Bill Clinton Letter to Chris Webber

Submitted by Wes Mantooth on

The link below leads to a letter Bill Clinton wrote to CWebb after the infamous timeout.  This must have had a big affect on Clinton for him to go out of his way to write and send the letter.  Not political, I just thought it was an interesting reaction from someone who's been in so many high profile, high pressure situations.  

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2011/03/part-of-playing-for-high-stakes-under.html

BlueDragon

March 17th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

April 9, 1993

Dear Chris,

I have been thinking of you a lot since I sat glued to the TV during the championship game.

I know that there may be nothing I or anyone else can say to ease the pain and disappointment of what happened.

Still, for whatever it's worth, you, and your team, were terrific. And part of playing for high stakes under great pressure is the constant risk of mental error. I know. I have lost two political races and made countless mistakes over the last twenty years. What matters is the intensity, integrity, and courage you bring to the effort. That is certainly what you have done. You can always regret what occurred but don't let it get you down or take away the satisfaction of what you have accomplished.

You have a great future. Hang in there.

Sincerely,

Bill Clinton

michfan4borw

March 17th, 2011 at 2:03 PM ^

Clinton: "What matter is the intensity, integrity and courage you bring to the effort."

Roosevelt: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” 

 

Webber fought and gave it his all.  I expect Michigan to do the same tomorrow!  GO BLUE

maizenbluedevil

March 17th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^

Wow.  That's really, really cool.  Thanks for posting that.  I've always liked Clinton despite disagreeing with him politically, that's cool of him that he took the time to write that letter.

preed1

March 17th, 2011 at 1:41 PM ^

When I got detention in 7th grade I got a similar letter from bill clinton....it was weird he had the same hand writting as my mom

Section 1

March 17th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^

myself from trying to finish this joke:  "So Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and Bill Clinton walk into a bar.  The first guy says..."

Discuss.

aawolve

March 17th, 2011 at 2:26 PM ^

It was heartbreaking for me to watch Webber after the timeout, and at the press conference afterwards. That was a nice gesture by President Clinton.