The Manning Speech

[oldecapecod11]

Much is being made of the Manning farewell press conference. It was nice. It was somewhat emotional.
It also had a touch of commercialism and more than a little hint of a resume.
It will never make the top ten but it might be high on the list of sports' farewells.

Some say the J. Caesar farewell tops them all?
What do you think?

"...Today marks my final roll call with you, but I want you to know that when I cross the river my last conscious thoughts will be - of The Corps, and The Corps, and The Corps.
I bid you farewell."
~ MacArthur at West Point

"...old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier
who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty.
Good-by."
~ MacArthur before Congress

"Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself
the luckiest man on the face of the earth...
So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for.
Thank you."
~ #4 at Yankee Stadium

"With a heart full of love and gratitude I now take leave of you; I most devoutly wish that your later days may be
as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable."
Having drunk, he added, "I cannot come to each of you to take my leave, but shall be obliged to you
if each of you will come and take me by the hand."
~ GW at Faunces Tavern

"Et tu, Brute?"
~ JC on the Senate floor

---

There have been some great farewells in history. Although Hockey is not our national sport, and although
the jealous have often belittled Boston fans, the greatest farewell tribute took place in Boston Garden
on February 12, 1942.
The Boston Bruins famous Kraut Line of Milt Schmidt, Bobby Bauer & Woody Dumart had just accounted
for 8 Points in an 8-1 W v. the Montreal Canadiens.
It was their final game before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force and going off to do battle against the land
of their ancestors.
They were carried off the ice by their teammates while the Garden crowd stood and sang Auld Lang Syne.

[JoeZagorski]

I thought Manning's speech was pretty good. Great? Perhaps not, but pretty good.

Joe Zagorski

[JohnH19]

Anytime that the Bruins beat the Habs is a good time to celebrate.