Wednesday, November 4, 2009

My favorite player of last weekend: On the OTHER team.

I am a HUGE football fan, and is it quite often I find myself yelling, "Rip his legs off !" or some equal sportsman like comment at the television...whether it be college kids or the professional players. On Saturday morning, we were watching our football against another school within our same division...a win was important. We had lost 3 in a row, plus we always want to beat the schools in our division. We did not start out very well, so the house was filled with "sportsmanship".

During the game, one of our defensive players was tackling the opposing running back, and after the play was whistled dead both players were motionless. The crowd went silent. Yes, you want them limping off the field because your guys are more hardcore than their guys, but you never. ever. want to see players laying so so still on the field.

After awhile of coaches, doctors, players huddling around the injured players, come to find out it was our guy that was hurt. Really hurt. And the guy he tackled, the OPPOSING running back stayed perfectly still UNDERNEATH him until the doctors and emergency crew got our guy on the stretcher. That running back could have pushed our guy off of him and popped up like they do every other play, and no one would have thought a thing about it. But he didn't. He laid there with an opposing player on top of him. And by doing that, doctors say he saved our player from permanent paralysis.

Even though we won, that kid on the other team? He made the best play of the game in my book. I hope that I can remember his actions (or inaction) next time I am in a position where I can help someone out, just.to.do.it.

14 comments:

Amy said...

Gave me chills! Wow... what insight from him to know that he shouldn't move. Thanks for sharing.

Shelley said...

Wow, that must have been something to watch live...I'm with Amy - reading this gave me chills!

Anonymous said...

I'm a huge football fan myself and for the most part, it seems the players are a bunch of conceited jackasses more concerned with their image and the money they make than anything else. This situation reminds me they are people, too, and not all assholes. I always wonder what the motionless guy's mother/wife/brother must feel like to be stuck at home (or even in the stands) watching and being completely helpless.

Anonymous said...

Forgot to ask: which team is your team?

Penny said...

I was talking to Mom about this, about how hard it would be to be that kid's mother...Man I almost died during flu shot time I'm fairly certain I would be on the field...

Anonymous said...

I swear I won't leave a hundred comments, but it just finally dawned on me who your team was. I know b/c I watched the game but I was thinking NFL for my first comment. So are you telling me that your team is blue and orange? I won't spell the name in case you're trying to remain anonymous or something, but if it is - we're totally for that team, too!!! My husband went there. WOO! I have a funny story (or two) to tell you, if I'm right. But I promise it won't involve 27 more comments. :)

wafelenbak said...

I'm not a fan of football, and I certainlly don't expect to find great life lessons in it, but...wow. That's pretty awesome right there.

Alice said...

wow... TOTALLY gave me the chills reading that. wow.

also: about your last post!? OH MY GOD WOMAN!!! 6.25 MILES!?!? that's.. SO MANY MILES! you're insane! and awesome! :-)

Anonymous said...

this is impressive.

so often you hear really crappy things about athletes, its nice to hear something nice once in a while.

(although here in gainesville, im really really really sick of all the tim tebow love. its enough to make me want to throw up.)

Not Your Aunt B said...

I think most football players, or athletes for that matter, want to win and are competitive (which can make them act like assholes...and some of them are), but NONE EVER want to get hurt or to hurt someone. Not to critically hurt someone. They are all too familiar with the consequences. He must have felt him go limp or he would have just popped right up. Kudos to him. Speaks a lot of his character.

Jen L. said...

That was pretty awesome.

I was for the other guys. ;)

DAVs said...

What a scary situation, for everyone. Thanks for sharing.

Lucy said...

Wow, what a sad story. I hate to hear about a 'kid' getting hurt like that but at least another 'kid' had the heart and forsight to think of someone else other than himself.

Anonymous said...

What an incredible story. I have been thinking about it from time to time since you posted it. I wonder if they are trained what to do in such a case or if he just realized something was really wrong and he should wait for the medics.

 
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