Pep Talk: "Can't Vouch For Arnold"

I love being an uncle. Anybody else in that fox hole? I know, tons of you. Anyway, in last week’s Pep Talk your knucklehead scribe wrote about 11-year-old nephew Nolan Schmitt. This week, it’s his older sister’s turn. 

Hey everybody, say hi to Shannon Schmitt, “Shanny Boo.” High school sophomore. A dynamo. Thy feeble cranium worked overtime pondering an accurate description of the 15-year-old wonder kind. The daughter of Mary and Victor? This ain’t easy, but here’s four: smart, athletic, respectful and persistent. I’ll take that quartet - maybe replace athletic with fit - on my tombstone, TOMORROW.

Shannon, before-mentioned-brother and parents, the Schmitt’s, recently stayed with the GansIntosh crew for eight Centennial State days. We had a blast. While in Vail the kids heard Uncle Mark share a cherished story from my sportscasting days. However, its lesson resonates today in remembering the importance of persistent in trying to achieve goals and overcome challenges.

Whenever darling wife drags me - kidding - to this magical mountain town and we’re strolling past Pepi’s, a legendary lodging and dining spot, this aging jock loves to share a story of the quest to find Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was 1989. For KCNC-TV, I’m covering the World Alpine Ski Championships. Austria had owned the mountain that day. Our executive producer says, “McIntosh, go find Arnold.”

At the time, the Austria-born icon was a body builder turned movie star. We knew he was in town and - it’s Arnold - would be celebrating. It was our mission to find him and get sound. The search ended, rather quickly as I recall, in the basement bar of Pepi’s. The place was packed. The future politician was in a far corner, with buddies. Whooping it up. The station photographer and I squirmed through the crowd and presented ourselves: “Arnold, can we talk?” was my question. The powerfully-build brute growled, “Can’t you see I’m eating my strudel?” I belched back, “Sure, I see you’re eating your strudel. Please, one thought about Austria’s great day on the hill.” We got the sound. It was good. Persistence paid off.

Fast forward to this past week of hosting beloved Chicago-based family members. Shanny Boo’s persistent made us better. When you hang with the Schmitt’s, you play games. You compete. It can get intense. There’s frequent debate about rules, or lack of them. Fun and spirited are our games. One kept getting back to the legality of offering teammates’ clues using words that rhymed. The hockey standout kept saying, “You can’t use rhymes.” At first, few would listen but the straight-A student was persistent. “It’s against the rules to use words that rhyme. Look it up.”

By golly the softball slugger was right. 

I won’t get deep into the academic and athletic accomplishments of this dark-haired beauty. They’re off the charts too. Smart, athletic, respectful and persistent. Those traits come to mind when thinking of an, admitted, adored niece. Ya know what? It would not hurt us to emulate any of those terrific traits.  

Shanny Boo, thanks for the “Importance of persistence” reminder. Your goofy uncle can’t vouch for Arnold, but it sure got me pumped up!