A night 'Bones' deserved

New London

Heroes, contrary to popular opinion, aren't the guys who hit the homer in the bottom of the ninth. They're the guys who give backbone to communities, fiber to families and reasons for communal celebration.

Just as there was Saturday night.

And in the Alumni Center at Coast Guard Academy, the very best sports guy we have among us, the foundation of Coast Guard Academy, finally had his night. Bob Bono was The Man. Nobody else among us - nobody, nobody, nobody - deserved it more.

This was a celebration of Bono's 25 years coaching basketball at Coast Guard. It was the worst kept/best kept surprise on campus, an impending party known to everyone except Bono, authored by business manager/associate athletic director/former basketball player Tim Opstrup.

Bono was plenty surprised.

They came from decades earlier, from across the country. They came to honor the guy who has always cared more about them than they seemingly cared about themselves.

"The losses got so bad some nights, I couldn't drink," Pete Barry, the most successful coach in program history, said during an impassioned tribute to Bono. "But you gave me so much in my life. I hate to get emotional. But it's difficult being a living extension of tradition. The tradition you've given this place is ongoing. I love you."

Barry and Bono gave Coast Guard perhaps its finest athletic accomplishment, coaching an underdog basketball team to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III tournament in 2008. They won consecutive conference titles in 2007 and 2008.

Bono was also celebrated by former Coast Guard coach Bill Detrick, who coached at the academy for a year amid his near 500-victory career at Central Connecticut, and current coach Kevin Jaskiewicz, whose yearbook from St. Bernard High School provided several memorable photos.

One in particular prompted some of the patrons to liken an early 80s photo of Bono to Gabriel Kaplan, better known as the star of "Welcome Back Kotter." (All they needed was Horshack and an impassioned "Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!") Others in the crowd, such as Sue Cash and Trish Lancaster, said Bono was "the cutest boy in the eighth grade."

Bono began his coaching career at St. Bernard, winning two state titles as an assistant coach under Rich Pagliuca. Jaskiewicz was, as Bono confessed, "one of his five favorite players."

"Bob had the unique ability," Jaskiewicz said, "of being someone who could put his arm around you and tell you everything would be all right and at the same time, put his foot up your behind."

Bono, whose passion was echoed in every speech, was famous for the signature set of the 2007 and 2008 teams called "Grinder," but pronounced "grind-uh," in honor of Bono's heritage. It's a heritage Barry referenced in his speech, calling Bono a "New London insider."

Opstrup read tributes from players who couldn't be in attendance, such as Peter Bosma, who said of Bono, "you were a reassuring presence in a hectic place."

Bono thanked so many in the room all the way to former athletic director Ray Cieplik and his wife Kathi, who would watch all the Bono children - Mike, Rob, Jaclyn and Lisa - in the crowd during basketball games. Bono's wife, Doreen - "Do Bo" as she is called - narrated a slide show to the crowd.

It was among the greatest, most memorable nights in the history of Coast Guard. Bob Bono isn't one of the people whose interest in local sports lasted in direct proportion to how long his kids played. He was there for it all. Before Mike, Rob, Jaclyn and Lisa and well beyond.

Bob Bono was never the guy who merely coached his own kids. He's always been there for everyone else's kids, too: coaching them, watching them, counseling them, supporting them. He is the very best of what we offer here in our corner of the world. It was a happy night, historic night, memorable night. Just what "Bones" deserved.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.