Ice, ice baby (Vikes' Culpepper ungifts necklace from paralyzed HS player)

SI.com ^ | 2.2.05

[wallcrawlr]

Whats $75 worth of jewelry to this kid.

He wouldnt keep it, the kid would prob sell it.

To DC it means something. Let him have it back and let him get the kid something meaningful.
DC is the kind of guy that will make the situation right.

[cyborg]

You are right. I was pretty harsh.

[wallcrawlr]

DC is one of the few decent people on the Vikes team.
I'm sure he'll make it right with this kid.

[em2vn]

What a gold plated ass. Where do the Vikings find these jerks?

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

We all have our weaknesses. Some people fall victim to addiction. Other people can't detect moments when they should just shut up.

Excellent observation

[GraniteStateConservative]

I'm with Culpepper. When a kid asks that, the understanding is that it would be for him to try it out for fun and not to keep it.

[XJarhead]

I've seen another version of this story where the kid asked if he could borrow some of it, and Daunte let him. I think it was in the N.Y. Post.

Anyway, what kind of a kid and family yell out something like that to a guy on stage -- remember that they were only guests at this event -- and then complain about not getting to keep something they had no right to in the first place? I don't imagine either the organizers or Culpepper knew these people were going to try to convert this into a panhandling event.

Glad he took it back. And if the kid and family think they are entitled to something for nothing, and spit on his gesture of letting the kid wear the stuff for an hour or so, I have no sympathy.

He earned it.

[The Grim Freeper]

I think Culpepper just got a good dose of the liberal mentality. Give me yours!

Wonder what his political persuasion was and if it has changed any since this experience.

[DTogo]

I agree 100%. Asking for someone's "ice?"

[SF Republican]

Why yes I am attacking the over rated Favre. He is an admitted drug addict. I say the same thing about Rush Limbaugh. All weak people if they have to use the crutch of drugs - Where can I obtain some of your righteousness?

[tfecw]

ugh...Everyone keeps calling the guy a kid. He's not. he's a HS senior, that puts him either at 18, or pretty darn close to it.

Kid implies that a 5 year old asked DC for his MR T outfit and that DC is a giant meany for taking what is his back.

[reagan_fanatic]

Good to know he has his priorities in order
/s

[AmishDude]

Men should never wear jewelry that doesn't tell the time.

[redrunner]

bttt

[trisham]

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback presented a paralyzed high school football player two diamond necklaces worth about $75,000 during an NFL awards ceremony, but then awkwardly asked for them back after it was finished.

The apparent gift prompted a mother to cry, a father to think about buying a safe to store it and Culpepper to find a way out of the mess.

"I'll get him something else," Culpepper said sheepishly.

*************

Oy. The parents could have behaved in a mature way.

The high school kid was probably just being a wise guy, and Culpepper was on the spot. It's just an unfortunate situation all around.

In my opinion, Culpepper is less to blame than the parents.

[Colonel_Flagg]

The Minneapolis paper reported this morning that the kid gave the jewelery back to Culpepper in exchange for a promise of memorabilia.

Culpepper is a class act. Period.

[Inspectorette]

I dunno, but Culpepper's a good candidate for a Southwest Airlines commercial: "Wanta get away??"

[Syntyr]

"Chronic back pain is one mutha of a teacher. "Now let's see how much you can take, little man.""

By no means am I excusing what Rush did... but most people do NOT realize what severe back pain feels like. I used to dismiss my girlfriend because she has had back trouble for a long time. Until one day I fell asleep in a weird position laying on the floor. I was exhausted from work. The next morning I tried to get up and I could not even get to my knees.

I have a very high pain threshold. Growing up on a farm I played Hot Shot (cattle prod) wars and I got to the point where I could shrug off a hit from an 8 cell cattle prod without flinching.

Let me tell you that back pain was like NOTHING I had ever felt before. The problem is you can't move any way. The least little movement sends pain down your legs. Not fun!

[subterfuge]

"You are right on the money. He's a p-u-n-k

You are badly mistaken. It's amazing that some FReepers take any old view of liberal jounalists when it fits their own agenda. You must be one of those racist types.

A poorly written article like this and you condemn someone? Dante is a stand-up guy and I defy you to note any evidence that he is a punk, other than this sensationalist article.

[codercpc]

You forget that Brett was not only a Vicodin addict, but also an alcoholic. I am not bashing the great Martyrdom that is Brett Favre, but this guy is certainly no poster boy for clean living.

I applaud Brett for getting over his addictions, but let's not act like it was just a minor prescription drug problem. I also have on very good authority that Brett was well known as a lush, and not a very nice one at that. I cannot and will not site my sources, so take them with a grain of salt if you want, but Brett was not the upstanding guy some make him out to be. He has matured greatly, and he is a great guy now, but a few years back that was not the case.

As for Daunte, he may have handled the whole thing poorly, but what the hell is wrong with the kid's parents? This whole event couldn't have been more than an hour long, and the guys Dad is talking about buying a safe? Give me a break, this was an extremely embarrassing situation for all involved, and I will with hold judgment until I hear if Daunte follows through to send the kid something, and what that something is.