Hello Everyone. Yes I’m back from my blogging hiatus. It’s been along time and I hope you missed me a little while I was gone….
#14 made us all "raise the roof"
I’m in my hometown of Roseboro NC and my Dad reminded me that Cynthia Cooper is the new women’s head basketball coach at UNCW. Since my house in NC is about 45 mins from Wilmington I knew I had to visit with my all-time favorite player ever to play in the WNBA. You may remember who this recent Hall of Fame inductee is. She just has 4 WNBA championships with the now defunct Houston Comets. She was one of the greatest shooting guards to play the game. This 2-time ”W” MVP was in a league of her own and helped pioneer the WNBA into what it is today..
She played the game with such passion you were excited and overjoyed to watch her play. Cynthia Cooper-Dyke Coop was the best . All she did was win win win…..Coop’s level of play had you so pumped at the games or at home that you were out of your seat with both hands raising the roof… (oh come on now I know I wasn’t the only one)
I had the opportunity to hear Coop speak to an audience of about 150 people and because the organizers heard (from my Dad) that I was in the building I got the impromptu call to introduce her. I was surprised but I had to get up there and make it do what it do. Coop told me to “talk from the heart” and I told her ”no worries I got you.” I’m about to make it do what it do.I gave a brief intro and then ended by telling the e crowd to give a warm round of applause nah that’s too ordinary . I told the crowd please “raise the roof” for our speaker tonight Mrs. Cynthia Cooper Dyke.
Coop was great behind the mic she had a little something in her speech for everyone there. She elaborated on 3 things .
- Work Hard and when your done Work Harder
- Hang Tough. When you feel you can’t walk Crawl if you have to but Hang Tough
- Choose to Do Right You don’t have to Do Wrong. Remember you have a choice.
My new mentor has been there and done that...
She really inspired the crowd and motivated me. I sat next to her during the entire Freedom Fund Banquet and we talked the entire time. I asked her why she decided to coach out of all the opportunities she had? She said “I wanted to give back to women’s basketball and once I started not in the pros but at Prairie View A&M college I felt that I wasn’t only giving back but I was passionate about what I was doing”. She’s passionate about reviving UNCW women’s basketball and the city of Wilmington should be proud to have her.
I’ve been searching for a new mentor after my beloved Kay Yow passed away and tonight I found one. I had a feeling that tonight was going to be a good good night.
I walked back to my car with a Hall of Famer as my new mentor. Ain’t nothing wrong with having a “W” All Decade player to give you a little guidance. Now that I’m older and I realize that I don’t know it all (did I just say that) I think Coop as my mentor will come in handy….
Yall come back next week I’m back…I aint saying I’m just saying….
