June 23, 2007

Notebook: Mr. Commodore Goes to Washington

June 23, 2007

Mr. Commodore Goes to Washington

Commodore Notebook by Rod Williamson

Several days have passed since the Commodores traveled to the White House for “NCAA Champions Day”. It was memorable.

We are a divided nation; red and blue states, conservatives and liberals. We debate stem cell research, immigration policy, Iraq, gun control, encroachments upon our freedoms and more. Then your bowling team is invited to meet the President and you forget about colored states, how you voted or what you told the guys at the diner last month. It’s not that your opinion changes; your American instincts just kick into high gear.

We have only had 43 Presidents in 231 years: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, two Roosevelts and now two Bushes among them. That notion weighed on the 10 bowlers, two coaches and four staff members that made the journey to Washington, D.C. June 18.

At approximately 2:30 EDT on a steamy Monday afternoon we pass through the dual security check points onto the White House grounds. You remember historical photos of Harry Truman going for his daily stroll through these gates. We are ushered along with 20-some other championship teams to various areas of the East Wing.

The Commodores are located in the State Dining Room along with the women’s ice hockey champs and indoor track and field kings from Wisconsin and the Dartmouth ski team.

In the adjacent Green Room, Blue Room and Red Room are other titlists and at the end of the impressive corridor is the East Room, the largest room in the entire White House. The priceless portrait of Washington that Dolly Madison rescued from the burning original White House hangs here. The hallway has official portraits of Reagan and Kennedy on adjacent sides to the State Dining Room entry. A Lincoln painting dominates one wall inside.

There are no liberals or conservatives now. You are lucky to be American.

We could see down that corridor from our position and suddenly it became quiet in the East Room. The door was now closed and we realize the President is near.

Nervous and excited chatter prevails on our side but as the President makes his way through the connecting rooms – the Green Room, Blue Room and Red Room – our four teams sound like a junior high study hall after the teacher steps out.

We were led into the wing by a young man from Mississippi but the closer we became to the President, the gray-haired handlers appear. Photography lights are in place and so is a tall photographer’s ladder. We are organized on risers to minimize set-up time.

Someone steps in and goes “shush” and we go stone quiet. After a minute, we realize it is a false alarm and go at ease, the whispers and laughter rising. Another shush, another quiet spell and so it goes for 20 minutes.

And then, from the other side of the room, in walks the most powerful person in the world – President George W. Bush. Silence. We are thinking: “he looks exactly like he does on television”. We eves drop on his talks to the Badger teams and then his interaction with the Dartmouth gang.

At 4:35 p.m., the President turns and strides perhaps five yards to shake hands with Coach John Williamson. Time stops. He moves to our team – the champs – with an easy-going style that could come from their favorite uncle, a guy on Main Street USA or someone that you would invite over for burgers. There were no thoughts of Blue and Red States. The President small talks for a few minutes, then accepts our gift of the specially made red, white and blue ball with the Vanderbilt logo and steps into the spot on the front row for the official photograph.

I planned to take off my pesky glasses but I wanted to see clearly as he works the room. As he mingles with the Commodores, I forget my game plan. After reminding the team that the photograph will become historic, I’m the guy with the reflection bouncing off his spectacles. So much for my rendezvous with history.

We’re not done. We are escorted to a grand doorway that overlooks the South Lawn and are placed two abreast. Through that door we can see the crowd of nearly 700, one that soon hears “The National Champion Bowling Team from Vanderbilt University” over the speaker system. We descend the spiral stairway with the Marine Corps Band playing a very good version of “Dynamite”. Impressive.

As we make our way to the second row amidst other great championship teams, we notice two ordinary dog bowls at the foot of the stairway. A homey reminder. Within minutes, President Bush reappears for about 10 minutes behind that oh so familiar Presidential podium. He clearly understands athletes and athletics and seems to be enjoying the humid afternoon.

As quickly as he appeared, he concludes, poses for photos as digital cameras flash from all corners and then he is gone. One star-struck Commodore leans over to another with “my gosh, we really are the champions!” as though the realization had just sunk in.

We leave the South Lawn on cell phones to family, friends and the media. ESPN will have two Commodores on its network the next morning to talk about the big day. Passing through the gates, we rejoin society – where folks are divided into Red States and Blue States, liberals and conservatives and debate stem cell research, immigration policy, Iraq, gun control and encroachments upon our freedoms.

On the plane ride home, our thoughts are on none of these matters. We have just been invited guests of the President of the United States. We are proud to be Americans. We are Red, White and Blue. Some day this is what we will tell our children and grandchildren.

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