frees me to rehash "the day."

Back then, of course, he was just plain "George" to all of us in the media who covered the Rangers.

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When he owned the Rangers, President Bush enjoyed the give-and-take with the media, perhaps one "old friend" in particular.

Outside of Secret Service people who followed him around Arlington Stadium (when his dad was president), there was nothing different than any of our other local sports owners.

When George didn't like something you wrote, or said, he told you so, point-blank. Or with an early morning phone call to the house.

I've always been proud to claim that at times I was mother-rooed, hoo-dooed and also personally addressed in not-printable-words by the future president of the United States. Hey, that's the business. It's all good.

But George was real people. And good people. One of the best I've ever dealt with. He cared. Cared about baseball, the Rangers and the people who worked for the Rangers. I appreciated that. Plus, he absolutely loved the give-and-take involved with sportswriters. As I like to brag, true or not, we prepped him well on how to handle the real media in Washington.

So gather 'round kids, and let me again tell you two of my favorite stories about the local baseball owner who became president.

In one case, I "got" him. In the other, he "got" me.

• Having just announced he would leave the Rangers to run for governor against incumbent Ann Richards, Bush remained heavily involved in the building of the still-under-construction new ballpark.

A big deal at the time was the name for the new yard.

One summer day, that name was announced. The Ballpark in Arlington.

The choice was immediately panned by the local media, including me.

Sensing displeasure, Bush and ownership partners Tom Schieffer and Rusty Rose entered a packed press box before a game that night at old Arlington Stadium.

"OK," George said loudly, "what do the gentlemen of the sports media think of the new name?"

Dead silence.

Finally, somebody said, "George, nobody likes it."

"Then," Bush fired back, "tell us what you guys would have named it."

Again, dead silence.

"Galloway," Bush said, "you've always got an opinion on everything. What would you have named it?"

George had called me out. I had to think of something fast.

Then it hit me.

"George," I said, "my choice would have been Ann Richards Field."

The press box erupted in laughter, including, by the way, George.

And the footnote is that as we all had to later admit, The Ballpark in Arlington is a great name for a great yard.

• Several weeks later, I was talking to George in the dugout during batting practice before a game.

My unsolicited advice to him was that the Rangers were more important than being governor, so he shouldn't leave the team. Local baseball needed him more than Austin, particularly with the new ballpark opening.

"And besides," I added, giving him a gig, "you will never beat Gov. Ann anyway."

Bush promptly answered that challenge by explaining his campaign plan. He would win, he said.

A year later, Gov. Bush visited the new ballpark. He immediately looked me up in the press box.

"Galloway," he smiled, "this proves you don't know a damn thing about baseball or politics."

George got the last laugh. But I milked another column out of that story.

[Utah Girl]

Great article on President Bush. You can ping your list to it if you want. :)

[RWR8189]

"Galloway," he smiled, "this proves you don't know a damn thing about baseball or politics."

Haha, that's hilarious!

[DrDeb]

Loved this article -- thanks for posting it!!

[Howlin]

You all will love this one, too:

Texas Ranger

[HardStarboard]

Randy Galloway is obviously a man that appreciates a sense of humor and the give and take of mano-an-mano. And he did it with one who, like him, does not wear all sorts of sensitivities on his sleeve.

Contrast that to the liberals that have a huge twinge at anything that could be "hurtful" or "derogatory" of smacking of "dis""respect".

Some of us know how to have fun....the others are really stressed. Thank God we have a President that takes himself less seriously than Clinton, Gore, Teddy, Dean and Kerry!

[j.frank.dobie]

He's even better on his radio show. He talks just like he writes.

You should have heard him talking about "Gunsmoke" (Barry Switzer, after his airport firearms incident) during his time with the Cowboys. Never mentioned Switzer by his name, but there was never any doubt who he was talking about (or how little Randy thought of his capabilities).

Hard to believe this is the same newspaper that gave us Molly Ivins!

[RWR8189]

Great article, thanks!

[ohioWfan]

Pinging my list 'cause I want to! ;o)

I really love to read articles written by people who 'knew him when....' because they reveal that the President really IS a 'regular guy' and just the way he seems.......

[Freee-dame]

ping

[Fawnn]

Great article about a great president!

[gramho12]

I had read this article and e-mailed it to a bunch of people. My sister, who lives in Austin and is a great Bush supporter, loved it. She says: And that is the way he is still. smarter than anyone gives him for being, and he lets it all hang out. The media just kills me, trying to figure him out, and there is nothing to figure out! He is not putting on anything, just honest and friendly. No hidden motives behind every thing he says and does. I love that man!

I agree totally with my Sis!

[maica]

"George got the last laugh"
****
When are the dems going to learn this?

[McGavin999]

Ah, this is a good one.

[onyx]

I love this! Thank you Utah Girl for finding and posting this column which I'll bookmark forthwith.

*ping*

[Texas Mom]

Thanks for the ping.. Love reading article like this about W.

[txrangerette]

Bookmark.

[Mo1]

"Galloway," he smiled, "this proves you don't know a damn thing about baseball or politics."

LOL .. Great article

Thanks for the ping

[Wait4Truth]

Wonderful article!! Molly Ivins must be spitting tacks this morning after seeing something positive about George W. Bush in her liberal rag! hehehehe...

[LurkerNoMore!]

relative ping
:-)

[SnarlinCubBear]

Thanks for the ping...made my morning!

[Tamzee]

Hey, thanks!

A great read indeed :-)

[TejasRose]

I love this article about our President!!

http://www.etherzone.com/2001/moon020101.shtml

[rdb3]

I knew Galloway when I worked for The Dallas Morning News. He is a real character. Now he has his own daily sports talk show on ESPN 103.3 FM.

[gatorbait]

Contrast that to the liberals that have a huge twinge at anything that could be "hurtful" or "derogatory" of smacking of "dis""respect".

Not to mention the "true conservatives" on this board.

[ohioWfan]

gatorbait, the 'true conservatives' and their slander and hatred bother me MORE than the liberals do.

Maybe it's because they claim to be on the side of the good guys.........

[Lucy Lake]

Thanks for the ping.

[ohioWfan]

From that article......

Here was the son of the sitting Vice President, a man with a masters degree form Harvard, who had no reservations about getting down in the mud and assisting my crew in getting the jobs completed on time. Not once did he mention who he was or make anyone feel that they were beneath him. He realized there was a job to do and did what he had to, seeing that it was done and done right.

The character of a man does not change when he becomes President, and he is not corrupted by power when he prays for humility, and asks that others do the same.

Besides, from pictures I've seen from the ranch, I'll bet he LOVED getting down in the mud!

Thanks, Rose!

[gatorbait]

gatorbait, the 'true conservatives' and their slander and hatred bother me MORE than the liberals do. Maybe it's because they claim to be on the side of the good guys.........

That's certainly a factor, isn't it? Naybe it is because so many of them are just childish unappeasables. Maybe some of them cannot think rationally. Maybe some of them are simple minded traitors. Who knows?

[mamaduck]

Thanks for the ping, dear, nice read!

[TejasRose]

The character of a man does not change when he becomes President, and he is not corrupted by power when he prays for humility, and asks that others do the same.

I totally agree with you. I am a medical transcriptionist, and a board that I go to has a so-called politics board for discussion. Well, unfortunately, it's nearly a mini-DU! I posted this same article over there, stating this was insight into our President's character, and those folks do not get it! They made some of the most hateful, snide remarks...like, "oh that doesn't mean anything...it was probably just a one-time occurrence...he was probably just doing community service, etc." I'm convinced that liberals do not have the functioning part of the brain that processes reason and common sense....or morals!!

[maica]

Dear Ohio, please visualize a bell curve and put those 'true conservatives' wa-ay out on the edge, under the very tail of the curve where it meets the baseline. Can you say 'fringe element'? Of course you can. As Sean Hannity says, "let not your heart be troubled."

;^)

[RightWingMama]

Thanks to both. Great articles.

[ohioWfan]

I find it interesting that those who are always shouting that it is WE who demand others to be in lockstep with the President, are the ones who are in truth, in lockstep with each other against him, and unable to think nuanced, complex thoughts.

I have found 'Bushbots' to be diverse, complex rational folks who can disagree with some policies without losing respect for the man, and his obviously strong character.

I wish I could ignore those other guys, but they seem to insert themselves, and their childish tunnel vision everywhere you look these days.........

[ohioWfan]

Good imagery, maica.

Besides which, they really are a small group........I shouldn't let them bug me as much as they do sometimes....

Maybe that 'bell' that they're on the fringe of could ring some sense into them??

[Brad’s Gramma]

THAT'S IT! I'll NEVER vote for him again! I've been a Republican all my life and this pushed me OVER the edge.

Did I say that right? Hardee har HAR! Thanks for the ping, Ohio.

[ohioWfan]

OH, you said it to perfection.........except you probably should have inserted some foul word in that to make it a touch more realistic..........

[ohioWfan]

I'm so thankful that I don't have to deal with Liberals in my daily life.........just on TV, and I can turn that off any time I'm sick of them.

You're right Rose. Most of them wouldn't recognize character if it hit them in the face........which is why they'll NEVER understand this President.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Oh. OK. BRB.

[Brad’s Gramma]

THAT'S *bleep* IT! I'll *bleep* NEVER vote for him again! I've been a *bleep* Republican all my *bleep* life and this pushed me OVER the *bleepin'* edge.

Is that better? HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA

[ohioWfan]

PERFECT! Thanks for that extra effort, BG! :o)

[ohioWfan]

Psssst...........like your tagline!

[dixiechick2000]

Outstanding!

Thank you, both, for the ping and the post.

[MJY1288]

WOW, How did this thread not turn into an immigration food fight? :-)

[ohioWfan]

LOL! Maybe the children are wearing out??

I thought that every thread in the world related to immigration there for a while........ :o)

[WaterDragon]

Loved this article!

[Brad’s Gramma]

It's the weekend....

[Senator Pardek]

Relativity ping

[Brad’s Gramma]

Psssst...........like your tagline!

WHAT tagline? This one?

I'm a Bush/JimBot and Proud of It!

[mathluv]

The other day, during a special election, one of the clerks that I worked with had a 'I knew him when' story. She and her husband lived in Midland, and knew George and Laura. In fact, George and Laura had a garage sale. When this lady bought something, George carried it to her home for her.

I wonder if Kerry, or Dean, or any of the other dwarves even understand the concept of garage sales?