(above) Who knew that the former Secretary of State was a puck bunny at the University of Denver?From: Kamloops News
by Gregg Drinnan
Former University of Denver hockey star and alum Rich Preston has friends in high places.
Preston, the general manager and head coach of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes and former NHL star, is friends with Condoleeza Rice, who was the first African-American woman to hold the office of United States Secretary of State.
Preston, a 57-year-old native of Regina, and Rice, a 54-year-old native of Birmingham, Ala., became friends while both were attending the University of Denver in the early 1970s.
Preston was there on a hockey scholarship; Rice was earning a BA in political science, which she got in 1974 at the age of 19.
Preston said her family — her father, John, was an assistant dean and also taught — followed the hockey team closely and would have the team over to their home for dinner once every season.
At one point, Preston said Rice asked him out.
“It was one of those dances where the girls ask the guys,” said Preston, before his squad met the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday night at Interior Savings Centre. “Still, it was in 1972-73 . . . but I was Canadian.”
In other words, eyebrows were raised when the two of them showed up at the dance.
Later, the two would go their separate ways.
After a stop at Stanford University, Rice ended up in the White House as President George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor.
Preston wound up as an assistant coach with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks.
And so it was that with the Sharks scheduled to play in Washington, Preston decided it would be nice to at least say hello.
To make a long story shorter, Preston eventually got through to Rice’s personal assistant and asked to leave a message for Rice.
“I said, ‘Just tell her Sergeant Preston called. She’ll know who it is,’ ” a chuckling Preston recalled. His nickname while playing hockey at Denver was Sergeant Preston, after the legendary Mountie, of course. Preston told the assistant when the Sharks were to be in Washington and at what hotel they would be staying.
When the team arrived and he got to his room, there was a message from Rice awaiting him.
“So I called her back,” he said, “and we talked for about 20 minutes.”
As the conversation wound down, Rice told Preston that she would love to meet him for coffee but that she “had a meeting with the President” at 5:30, which was minutes away, immediately after which she was flying to Europe for a NATO meeting.
Preston’s response?
A laughing Preston said: “I told her, ‘Can’t you postpone the NATO meeting?’ ”
Preston, the general manager and head coach of the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes and former NHL star, is friends with Condoleeza Rice, who was the first African-American woman to hold the office of United States Secretary of State.
Preston, a 57-year-old native of Regina, and Rice, a 54-year-old native of Birmingham, Ala., became friends while both were attending the University of Denver in the early 1970s.
Preston was there on a hockey scholarship; Rice was earning a BA in political science, which she got in 1974 at the age of 19.
Preston said her family — her father, John, was an assistant dean and also taught — followed the hockey team closely and would have the team over to their home for dinner once every season.
At one point, Preston said Rice asked him out.
“It was one of those dances where the girls ask the guys,” said Preston, before his squad met the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday night at Interior Savings Centre. “Still, it was in 1972-73 . . . but I was Canadian.”
In other words, eyebrows were raised when the two of them showed up at the dance.
Later, the two would go their separate ways.
After a stop at Stanford University, Rice ended up in the White House as President George W. Bush’s National Security Advisor.
Preston wound up as an assistant coach with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks.
And so it was that with the Sharks scheduled to play in Washington, Preston decided it would be nice to at least say hello.
To make a long story shorter, Preston eventually got through to Rice’s personal assistant and asked to leave a message for Rice.
“I said, ‘Just tell her Sergeant Preston called. She’ll know who it is,’ ” a chuckling Preston recalled. His nickname while playing hockey at Denver was Sergeant Preston, after the legendary Mountie, of course. Preston told the assistant when the Sharks were to be in Washington and at what hotel they would be staying.
When the team arrived and he got to his room, there was a message from Rice awaiting him.
“So I called her back,” he said, “and we talked for about 20 minutes.”
As the conversation wound down, Rice told Preston that she would love to meet him for coffee but that she “had a meeting with the President” at 5:30, which was minutes away, immediately after which she was flying to Europe for a NATO meeting.
Preston’s response?
A laughing Preston said: “I told her, ‘Can’t you postpone the NATO meeting?’ ”
17 comments:
This is the kind of hard hitting journalism you can't get on the University of Denver website.
So it was Preston that turned her into a lying lesbian?
Get your popcorn ready :-)
Condi also dated Rick Upchurch, a Kick returner for the Denver Broncos during her DU days...
Upchurch was also a University of Minnesota graduate.
If I were Preston I would have said, "Couldn't you just not show up for Bushy, as I'm sure he will not notice your absence since he is oblivious to EVERYTHING else..."
Outside the Lines on ESPN is doing a feature about the Sioux mascot debate right now.
Apparently they just reaired what they showed 8 years ago ... then are adding their current opinions along with what is going on in 2009 on the issue.
Thanks Trev for the heads up. I DVR that program, so I'll check it out.
The latest I heard from the USCHO.com Fan Forum is that the tribes are coming around and the leadership that caused the problems may be tossed out.
I do think that if UND is successful in retaining the logo, maybe it will help us with Boone one day becoming "official."
Oh definitely it will help with Boone.
Even with all the Grand Forks-directed trash talk the last few days; I don't want UND to lose their mascot.
I don't know if UND getting to keep their nickname would help DU at all. At UND, the small percentage uber offended aren't in power and therefore UND has a chance of keeping their nickname. At DU however, this small small percentage seems to be in power and therefore seems to squelch any attempts to officially bring Boone back.
Thats true.
I think having the mascot at the games will hopefully open some eyes. Those in power could have easily banned Boone from Magness, but they chose not to.
It does seem like the momentum to bring Boone back is still building. At least I hope so.
Any situation that discusses "offensive mascots" that ends up with a resolution where the institution is allowed to keep its "bad mascot" would help strengthen the pro-Boone cause.
If the Fighting Sioux stay the Fighting Sioux .. then any debate that "Denver Boone" is offensive becomes more watered down than well drinks at the Border Lounge.
Dirty,
you are right that this small percentage is in power but they also are a bunch of weenies who have no balls! They can be rolled by a dedicated majority. They are pinheads with PHD's but no commen sense. Boone will win out ! All we have to do is hold to the cause keep pressuring these weenies.
Ho fo sho!
I think you are underestimating the weenies "We better than you what's good for you" mentality. Boone was dumped to begin with because he wasn't diverse enough even though the people who are supposed to be offended by this lack of diversity for the most part aren't. To the weenies this is because these people haven't been properly educated about how harmful and demeaning Boone is to them. If you disagree with them it is because you are racist/sexist/prejudice/uneducated. They are smarter than the rest of us and therefore need to save us from ourselves.
Well sliced Dirty. You hit the bulls eye.
It must really frustrate these PHD weenies that they know exactly what's good for us and we just won't listen.
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