From Keila Torres Ocasio, CT Post:
When the City Council started its regular meeting Monday, it was announced that Mayor Bill Finch would be late. It took all of two minutes to figure out why.
The University of Bridgeport Women’s Gymnastics Team was being honored by the council for earning its 5th consecutive National Championship. The mayor’s disdain for his city’s four-year university is a matter of public knowledge.
State senators Andres Ayala, D-Bridgeport, and Anthony Musto, D-Trumbull, meanwhile took the time to send out a statement congratulating the group for its fifth win and announcing that they too presented the students with a citation.
“I could not be more proud of the young women on the University of Bridgeport’s gymnastics team,” Ayala said. “These student athletes have continued the dynasty of victory, and I offer my most sincere congratulations to them for giving their all year after year.”
The University of Bridgeport Purple Knights overcame Texas Women’s University at the championship in Louisiana, setting a school record along the way.
“The Purple Knights gymnastics team should be very proud of what they have accomplished,” said Senator Musto. “Winning the team championship is remarkable enough, but to set a school record and continue this five-year tradition of excellence is an accomplishment that the entire state of Connecticut should applaud.”
Everyone except Finch, apparently, who was eating at an Asian restaurant in the city’s Hollow neighborhood during the council’s presentation in honor of the gymnasts. The mayor was just late enough to emerge from the Democratic Caucus Room at the back of the Council chambers just as the women gymnasts were exiting out the front.
The Mayor should be ashamed of himself. Congratulations to the Purple Knights gymnastics team. Five years in a row is an amazing accomplishment!
Well I guess on one hand you got to admire a guy who won’t give an inch.
And it is kind of morbidly fascinating to watch a person bang himself off the side of the head with a baseball bat.
However, the quote from Churchill comes to mind about never giving in on something you believe in–except for honor and good sense.
Our mayor is a petulant child holding a grudge. How does that move our city forward? We are proud of UB and the lady gymnasts. The mayor should sit in the timeout chair with a dunce cap on.
Asshole.
My allergies are slaying me tonight, and I am in a mood.
Mustang Sally, my sentiments exactly. Asshole!
The mayor is a maroon. He is marooned.
I’m not surprised. Finch is simply stupid. If he were any good, would we be in the fiscal shape we are in right now? It’s only getting worse each and every day. I’m ashamed of him. As an alumnus I am mindful of the enormous contribution to Bridgeport the University has made. Check it out. Ghost town in the early ’90s. Now try to get a parking spot down there.
Poor Finch. The guy can’t do anything right. We’re all embarrassed for him. But he can’t help himself and now the university he’s bashed all these years is succeeding despite him. Lots of students, really good programs, tons of awards and what’s he done??? I mean besides fail at everything but a few parks.
Mayor Finch should be ashamed of himself. If in fact the Mayor was not doing anything important, he should have been there to support the Purple knights. Don’t these students contribute to the well-being of this city? Is it remotely possible Elaine Ficarra forgot to put this on his schedule? If the Mayor had conveniently planned to be absent then I would have to agree he was disrespectful and certainly did a disservice to the City as our top representative. Shame on you!
It’s hard for Finch, when you have the brain of a baboon.
Photo op, Mayor!!! Missed out on the best thing on national news from Bridgeport in 2013!!! Adam, Andy and Alanna were present for the meeting. Big doings after President McCarthy’s ‘feel good’ moments in the Park City. Let’s not point a critical finger at Elaine Ficarra, she gets the front position, like emcee at the SNOWJOB, when the Mayor has issues.
(Did you ever believe Tom McCarthy is practically admitting civic governance as practiced in Bridgeport is truly ‘bad news,’ and necessarily requires staged photo sessions for balance?)
UB female gymnasts rose to the challenge for a fifth year, as a team, well coached and supported to be acknowledged as best in the country. Is there a moral in that line for the Mayor in his fifth year? Responding to a challenge? Well coached? Supported by the community? Oh, and talented as well. Time will tell.
We have a five-time national champion right here in Bridgeport but instead of a parade we give out preprinted attaboys. Mayor Finch is one of the dumbest people I have ever met. He has a chance to get Bridgeport positive PR and is he there? NO. He is in the hollow eating goat. I wonder how long Finch was in the back room while the ceremony was going on. Funny he walks in as the UB team is leaving.
Congrats and Thanks to UB.
*** SHAME ON THE MAYOR FOR NOT SUPPORTING THE PERSONAL EFFORT AND ACHIEVEMENT PUT FORWARD BY THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT A BPT COLLEGE DUE TO HIS PERSONAL PAST FEELINGS! ***
The Purple Knights should not only be lauded for their outstanding achievement. It also elevates the University of BRIDGEPORT for its outstanding sports program. This is great news for Bridgeport. The University is key in the future development and gentrification of the South End. They pay taxes. The councilmen in the the South End should be embarrassed and insulted by the Mayor’s absence. I am not interested whether the Mayor still has ill feelings toward the college because of its involvement with Rev. Moon or just a snub to Mary-Jane Foster. Either way it is insulting and I would expect the Mayor to publicly acknowledge, with pride, the University of BRIDGEPORT and the Purple Knights.
The mayor’s office is beginning to smell like a stable because of the horse’s ass in there.