I don’t know how you were as a kid, but I didn’t like learning lessons the way Oregon’s football team had to learn them this week. Ranked #2 in college football, Oregon was touted by most football commentators as a favorite to roll into the national title game this year.
Students (and many adults) might think this is royally unfair, that it was such a small gesture, the refs overreacted and should stop intruding on the game, ad infinitum.
I think there’s a huge lesson here to be learned by myself, we teachers, certainly our students, and probably the parents of our students as well. The refs had already had quite a few questionable whistles by this point in the game, and all the players know it. Any good coach should have coached his players that when the refs are like this, you shut up and play. No arguing. No questionable crap. And absolutely none of this namaste bowing garbage. Especially not after an awesomely timely sack that would have stopped their crucial drive and forced them to punt on 4th down!!!
Alas…
Oregon is called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty…Arizona gets a first down and a new chance to win the game. Which they used to drive the rest of the field and score the game-winning touchdown.
So kudos to undefeated Arizona for capitalizing on Oregon’s leadership and followship blunder. After all, it takes more than skill to make a champion…those long-lost arts of character and discipline go a long way.
What are your thoughts? We welcome the conversation.
