Oscar to speak at graduation

[jon b]

http://www.uc.edu/news/NR.asp?id=5627

[cpawfan]

Couldn't they just show videos of his playing days and hand out copies of his story?

Oh wait I forgot, graduation speeches are suppose to be painful.

[ThreeRiversKing]

While Oscar's accomplishments are unrivaled at UC his speaking is not commencement worthy. Often times his subject matter become riddled
with bitterness from the 1950s, how bad things were in "the old days".
If this is your cup of tea by all means listen to his commencement speech.

[richard k.]

Why doesn't everyone wait to hear what he has to say first, and then if it actually is a downer, criticize afterward?

[cpawfan]

Why doesn't everyone wait to hear what he has to say first, and then if it actually is a downer, criticize afterward?

Have you ever heard a graduation speech that didn't put you to sleep?

[jon b]

Have you ever heard a graduation speech that didn't put you to sleep?

At UC? One. Ben Stein. Awesome. I'd pay him double to come back and speak each year. Everyone else has been thoroughly boring, if at least not still appropriate choices.


As for Oscar, like many, I have issues with some of his foot in mouth disease, but he supports UC as well as the best of the best do. As the article states, he gives 3 scholarships each year and does many other good things. Because this is the 50th Anniversary of the start of his career at UC, I think it is significant and he is a worthy speaker.

But he is likely to be as boring as most of the others.

Bring back Ben!

[richard k.]

I have no idea who spoke at my UC graduation ceremony, but I do remember that it was, indeed, boring. I can also say that I don't recall who spoke at my other 2 university graduation ceremonies, my wife's 2, my son's 2, or my daughter's 3, and, yes, they were all more or less boring. However, the first couple of responders to this thread didn't seem to talking about boring, but negativity. If Oscar is boring so be it - and probably to be expected, but I'd wait until he spoke before I'd accuse him of bitterness and negativity.

[cpawfan]

I have no idea who spoke at my UC graduation ceremony, but I do remember that it was, indeed, boring. I can also say that I don't recall who spoke at my other 2 university graduation ceremonies, my wife's 2, my son's 2, or my daughter's 3, and, yes, they were all more or less boring. However, the first couple of responders to this thread didn't seem to talking about boring, but negativity. If Oscar is boring so be it - and probably to be expected, but I'd wait until he spoke before I'd accuse him of bitterness and negativity.


No, I was talking about him being boring. I find boring people painful to listen to.

[steveedwards]

I agree with ThreeRiversKing - Oscar has become a bitter man and he's shown this publicly and privately. A fellow UC alum and Bearcat fan introduced him self to O at an event several months ago. Oscar proceeded to complain about Huggins, UC basketball, etc. It left my friend thinking, "Jeesh, I just wanted to say hi!"

[shaunsimpson]

The worst he can do is say something contraversial and that in its self is entertaining.

I was a senior class officer when we had Bob Taft or Elizabeth Dole (We had a part in both). The bigger the political name the more boring the speach. Dole's wasn't too bad, but Taft's was so booring.

I agree with Jon. Ben Stein's was entertaining at worst.

[Bryan]

While Oscar's accomplishments are unrivaled at UC his speaking is not commencement worthy. Often times his subject matter become riddled
with bitterness from the 1950s, how bad things were in "the old days".
If this is your cup of tea by all means listen to his commencement speech.

To put it in perspective, the commencement speaker at my graduation was Phil Donohue. worst... commencement... speaker... ever...

So, I may not care to hear whatever the Big O says now-a-days, it is better than Phil.

[jkwuc89]

I'll be honest...I cannot remember who spoke at my graduation. My row was too busy celebrating with the "liquid refreshments" I stowed away underneath my grad gown :D

My graduation (Spring, 1989) does have the distinction of being the first official event at the Shoemaker Center.

[Bryan]

I'll be honest...I cannot remember who spoke at my graduation. My row was too busy celebrating with the "liquid refreshments" I stowed away underneath my grad gown ;-)

That's just the kind of thing I would expect to happen at a Pre-Z graduation... :cool: g,d,r

[Jose_Jalapeno_on_a_Stick]

I'll be honest...I cannot remember who spoke at my graduation. My row was too busy celebrating with the "liquid refreshments" I stowed away underneath my grad gown :D

My graduation (Spring, 1989) does have the distinction of being the first official event at the Shoemaker Center.

My graduation experience was similar to what you described. Ours (88) was downtown at Riverfront. Phil Donohue spoke, and no one heard because the Mechanical Engineering section was pretty rowdy. I think it was so blantant that people complained :D

[The real Bearcat Fan]

I say go Big "O". I like the fact that Oscar speaks his mind although I do not always agree with him. I like the fact he is not bashful about saying what he believes to be true.