|
Inside the
Frattohouse |
|
|
June 23, 2008 On the morning of Tim Russert’s passing of Friday the 13th, he waited in his son Luke’s newfound apartment for the cable guy to show up so he could connect the new residence to the world of sports. In spite of all his responsibilities and commitments, it was that important…And that is symbolic as it relates to the moral fiber of Tim Russert, a man who brilliantly held down the fort at “Meet the Press” for 17 years. For all of Russert’s accolades and great attributes, perhaps his undying love for sports and their place in our society is most prevalent. My lifetime friend and Minor League roommate Michael Brauner worked briefly with Russert in the late ‘80s in Washington DC and talked about his un-mitigated, open-ended joy for sports. A lifelong Buffalo Bills and New York Yankees fan, Russert’s formative years with his father ‘Big Russ’ and his son Luke were enhanced by their common love for sports and the way they nurture the adolescent bond between fathers and sons. Russert’s father worked two jobs to support his family, and often the only time they could spend together involved sporting endeavors…The trek to the Bronx to see the Yankees was always cherished. Meanwhile, Russert’s son Luke, a graduate of Boston College, often hosted his dad at tailgate parties before football games, and the elder Russert was a hit with Luke’s friends regaling stories of sports lore in his past. On national TV in 1994, while hosting ‘Meet the Press,’ he prayed for the Buffalo Bills to finally win the Super Bowl, their 4th trip in as many years. Russert also served until his death in an Executive role on the Board of Directors for the Baseball Hall-of-Fame in Cooperstown, a position he’d held since 2003. For Tim Russert their was nothing more important than his family, but it was clear that his love of sports provided a vehicle to bond with his father and his son, and to afford the opportunity to give and receive love. It is universal concept that will always have a place in our society. Just like it does, right here in Novi… (c) 2008 Novi
Information Network ___________________________________ |
|
