|
OPERATION
HARWOOD II
|
|
May 24, 2006
 Bobby
Lutz, head
coach of the
Charlotte
49ers, made a
return trip to
Kuwait along
with 12 other
NCAA
basketball
coaches and
sports
personalities,
to coach a
military team
in the
Operation
Hardwood II
basketball
tournament May
23-28.
Lutz is again
coaching
troops from
Camp Virginia,
Kuwait. In
addition to
coaching, Lutz
will again get
the chance to
a ride in a
tank, a
Bradley
fighting
vehicle and on
a camel. The
coaches will
also visit
troops at the
medical
hospital, tour
the Humvee
up-armor
facility, stay
in Army
barracks, and
hold a
basketball
clinic for
Kuwait
children in
Kuwait City.
"I can
honestly tell
you that I
have never
felt as
honored to be
an American
when I came
and
experienced
this with all
of you," Lutz
said in
August.
Lutz said his
most memorable
experience was
during the
national
anthem at last
year's
Operation
Hardwood.
"That was the
most moving
anthem I've
ever
experienced as
a player or
coach," Lutz
said. "During
every national
anthem this
year I touched
my United
Services
Organization
pin I received
over there."
When Lutz
isn't coaching
his team, he
is signing
autographs and
taking
pictures with
troops. He was
very thankful
for being able
to attend the
event and meet
with
servicemembers.
"From the
bottom of my
heart I want
to thank you
for what you
do and we are
going to make
sure that
every one at
home
appreciates
what you do
everyday,"
Lutz said.
The Operation
Hardwood
"Hoops with
the Troops"
tournament
consists of 12
teams of
servicemembers
from the seven
Kuwait
military
camps. The
teams will
play games in
one of three
pools. How
they perform
during pool
play will
determine
their seeding
for the
single-elimination
tournament.
The other
coaches are
Tubby Smith,
Kentucky, Tom
Izzo, Michigan
State, Gary
Williams,
Maryland, Mark
Gottfried,
Alabama, Dave
Odom, South
Carolina,
Kelvin
Sampson,
Indiana, Rick
Barnes, Texas,
Reggie Menton,
Air Force
Academy, Jim
Crews, West
Point, Billy
Lange, Naval
Academy, and
Jay Bilas,
ESPN analyst.
May 3, 2006
 Arlington,
Va. - The USO
and Armed
Forces
Entertainment
(AFE) are
again sending
top NCAA
basketball
coaches and
sports
personalities,
including
Charlotte
49ers head
coach Bobby
Lutz, on a
tour to the
Persian Gulf
region May
23-29, 2006.
During the
tour, called
"Operation
Hardwood II,"
the
participants
will coach
military
basketball
teams
featuring the
best military
players who
will compete
in a
championship
tournament.
Fox Sports
broadcaster
Leeann Tweeden
also is
accompanying
"Operation
Hardwood" on
her 8th USO/AFE
tour. Support
for Operation
Hardwood II is
being provided
by NIKE.
The tour
participants
include:
• Rick Barnes,
University of
Texas
• Jay Bilas,
ESPN
commentator
and former
Duke
University
player
• Jim Crews,
U.S. Military
Academy, West
Point, N.Y.
• Mark
Gottfried,
University of
Alabama
• Tom Izzo,
Michigan State
University
• Billy Lange,
U.S. Naval
Academy,
Annapolis, Md.
• Bobby Lutz,
University of
North
Carolina,
Charlotte
• Reggie
Minton, NCAA
• Dave Odom,
University of
South Carolina
• Kelvin
Sampson,
University of
Indiana
• Tubby Smith,
University of
Kentucky
• Gary
Williams,
University of
Maryland
Lutz, who
mentionned
that last
year's tour
was a
"life-changing"
experience, is
one of six
participants -
Gottfried,
Odom, Lutz,
Izzo, Sampson
and Bilas -
that are
veterans of
Operation
Hardwood I and
were inspired
to become
involved again
on this year's
tour. This
tour continues
the USO
tradition of
bringing
professional
athletes and
sports-related
events to
troops serving
far from home.
Last year, NBA
Legends Artis
Gilmore and
Darryl Dawkins
visited
military
personnel
serving in
Hurricane
Katrina relief
efforts.
Gilmore, Gail
Goodrich,
Spencer
Haywood and
Dan Roundfield
also brought
the Larry
O'Brien Trophy
to Troops in
Kuwait last
May. NBA
Legends and
players soon
will begin a
stateside USO
tour, visiting
military bases
and holding
festivals for
service
members and
their
families.
Tours are
sponsored by
AT&T, Inc.,
the official
telecommunications
sponsor of USO
entertainment
tours. |
|
|
|
