Coach Has Something To Share With All Of Us/NCAA Finals Open Thread

by Nestor on Apr 6, 2009 4:38 PM PDT

For those who are watching the game tonight you will be treated to this message from the Coach:

Coach John Wooden reciting a poem that will play over NCAA footage of MJ, DWade, Walton, Candace Parker and others. I just hope Magic is happy at the end of the night.

Guess for those who are watching the game tonight this can serve as an open thread.

GO BRUINS.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Epic commercial

Coach. What an incredible person.

greg in denver - UCLA guy for life

by gbruin on Apr 6, 2009 5:11 PM PDT reply actions

Man

Carolina is just TOO good.

by uclafan11 on Apr 6, 2009 6:41 PM PDT reply actions

this game is already

over…at least ‘SC won’t have bragging rights over almost having beaten the national champion…

by daggy on Apr 6, 2009 6:46 PM PDT reply actions

It's not a good sign when the other team is on pace for 128 points

by jaffa on Apr 6, 2009 6:53 PM PDT reply actions

This game

feels like a replay of Florida v. UCLA.

by Nestor on Apr 6, 2009 7:44 PM PDT reply actions

Except

Those games were closer.

by SuperBruinMan on Apr 6, 2009 7:56 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah ...

This is awful (and over). I wish I hadn’t decided to watch the last 5 mins of first half. I am out. See you guys in the am.

by Nestor on Apr 6, 2009 8:15 PM PDT up reply actions

I just called my brother - UNC Class of '67

and congratulated him on his team’s victory. Then I casually reminded him that, at five championships, the Tar Heels only have to win another seven to beat UCLA’s record…

by daggy on Apr 6, 2009 8:51 PM PDT reply actions

nice... :-)

by impaulv on Apr 6, 2009 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions

Saw this live

last night and had to rewind it twice to watch it. Totally awe inspiring. A great ad. Glad my sons were there to experience it.

By the way, my 6 year old came in 2nd place in the office pool. Won $300. Very proud in a weird sorta way….

by Bald Eagle on Apr 7, 2009 7:39 AM PDT reply actions

If anybody else recited that poem it would have been hokey

but when Coach says it (and I’m confident he wrote it as well), you think to yourself that you really need to start being a better person and right away.

None of us should let a day pass without reflecting on some aspect of Coach’s wisdom. Alas, I know I won’t live up to that, but I would like to be able to.

by Fox 71 on Apr 7, 2009 10:55 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I love this poem!

Anybody know who the author is? I’m interested in passing the text along to my brother who is an amazing father. He would love it and be inspired by it, I’m sure.

PS: For those of us who have had the good fortune to sit down with Coach, his need to quote poetry is profound in it’s timeliness and appropriateness. I would swear he has the perfect poem for any given topic at the ready on a moment’s notice. What is also amazing is that at his advanced age, he has these all memorized and can deliver them without dropping a word. (I mention this because there are many that will believe this was read from a prompter or written specifically for this spot.)

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Apr 7, 2009 11:23 AM PDT reply actions

I transcribed the poem for all to share!

A careful man I must always be,
a little fellow follows me.
I know I dare not go astray
for fear he’ll go the self same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes,
what e’er he sees me do, he tries
Like me, he says he says he’s going to be;
This little chap who follows me.
He thinks that I am good and fine,
believes in every word of mine.
The base in me he must not see;
this little chap who follows me.
I must be careful as I go,
through summer sun and winter snow;
because I am building for the years to be,
this little chap who follows me.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Apr 7, 2009 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

The Little Chap Who Follows Me

Coach’s website states that this is one of his “Favorite Maxims”. The story behind the poem is that back in 1936 when his son was born, Coach got a set of encyclopedias and a picture that showed a man walking on the beach with a little son following walking in his footsteps. Beside the picture was the text of the poem. The poem is titled “The Little Chap Who Follows Me”, the author is unknown. He had the picture framed and put it in his office for him to always see.

This proves that Coach recited this poem from memory and was not read from a prompter, nor specifically written for this spot. I have a pretty good feeling that Coach picked out this poem to recite.

By the way, my favorite part of the commercial is when Coach smiles at the end!

by seas98 on Apr 7, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions

The smile...

… was my favorite part, too.

I’d think that any dad who has a son can relate to these words. I recall my son being less than two when I realized that he was an excellent mirror, and several of his behaviors that I didn’t like… well, there was a lightbulb moment when I realized they were things I did, and the only way to correct his behavior was to correct mine.

I googled, one site had the poem credited to a Rev. Claude Wisdom White, Sr. – I have no way to confirm the author.

PA: Here’s your teleprompter, sir. Just read the words into the camera.
JW: Thank you, but I won’t be needing that.

by haywood nighttrain on Apr 7, 2009 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions

A quick note

Guys if you all like this commercial, I think the post is worth recommending and bumping it up so it stays up for a while. As you all noted Coach’s words are always inspiring.

GO BRUINS.

by Nestor on Apr 7, 2009 6:36 PM PDT reply actions