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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2010 23:52:37 GMT -4
SI.Com Wednesday November 17, 2010 1:15PM By: Frank Deford
By now, you may be among the millions of people who've seen the YouTube clip of the trick football play pulled off by the Driscoll Middle School of Corpus Christi, Texas.
If you've been watching President Obama abroad or otherwise wasting your time, here's what happens. Driscoll breaks out of the huddle, and the quarterback lines up over the ball. From the sideline, the assistant coach calls out that Driscoll deserves a five-yard penalty. At this point, the Driscoll center casually hands the ball over his shoulder to the quarterback. This is perfectly acceptable, even though we know that the center invariably delivers the ball through his legs. The quarterback then takes the ball and starts to advance five yards himself as the opponents look on confused. Then, clear of the opposition, the quarterback suddenly breaks into a run and dashes 67 yards for a touchdown.
The play is legal, and just about everybody who's seen it gets a real hoot out of it. In one online poll, a huge number of those who voted said the play was genius.
Well, it isn't. And it isn't funny and it isn't right.
Inevitably, athletes often employ gamesmanship. Remember this summer, when Derek Jeter, the All-American boy, idol of millions, faked getting hit by a pitch, and his acting was so good he was awarded first base? Well, Jeter is a grown-up, playing other grown-ups in a game umpired by grown-ups. So are wide receivers who pretend to catch a pass that really hit the ground first, and basketball players who flop back as if they were fouled. Like the Driscoll Middle School quarterback, it is perfectly legal to act in a game. But the players who do that in the pros are not embarrassing the opposition. They're just trying to con the umpire. It's a benign bit of hustle that would've made for some good Aesop's Fables if old Aesop were around writing a sports blog nowadays.
But the Driscoll team didn't act instinctively to try to put one over on a ref. The middle schoolers didn't even come up with the ruse. Their coach dreamed up the play, and even participated in it, hollering from the sideline. The referees weren't victimized. In fact, they had to play along.
No, it was only the other team's kids who were embarrassed and belittled by a children's coach being a wise guy, a bully of sorts. It wasn't genius at all. Sure, it was legal, but it wasn't fair. Laugh at kids being outslicked by a grown-up, and you're cruel. That isn't sport.
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Post by speedergurl68 on Nov 19, 2010 7:23:37 GMT -4
Sorry, but I have to think that the "it was legal, but it wasn't fair" line.....seems to apply to the way life is today in the "grown up world". We have become such a litigious society that "being legal" has absolutely over-taken "being fair" and it did it long, long ago.
Isn't "doing what ever it takes" part of the "American" spirit? Where is the line drawn? It's either OK or it isn't. The hair splitting is semantics. People seem quick to scream "It isn't FAIR"....especially when it is a situation that doesn't benefit them directly. But, let the situation be reversed...and they are the first ones to tell you, "Hey, I didn't break any laws".
No, it's not genius....but those kids on both sides of that ball better get ready.....because that's the way the real world is - "fair" or not you can bet your bippy someone, somewhere, will be making sure it's "legal".
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Post by bchevy on Nov 19, 2010 10:28:42 GMT -4
Life throws trick plays at you all the time. You better figure it out and deal with it or you'll get left behind real quick.
The Driscoll play? awesome. Now- Could they ever try it again? Hmmm....
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Post by pirategirl on Nov 19, 2010 11:51:45 GMT -4
I'm just jealous I didn't think of it!!
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Post by einebierbitte on Nov 20, 2010 12:03:44 GMT -4
Thats the problem with our Society today. SORE LOSERS!
Children are no longer taught that Winning although is not everything. It is something! It's ok to not be the best on the team. It's ok if you don't get picked.
It's not ok that every kid gets to play or scores are no longer kept or everyone is a winner.
I remeber the first year I tried out for the schools basketball team. I didn't make it. I was sad cause my best friends did, but I got over it, and spent my free time out at my homemade basket ball hoop and dirt court that my dad made me every second that I could shooting, dribbling, etc. The next year I made the team, and there after.... All they way to being one of the top players in the state in high school.
What if my dad had stepped in and waved a lot of money or bought the team stuff or demanded that I be put on the team.... Would I have turned out to be as good as I was? Probably not... Cause it wasn't handed to me and learned if you want something bad enough it's up to you to work to get it.
Articles like the one above really irritate the crap out of me. We have or becoming a nation of wussies, We are losing the art of competition. Disappointment is a fact of life. Not everyone is good enough to make the team. Deal with it, move on!! But stop hampering those kids who have the talent.....
Sorry....
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Post by zeus911 on Nov 22, 2010 10:54:54 GMT -4
Another example to look at, two weeks ago in College football Wisc put up over 80 points on an Indiana team. After that game, the other coach and sports writers were hammering Wisc for running the score up. I feel that if you do not like it stop it.
The Driscoll play was just a good play, if you play the game within the rules, anything goes.
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