“In April of 1910, the 26th President of the United States gave an address at the Sorbonne in Paris, France titled “Citizenship in a Republic”. Theodore Roosevelt had completed two terms as president and was a private citizen speaking about how the “quality of the individual citizen is supreme” when it comes to the success or failure of a democratic republic.
In that speech, he said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
This happens to be one of Robert’s favorite quotes, and his life is the embodiment of the ideas within it. The essence of Roosevelt’s message is that quality citizens are those choosing to do the work to make the world a better place for all. 
I worked in a literal arena with Robert, entertaining Houston Rockets fans, and have witnessed his persistent devotion to getting it right with every interaction he had with the audience he was serving. His audience being 15-20,000 basketball fans or 1000 conference attendees or 20 professional mascots or 2 sets of twins. Oftentimes, a successful “performance” boils down to relentless attention to detail, and too many of us stop too soon and settle for the giggle or the applause. Robert consistently goes above and beyond to create work designed to move people to LMAO standing ovations, and the root of this is his deep caring about making the world a better place. He understands that he is a citizen agent of change and, like each of us, can indeed make a difference.
I am glad that I share this country and this planet with Robert who lives his life as a man who is actually in the arena, who strives valiantly, who spends himself in worthy causes and, who has experienced high achievement and come up short while daring greatly.
If we could all be so committed, a better republic and a better world we’d be. I want that better world, and Robert’s stories are examples of the challenges and the fruits of that pursuit. His shitnanigans (not a typo), dadventures, and hacks of kindness will not only entertain, humor, and possibly shock you, but they will also serve as kindling to light the flame under us all to dare greatly in the arenas we are actually in, and have fun while doing so.”
-Jerry L. Burrell (Formerly TURBO, Houston Rockets Mascot 1993-2002)

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