Ark. Player Ends Game With Noble Gesture

[ezgoingrl]

Thamail Morgan took the kickoff and headed up the field.

He was at the 20 ... 30 ... 40

He had been avoiding, dodging or just simply running through tacklers on the way. Football always had come easily for Morgan. This game was no different. By the time he hit midfield, only open space was ahead of him. The two-time Arkansas all-state selection was headed for a touchdown.

40 ... 30 ... 20

He glanced at the clock and saw the final seconds ticking away. He realized his team, Cave City, was on the way to a victory over Yellville-Summit, comfortably ahead, 34-16. He also realized two other things: This wasn't an ordinary game. And he wasn't the same Thamail Morgan.

When he reached the 2, he stopped. He took a few steps back and took a knee at the 5-yard line.



Find out why he didn't go for it: http://arkansasvarsity.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=992976

[positrac]

Seems a bit like condescending arrogance to me.

I've been in competitive endeavors and would never appreciate my opponent shaving points to benefit me.
But that's me...
:shrug:

[anigbrowl]

2. Did you read the story?

a player on the opposing team had recently been killed in a car accident.

[positrac]

6. Yes, I did. I don't see what useful thing it accomplished.

If I were on the team that lost the player, I personally wouldn't appreciate being given that kind of 'break'.
Obviously not everyone thinks as I do...which is ok with me.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. They were yelling at him not to score. I don't think it was condescending at all.

Morgan did not do this completely on his own.

"We were on the sidelines yelling for him not to score," Bradley said. "Some of the players on the field were saying it, too. But I'm not sure how much he could have heard all of it."

He heard it, Morgan admitted. But he didn't need to.

"Before the game, we as a team talked about being classy,'' he said. "We did not want to come out in a game like this and not show any class.

"As I was running, some of my teammates told me not to score, and I knew that scoring was not the right thing to do."


They were trying to be respectful, it wasn't intended as a condescending gesture and from the article it appears it wasn't taken as one either.

[positrac]

8. But the team that gave away points still "won". Talk about a Pyrrhic victory...

:eyes:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

18. How is that a phyrric victory?

They were simply trying not to grind their opponents noses in the loss. They themselves didn't lose anything. :shrug:

[LanternWaste]

9. What may be seen as arrogance to one person...

What may be seen as arrogance to one person may simply be a humble act of graciousness and respect. I imagine it's what's in our own hearts that translates it as one or the other.

But that's me...

[positrac]

14. You are forgetting how important pride is to some people. There's a reason many don't want

charity. Even if they need it.

[LanternWaste]

20. I did not forget pride.

I did not forget pride. However I do not value false pride, either.

[positrac]

22. Well, your mileage may vary...I take more pride in losing to an opponent who tries to win

than to one who lets me win. But then I'm an old guy who missed out on NCLB, PC101 and stuff like that.

[LanternWaste]

25. Well bless your little old heart.

Well bless your little old heart. Feel self-validated now?

Sheesh.

[cherokeeprogressive]

28. That's you. n/t

[tularetom]

29. From the outside it looks a bit that way

However in reading the story I don't think the young man who took the knee intended to humiliate the losing team by his gesture.

If anything he sacrificed a bit of personal glory that would have helped him meet his goal of a Division I full ride, in order to show a bit of respect for the dead opponent and his teammates.

He had maybe ten seconds to think about what he was going to do. He's a kid. He did the right thing.

It appears that the members of the losing team took the gesture the right way.

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it. It's a football gam for chrissakes.

[Buzz Clik]

32. I'd say your opinion is held by the tiniest of minorities.

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. Sad and heartwarming at the same time.

Mr. Morgan is a young man who should be lauded for his sportsmanship.

[BlooInBloo]

3. A nice gesture, but I would never want an opponent of mine to let up on me...

When I compete, I compete until the end of the game.

[positrac]

7. You said it better than I did. I would be embarrassed to accept points gained by the opponent

essentially giving them to me.
:shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

11. Yep - I respect my opponent enough to play like I have to score.

[LanternWaste]

10. I imagine for many other people...

I imagine for many other people, graciousness and respect trump competition.

[BlooInBloo]

12. Yep. And I wouldn't disrespect my opponent by treating him as being soooooo impotent...

that I don't even have to play any more. Hard to get more insulting (intended or not) than that.

[LanternWaste]

15. I imagine it depends on perspective.

I imagine it depends on perspective and the spur-of-the-moment symbols of respect we create.

[positrac]

13. Graciousness and resentment are often sides of the same coin.

Truth.

[LanternWaste]

17. Saying a thing is true rarely makes it so.

Saying a thing is true rarely makes it so.

[positrac]

21. Okay, explain how and why you believe my comment was untrue.

I have some time this wet afternoon. :D

[LanternWaste]

23. I simply reject your premise.

Fundamentally, I simply reject your premise.

Illustrate for me common and oft-used objective illustrations of your example, and I'll certainly reconsider my position.

Cite for me the disrespect the opposing players of the game felt, and you can win a beenie baby.

[positrac]

26. You reject my premise that the recipients of fatuous charity often feel resentful?

I cannot even imagine what kind of society you live in. I do not know how the opposing players felt, I -clearly- indicated my opinion was my own and others are free to and probably will disagree. I guess that's an insufficient caveat around here...

[BlooInBloo]

27. As opposed to saying a thing *twice*?

:rofl:

[flvegan]

5. Second good football related story this week.

The other being that team that let the player with (I think it was) Downs score that TD.

[Howardx]

19. yep

[regnaD kciN]

16. Call me cynical...

...but I wouldn't be surprised if it later turns out there was a "backroom" over-under betting line on that game of twenty points or so.

[positrac]

24. The stakes in that area might be jugs with xxx written on them

:rofl:

[MadHound]

30. And you think that this kid was in on it?

That's more than cynical, that's a criminal charge you're making, and unless you have some sort of evidence to back your happy ass up you really shouldn't be making such a charge.

Geez, it's sad how a few people around here either can't or won't acknowledge a noble gesture when they see one.

[kegler14]

33. Oh please. Just crawl in a hole and stay there.

[Coyote_Bandit]

31. It is easy to be cynical, judgmental and condescending

when one is completely ignorant of the environment in which these young men live. That part of the state of Arkansas is sparsely populated (as I recall Izard COUNTY has a total population of less than 15,000) and has poverty levels that approach and exceed those of the Appalachians.

I applaud this young guy and wish him well. There are a lot of "professional" athletes that could learn a hell of a lot from him.