PRESS ARCHIVE
January 2005
Affair helps keep Lione's memory alive
By Dave Ruden
Staff Writer , The Advocate
©2005 Southern CT Newspapers, Inc.
It would have been easy to forget why an estimated 1,000 people were crammed into a pair of ballrooms at the Westin Stamford Monday night. It was more than the top quality wine and food that was being sampled, the BMW SUV that was being raffled or the Flair bartenders who made Tom Cruise's "Cocktail" character look like a lightweight.
Those in attendance probably remember rubbing shoulders with Tiki Barber, who was mobbed like a rock star and took more hits than he did all season with the Giants, Phil Simms, Kristine Lilly, Gail Goodrich and Chris Russo.
But for the 20 board members - and in the name of full disclosure, I am one of them - of the Mickey Lione Jr., Scholarship Fund for Youth Excellence, the third annual Bobby Valentine Celebrity Wine and Food Experience was about ensuring that Lione's legacy exists in perpetuity.
Which is why Roseann Lione, Mickey's sister, made sure when she approached Barber to let him know why his presence and patience in signing so many autographs and posing for so many pictures was necessary.
It was why Valentine, who spent nearly all of his free time once he returned from Japan in November dedicating himself to the details that made Monday night a success, shared stories of the man who was a regular visitor to his Shea Stadium office when he managed the Mets.
With all the distractions in the ballrooms, hopefully more than just those who knew Mickey stopped by a slide display that had pictures and story reprints of Lione, the best high school coach I have encountered.
Mickey was many things to many people: a coach, teacher, mentor, confidante, advisor, sounding board. He made as big an impact on Stamford's playing fields and hockey rinks as the best teachers do in the classroom.
It would be easy to measure Mickey, who passed away five years ago, by his 731 wins and six state championships coaching baseball and hockey, or for the two World Championship youth baseball teams he played on.
That was what Mickey accomplished, but not what he meant. Everyone was touched by him in a different way, usually with humorous consequences.
I first met Mickey about 20 years ago, when I was covering a baseball game between Andrew Warde and Mickey's Trinity Catholic team in Stamford. After a spirited contest, a brawl broke out as the teams shook hands. Mickey narrowly avoided taking a knockout punch before helping to break up the fight.
At the time Mickey was a night manager for Valentine's downtown eatery, and whenever I saw him recounting the fight was the introduction to a long conversation.
When I joined The Advocate years later I got an insider's view into how Mickey's mind worked. He had vision that other coaches lacked, an ability to anticipate few were blessed with.
But Mickey's incomparable ability as a strategist trailed the way he shaped young men. Today Mickey would be called old school. He believed in fundamentals. He would disdain the type of celebrations that have become commonplace in the NFL because they draw away from the team.
And the team always came first.
Mickey's players have been leaders in the community and a new generation is beginning to make an impact. One, Bryan Fox, is now the football coach at Trinity Catholic. Imagine how proud Mickey would be to see one of his own on the Crusaders' sideline.
The question always asked is whether Mickey could coach the contemporary athlete. Absolutely. For whether they want to admit it or not, athletes crave discipline, guidance and the direction map to victory. Mickey commanded too much respect for anyone not to listen to him.
At the end of the day, by shaping better people, Mickey made better athletes.
And that was why there was a melting pot in attendance for Monday's gala. It has become the social event, but it is much more than that.
It is not just about bidding on sports memorabilia or trying to win a new car.
There were young and old in the ballroom. Some of the 21 student-athletes from Trinity, Westhill and Stamford High who have received scholarships served as volunteers because they wanted to give something back. It was important to have them there: they will be Mickey's new voices some day.
None of this could be done without Valentine, who can accomplish more in a day than most can in a month. The celebrities who came out did so as a favor to Valentine, because they knew how much the night meant to him.
So what seemed like a big party to most had greater significance to those of us who want to make sure the name Mickey Lione is never forgotten.
And as Monday night proved, it won't be. He had too many good people working the room.
- Dave Ruden can be reached at dave.ruden@scni.com
Media Relations
If you want to obtain information for articles or television/radio programming contact:
Tom Chiappetta
The Mickey Lione, Jr. Fund
84 West Park Place 3rd Floor
Stamford, CT 06901
Phone: 203 984-4806
Fax: 203 966-2973Press packets are available. Permission must be secured for all photograph and video use.