Posted on 12/14/2016 10:10:54 AM PST by Sean_Anthony
God bless him. What a class, character guy. It's character. That's him. Rather than padding his stats, just take a knee. No sense in running it up on somebody.
This season a remarkable decision took place on the nexttolast play of the Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State football game. This intrastate championship matchup dates back to 1904, but this matchup was particularly important. Oklahoma was ranked #9 and OSU just behind at #10. The game winner would not only have bragging rights, the victor would also be the Big 12 champion.
My alma mater OU got off to a ragged start. The defense was exceptionally porous and the usually reliable running game stalled. Then in the second quarter Heisman Trophy candidate receiver Dede Westrook was knocked unconscious after being hit while making a catch.
This is the legacy of Bud Wilkinson and Barry Switzer.
And God Bless Greg Pruitt!
On the last drive of the game he carried the ball 11 times and it looked toward the end like some OSU players had their fill of tackling Perine. They began making what Deon Saunders called business decisions.
Then it happened. On what became the last time he would touch the ball, Perine broke through line and had a clear path to the goal line. Nothing short of Divine Intervention could have prevented a touchdown, yet just before he crossed the goal line, Perine stopped, took a knee and ended the play.
A great legacy and definitely an act of class.
This is coming from a lets beat OU guy.
Army did something similar against Navy. Instead of trying to run up the score at the end against Navy, they ran the clock out.
Thanks for posting this. I enjoy stories of good sportsmanship.
Ditto - same here (1977 alum) but I see it another way. This was really just another form of rubbing it in, just appearing to be merciful when doing it, IMO. If Perine earned that TD (and he did), then he ought to get it. If OSU football players are offended by "running up the score," then their choice is to get better and get a coach that doesn't crap down his leg nearly every time he plays OU (2-10 record during Gundy's tenure.) Even The Mad Hatter, Les Miles, beat that percentage.
My older son was/is a take no prisoners jock.
He agrees with you.
In 2003, OU had built a 77-0 lead over Texas A&M. Late in the fourth quarter A&M fumbled near the own goal line. The OU headcoach told the quarter back that he shouldn’t score. On the snap, the QB took a knee. OU called time out. The OU coach asked the QB what he was doing. The QB said you told me not to score. The head coach said but I didn’t say anything about embarrassing the other team. On the next two snap, the OU running back ran into the pile and fell backwards.
This was Dennis Franchione’s first year as headcoach of Texas A&M. He had resigned as Alabama’s headcoach the previous spring. In the third quarter with the score in the mid fifties, the OU band played “Sweet Home Alabama”.
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