So I’m sitting in a local sports bar today...

[Coexist]

I am Back-to-School shopping with my boys, and we need lunch in a bad way.

We order our fried food, and I notice my sons are enthralled. Almost every television is tuned to ESPN and the volume is up loud. It’s the ESPYs. The coolest sports awards and everyone in the joint is watching.

Justin Timberlake gives a Billy Crystal-style song and dance about the year in sports; I’m amused, but not really paying that much attention.

And then it happens.

I see this photo on the television.



The hair on my arms stands up, and I listen closely.

ESPN and the ESPY Awards gave the most stirring, most fitting tribute to Tommie Smith and John Carlos hat I have ever had the honor of witnessing.

I was crying in Beef O’Brady’s. The audience was wet-eyed. My two sons were drinking it all in, open-mouthed. The entire restaurant was watching.

They covered everything – the public reaction, their being sent home, how they were viewed for decades. And how they were finally recognized and honored.

They were both on stage at the end, accepting their Arthur Ashe Awards and looking proud.

How far we have come… we still have so far to go. But man… how far we have come.

Catch the replay if they have one – it was beautiful.

[A HERETIC I AM]

1. I distinctly remember watching that live.

I was a kid, but it struck me.

They were very brave men, considering the time in which they did what they did.

[roguevalley]

11. I remember it too. Guts to do that in the extreme.

[muntrv]

2. ESPN Classic did a show on this called "Top 5 Reasons You Can't Blame..."

The #1 reason is "they were right."

[Coexist]

4. Amen to that.

[knitter4democracy]

3. I'll have to see if I can get that on a replay or their website.

That's always been such a moving picture to me. Men standing up as men for their freedom and their power. Amazing.

[Coexist]

5. please do. You will be glad you did.

[eleny]

6. 1968 and I remember it clearly

Thanks for posting about this!

[stevedeshazer]

7. What a memory.

I remember at the time how controversial this was.

I sure made an impression on me!

[DinahMoeHum]

8. Dave Zirin ("Edge of Sports") did a tribute piece about Peter Norman

the Australian sprinter and silver medalist who wore the button of The Olympic Project for Human Rights in solidarity with Smith and Carlos on the podium.

He died a couple of years ago. Smith and Carlos were pallbearers at his funeral.

http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/2960

[Hav]

9. I found this on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUKH4mDGZck

The one who posted it has apparently uploaded the whole show. Who knows how long it will stay up.

[Coexist]

10. thank you for posting this.

was that Tom Cruise's voice narrarting that?

[gratefultobelib]

15. Thank you so much for posting this. You can do a search for Part 6 and see them accept the awards.

[EFerrari]

12. Now, that's the best thing I've heard in ages.

Thank you so much. :toast:

[ColbertWatcher]

13. It's about damn time.

Just out of curiosity, did they say anything about Peter Norman, the silver medal winner?

Not to diminish what Smith and Carlos did, but everyone on that podium did a brave thing that day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Norman

[Coexist]

14. No, here is a link to the video;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3655371&mesg_id=3655657

[ColbertWatcher]

16. Thank you. n/t

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

17. And yet, Jonah Goldberg would liken it to a Klan symbol

We still have some ways to go......

[gratuitous]

18. Except in 2008

The majority of folks know that the proper response to the Doughy Pantload is to point and laugh.

[Coexist]

19. Yup.

[ms liberty]

20. Saw the Olympic event live; saw the Espy's last night...I cried too. Awesome. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. Wow. I can't wait to see it.

Puts that whole Whoopi and Haselback debate in total perspective. Good to see that some people are finally respecting the other person's view.