Mon 18 Sep 2006
EPSN says that Detroit Lions wide receiver Roy Williams wasn’t particularly focused on the team’s goals during last Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. According to their report:
The Lions’ Roy Williams apparently doesn’t play to win the game. He’d rather strike a pose.
Williams’ celebration after his first catch of Sunday’s game against the Bears drew ire from the Chicago crowd and had Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom scratching his head.
When Albom asked Williams why he celebrated a reception with his team already trailing by two scores, Williams responded, “I celebrate first downs all the time. I’m not gonna stop that. I’m an exciting player. If I do something exciting, I’m gonna show my actions.”
Albom responded, “But you were losing, 10-0.”
“What does that mean? … That means nothing to me. The score means nothing,” Williams told Albom.
It’s an easy story to believe if you watch the NFL for very long. First there was celebrating touchdowns, then the “sack dance”. Now players break into correographed gyrations for a three yard gain, or for making a tackle on a runner.
It’s silly, and takes away from the bigger picture. Knowing what you need to do next in your gameplan.
But lest one think that professional athletes are the only one striking a pose, oblivious to how the larger game is going… just think about all of the politians during this election cycle. One may be justified in saying that being a polititian is synonymous with being a “poser”.
But it seems that principles certainly take a back seat sometimes. Seizing on a moment (a political ‘first down” if you will) and posing and strutting for the ‘fans’. “Look at me!” It doesn’t even matter if they are behind in the score… it’s all about me!
Maybe it’s time to put your head down and just play hard. Do the right thing. There are still some “real fans” out there who like that kind of player best!
September 29th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
[…] I’ve been thinking more about the Clinton/Chris Wallace blow-up. While I don’t think that there’s any use in trying to ‘pin the blame’ on any one person (since there is plenty of actions that went around in those years that all led up to 9/11 and since), I’m certainly not for leaving the record muddied. I know there are many who think that the explosion was planned in order to embolden the Democratic base, to show Democratic politicians to be tough on national security, or to belittle Fox News. If any of that is true, then Clinton is nothing more than a poser. Some think that Clinton is so concerned about his ‘legacy’ that he can’t stand anything that might tarnish it. If that’s true, then I fear it’s a little too late for him. […]