Transcript of Guru's USBWA Pat Summitt Most Courageous Award to Lauren Hill

By Mel Greenberg

This is the transcript of the award being given to Lauren Hill and it appears in the original style done for the purpose of not losing place while making the presentation.

Since this was put in the silo holding queue in the middle of the night and being posted soon after the halftime ends, may have to update and will indicate if we have waggled a bit.

Tweaked it a little.

THANK YOU, BRAD, FOR THOSE KIND WORDS.

TO BEGIN: BECAUSE OF THE MAGNIFICENT GESTURE BY THE NCAA AND ALSO WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO THE FOLKS HERE AT XAVIER AND THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE, AND, ALSO TO FOX SPORTS

TODAY BEGINS THE 2014-15 WOMEN’S COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL SEASON AND THE CHASE FOR GLORY IN MARCH AND APRIL.

BUT UNLIKE PAST SEASONS, WE ARE GATHERED TO CELEBRATE A CHAMPION IN HER VERY 1ST GAME AS HER DREAM HAS COME TRUE.

IN OUR SPORT, RECENT EVENTS OF SERIOUSNESS AND FUN – IF YOU CALL HAVING A BUCKET OF ICE COLD WATER DUMPED ON YOUR HEAD, FUN – HAS CAUSED SOMETHING MAGICAL TO OCCUR.

IN THESE MOMENTS WE HAVE ALL BLENDED:

PLAYERS, COACHES, TEAMS, REFEREES, MEDIA AND, YOU THE FANS, HAVE TRANSFORMED INTO ONE UNIVERSAL BASKETBALL FAMILY.

AND THAT’S WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY -- FROM THE STARS OF THE WNBA TO EVERYONE ELSE – WE ARE YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY.

AND WE ARE GLAD TO JOIN YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY STANDING HERE ON THE COURT OF THE CINTAS CENTER TO APPLAUD YOU.

YOU KNOW I HAVE A FRIEND FROM PHILADELPHIA THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT:

HER NAME IS DAWN STALEY AND SHE ALWAYS SPEAKS OF HER DESIRE TO GIVE BACK TO THE GAME BECAUSE OF WHAT IT HAS GIVEN TO HER.

BUT TODAY, HOWEVER, THAT NOBLE CONCEPT IS REVERSED.

WE ARE HERE IN CINCINNATI TO GIVE BACK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVING US SO MUCH.

ON PLANET EARTH: THOUSANDS HAVE NEVER MET YOU, BUT THEY HAVE COME TO KNOW YOU AS YOU HAVE INSPIRED ALL OF THEM.

XXXXXX

NOW ABOUT WHAT BRINGS US TO THIS HALFTIME MOMENT:

WHEN WE ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE OF THE UNITED STATES BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION

RECENTLY BEGAN APPLYING NAMES OF STANDOUT NOTABLES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH OUR AWARDS,

WE CHOSE TENNESSEE GREAT PAT SUMMITT FOR THIS HONOR BECAUSE WE CONSIDER IT THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS TRIBUTE WE CAN BESTOW IN A GIVEN SEASON.

THROUGHOUT TIME IN VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE, WE HAVE SEEN INDIVIDUALS WRITE GREAT CHAPTERS IN COURAGE.

BUT, LAUREN, YOU HAVE CREATED A NOVEL THAT WILL BE READ BY GENERATIONS TO COME AND IT WILL ENDURE FOR THE AGES.

THEREFORE, ON BEHALF OF USBWA I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT YOU WITH OUR PAT SUMMITT MOST COURAGEOUS AWARD.

LAUREN THE ARENA IS YOURS.





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