There's an article in today's (1/25)The Post about the Spring Commencement speaker.

This year the students will have some input,by voting on potential speakers from an overall list.

The list of possible speakers is interesting, including Piper Pierabo,Ed O'Neil and Mike Schmidt.

If I knew how I would, but could someone put those names in a poll on here so that we can vote and compare how Bobcatattack compares to the senior student vote?

I think Jim has done a good job of bringing him back into the fold. When he was here the last time he had nothing but good things to say and indicated (in a very general way) that whatever his previous grievances were that the hatchet had been buried.

OK, I misunderstood . . . but I do think he's mellowed a good deal in recent years about many things. I believe this was mentioned in one article in a local paper when he last visited. I think he said something about some health problems giving him a different perspective on life. Perhaps, someone else remembers those comments better than I do.

+1

Mike Schmidt's short speech at the alumni awards banquet was positive and well received by me at least.

Being a hall of fame baseball player takes a lot of hard work and dedication. That can easily translate into a solid commencement speech.

If they keep theirs careers going like now, Wes Lowery and Allie LaForce will eventually give the speech.

I'm really not sure who I'd vote for:


List of nominees
Bill Brand, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer, HSN
He began his career in the television industry, working as a producer at local television stations and once his career got started, he moved to larger networks such as VH1, MTV, Lifetime and, finally, HSN.

Steve Browne, Executive Director of Human Resources, LaRosa’s Inc.
He has served in human resource leadership positions at CDS Associates Inc. and AR Industries Inc

Captain Donna L. Cottrell, District 13 Chief of Staff
She graduated from OU with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1982 and from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1997 with a Master of Science in aeronautical science; from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2004 with a Master of Science in information resource management; and from the U. S. Naval War College in 2011.

Alyce Jones, Senior Designer, Real Simple Magazine
Jones has also worked at The Boston Globe, The Washington Post and Boston Magazine.

Amy King, Deputy Design Director, Emerging News Products at The Washington Post
She has developed apps for iOS and Android and served as an art director for The Washington Post’s Arts & Style and Food sections.

Allie LaForce, Reporter for CBS college basketball coverage, SEC on CBS & NBA on TNT
She is a sideline reporter on CBS' telecast, "SEC Game of the Week" and won an Emmy award in 2011 and was Miss Teen USA in 2005.

Michael Logue, Contract Negotiator, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
He was deployed to Iraq and he has remained a stalwart veteran’s advocate ever since. Now a civilian contract specialist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, he manages client accounts for national security projects.

Wes Lowery, National Reporter, The Washington Post
He has worked at The Los Angeles Times and The Boston Globe before taking his current position at The Washington Post.

Ed O’Neill, Actor
He played the main character, Al Bundy, on the Fox Network sitcom Married... with Children, and he currently plays Jay Pritchett on the award-winning ABC sitcom Modern Family.

Piper Perabo, Actress
She has appeared appeared in Coyote Ugly, Lost and Delirious, Cheaper by the Dozen, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, The Prestige, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Looper, and the USA Network series Covert Affairs.

Matthew Rubel, Senior Advisor at TPG Capital
He was formerly the chairman, CEO and president of Collective Brands Inc. Collective Brands.

Mike Schmidt, retired American baseball player
He played 18 seasons as third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies and was a 12-time All-Star and a three-time winner of National League Most Valuable Player. In 1995, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Alex Sheen, Founder, Because I Said I Would
After his father died, he started sending promise cards to anyone who requested them at no charge and has sent over 3.1 million promise cards to over 150 countries.

Sara Shookman, Co-Anchor, WKYC Northeast Ohio
She was the only local reporter to cover the 2014 Winter Olympic Games live from Sochi, Russia.

Paula Shugart, President of Miss Universe
She is also a member of the Dean's Advisory Council for the Scripps College of Communication and created an extremely robust internship program for Ohio University students in public relations and video production.

Robert Walter, Retired Chairman of Cardinal Health, Inc.
He is a trustee emeritus and former chair of Ohio University’s Board of Trustees.