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RU names commencement speaker

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RUtix4me

All-American
Jan 18, 2015
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Middletown, NJ native...they are fencing the garden. Good message let residents of the state speak.
 
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Plum Street

Heisman
Jun 21, 2009
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I mean I like it. But how many of the kids actually know who he is?. Not many of the current students are Bruce or sopranos fans if I had to guess. And yeah I am a huge fan of both. Big drop off from obama.
 
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Armor and Sword

All-Conference
Oct 18, 2007
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BoroKnight

All-Conference
Mar 13, 2010
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So one year we could have had Condi Rice, one year we have President Obama, and now this??? I'm a fan personally, but sheesh. Sounds like somebody didn't get a lot of phone calls returned.
 
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ruready07

All-American
Apr 15, 2003
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Ive heard nothing but good things about steve

and sometimes our students need someone to remind them to follow their passions and do what they really want in life. That is what a speaker like van zandt can do..
 
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FanuSanu52

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Nov 8, 2011
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Probably should be a separate thread, but this thread is a lame crap-fest anyway, so: Who was your commencement speaker and was he or she better than Steven Van Zandt or Obama?

Mine was Governor Jimbo McGreevey. Even at a time when he was new and respected, this still seemed like phoning it in on RU's part. Like they forgot to get someone, called up the governor the morning of and said, "It's the state university in your state, you kinda have to." And knowing what we know now .. true, uninspiring garbage.

Obama or Steven Van Zandt would have been many times better.
 
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robcac26

All-Conference
Nov 30, 2012
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FanuSanu52 said:
Probably should be a separate thread, but this thread is a lame crap-fest anyway, so: Who was your commencement speaker and was he or she better than Steven Van Zandt or Obama?

Mine was Governor Jimbo McGreevey. Even at a time when he was new and respected, this still seemed like phoning it in on RU's part. Like they forgot to get someone, called up the governor the morning of and said, "It's the state university in your state, you kinda have to." And knowing what we know now .. true, uninspiring garbage.

Obama or Steven Van Zandt would have been many times better.
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If I remember correctly, 2010 was the first or second year that they had the big combined commencement ceremony. I didn't go to it, and only went to my Livingston College ceremony instead, which was the last Livingston College graduation. I don't remember why I didn't go to the big one, maybe I thought it was only for Rutgers College students, I don't know, but the speaker was Mark Ecko, who was a Rutgers student but left the school before graduating to pursue art and eventually founded the Ecko clothing line. I always thought it was weird that a guy who became hugely successful by dropping out was the graduation speaker haha.

At the Livingston College graduation, the speaker was just one of my professors who I believe was some sort of dean for Livingston College. It was kind of hokey because he gave a speech earlier in the ceremony, and basically introduced the guy that introduced him back up to the podium.
 
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AreYouNUTS

Heisman
Aug 1, 2001
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BoroKnight said:
So one year we could have had Condi Rice, one year we have President Obama, and now this??? I'm a fan personally, but sheesh. Sounds like somebody didn't get a lot of phone calls returned.
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I'd imagine it's nearly impossible to keep getting speakers of that priority. We're not the only ones out there, ya' know, and Van Zandt is a pretty damn good rep of NJ and a fairly intelligent guy IIRC. Now...I hope...he doesn't go getting political and all but who knows.
 
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Pritz99

Junior
Jan 19, 2008
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Bruce...errrrrrr......Caitlin Jenner.

I'm sorta glad they stayed away from someone political. We would've had to set up a "safe zone." Actually, considering the connection to the Sopranos, anti-violence protests would have abounded.
 
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GoodOl'Rutgers

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Sep 11, 2006
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2rutgersu said:
is there an intellectual anywhere? down the toilet we continue
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How do you know he is not intellectual? He was politically active and formed anti-apartheid and other groups. No doubt, with trump in the White House, that "activist" message will probably have a starring role in his speech.
 
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GoodOl'Rutgers

Heisman
Sep 11, 2006
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AreYouNUTS said:
I'd imagine it's nearly impossible to keep getting speakers of that priority. We're not the only ones out there, ya' know, and Van Zandt is a pretty damn good rep of NJ and a fairly intelligent guy IIRC. Now...I hope...he doesn't go getting political and all but who knows.
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Of course I think the liberal activist thing is a bit much.. but you have to respect a guy who has worked so hard for so long on issues that he finds important. And having such a key role with Southside and Bruce... man, this guy IS the Jersey Shore sound as much as either of them separately.

Come to think of it.. maybe we need a NEW New Jersey Sound.
 
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ldwnmas

Senior
Feb 1, 2006
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Knightmoves said:
I'm with you RUbacker.

Condi Rice is not worthy as a commencement speaker at RU, but Silvio Dante from the Sopranos is the people's choice ?

I'm beginning to believe that there is almost no hope for our current graduates.
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Condi recused herself. How many times does this have to be repeated!!
She was given an opportunity to speak. She did not speak.
That was and is her right as an American citizen.
 
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RUsSKii

Senior
Nov 10, 2009
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ldwnmas said:
Condi recused herself. How many times does this have to be repeated!!
She was given an opportunity to speak. She did not speak.
That was and is her right as an American citizen.
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While you're technically correct, the primary reason she bowed out of speaking at the commencement ceremony was after increasing threats of vocal protests disruptive to the university's graduation ceremony, which she did not want to occur. It's everyone's right to peacefully protest and voice their disagreement with commencement speakers in general, but during the actual graduation ceremony you shut your mouth and respect not only the speaker, but also university graduates and their families/classmates during a momentous occasion.
 
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mdk02

Heisman
Aug 18, 2011
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2rutgersu said:
is there an intellectual anywhere? down the toilet we continue
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It doesn't have to be an intellectual, just not a political speech. My gold standard is actually Conan O'Brien's 2011 Dartmouth commencement speech. Link:

 
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MorrisAsh

All-Conference
Dec 5, 2015
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Shouldn't you have to at least attended college, any college, to be able to give a commencement speech at Rutgers?
 
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GoodOl'Rutgers

Heisman
Sep 11, 2006
123,974
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MorrisAsh said:
Shouldn't you have to at least attended college, any college, to be able to give a commencement speech at Rutgers?
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College of Hard Knocks? The Asbury Park College of Music?

I'm going to predict it will be a success. I don't think he would have been with Bruce and E-Street when they played Rutgers in the early days. Maybe with Southside.
 
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Pritz99

Junior
Jan 19, 2008
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Sure, she recused herself. But with the left's penchant for violence when it's someone's speech they want to stifle...
 
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GoodOl'Rutgers

Heisman
Sep 11, 2006
123,974
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Pritz99 said:
Sure, she recused herself. But with the left's penchant for violence when it's someone's speech they want to stifle...
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Yeah.. did Rutgers and that Graduation a class a favor in that regard. The faculty and students and activists that threatened actions were the ones who hurt Rutgers there.
 
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RUbacker

Heisman
Dec 5, 2014
16,107
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RUsSKii said:
While you're technically correct, the primary reason she bowed out of speaking at the commencement ceremony was after increasing threats of vocal protests disruptive to the university's graduation ceremony, which she did not want to occur. It's everyone's right to peacefully protest and voice their disagreement with commencement speakers in general, but during the actual graduation ceremony you shut your mouth and respect not only the speaker, but also university graduates and their families/classmates during a momentous occasion.
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What a shame. She is a beautiful person and super smart and classy. So many idiots made threats to her and RU. So much for free speech. Certain segment of society are all for free speech if it fits their agenda. If not it's violence .
 
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