THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of June 15, 2001
President Lee Hindenach opened the business meeting at 9:59 on a humid morning, with 180
members present. We now have 500 members and 20 on the waiting list.
Membership Concerns: Chair Dick DePatie reported by phone to Lee that he had heard of no
health problems among the members. Lee then read a gracious note from the family of Ed Codel,
thanking the SMC for its flowers and caring.
Activities: Bowling is done for the summer. Until September, bridge will meet at the Lapham
Community Center, either after the SMC meetings or at 10:00 AM on meetingless Fridays.
Reporting for 4-F's, Eric Petschek confirmed lunch at the Stamford Yacht Club on the 22nd.
Golf will tee off at the Redding Country Club June 19th at 11: 00; no food or drink will be
provided. Racquetball is still going strong, as is tennis. Trailblazers will hike next at
Troutbrook July 16th.
Couth: Bob Wosahla reported that the Washington trip arrangements were proceeding.
He then reviewed coming events, with great lucidity in spite of outrageous heckling
by the membership. Goodspeed is June 20th. The Bluefish game is July 15th at $25;
minimum signup needed is 25, of whom 2 are now enrolled. The jazz festival is July
28th at Guilford, price $30-35. An August trip to Caramoor is shaping up. Off to the
races at Belmont September 12th, probably followed by Mystic Seaport October 3rd
for a clambake.
Other News: Bob Troup has donated 11 tickets to the GHO golf tournament. Lee announced
that we would be moving to our temporary quarters at St. Marks in March of 2002. The
meeting hall there is being refurbished and air conditioned now.
Jester: John Berg continued the misadventures of his relative Oley Olsen, this episode
involving two black eyes administered to Oley by a lovely lady in church.
Speaker: VP Bert Liebelt introduced our New Canaan neighbor David Checketts, temporarily
retired CEO Madison Square Garden, which owns the Knicks, the Rangers, the Liberty,
Radio City Productions, MSG- TV, Fox Sports Net, and other entities. Dave analyzed the
problems and
strengths of past and present Knicks teams, announced that he would shortly become an
owner of a professional sports team, and shared his tongue-in-cheek recipe for solving
the ins of pro
sports: get rid of the press, players, and fans. While commenting on superstars O'Neal,
Bryant, Iverson, Lemieux, and Gretsky, he noted that guaranteed contracts. without a
requirement for performance, were huge impediments to financial success of teams and leagues.
Golf is the
notable exception. However, even with problems, professional leagues were holding their
own.
In response to some of the members' wide-ranging questions, Mr. Checketts said that
financial pressures made for excessive advertising; that revenue sharing helped make the NFL
the best run pro league; and that boxing needed honest control, which it was unlikely to
get. He does not mourn the Xtreme Football League, which he felt was a suicidal concept.
He feels that soccer is a wonderful "people's" sport which won't become a major money
machine in the U.S. Dave's final opinions dealt with the NBA and the Knicks. Salary cap
is a problem for all teams. The Knicks need bulk up front and to get it will have to give
up Houston and/or Sprewell.
Patrick stayed in NY a year too long. Accepting young kids into the league ruins lots of them.
And NBA Commissioner David Stem has "made" the league but is not exactly easy-going.
Peter Schurman - Assistant Secretary