/s
Posted on 02/02/2005 8:41:48 PM PST by mhking
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Daunte Culpepper showed off his scrambling ability Wednesday -- in a crowded convention center ballroom.
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.
The confusion began at the FedEx ground and air player of the year honors, where finalists Culpepper, Peyton Manning, Shaun Alexander and Curtis Martin were on stage for the announcement.
When the master of ceremonies opened the floor for questions, Jerry Townsend spoke up from his wheelchair in the front row.
"Hey Daunte, can I get some of that ice?" he said in a low voice, referring to the two sparkling necklaces hanging around Culpepper's neck.
Culpepper jumped up, pulled them off and brought them over to Townsend, a senior defensive back at Jacksonville Episcopal High School who was paralyzed from the neck down while making a tackle in October.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
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.
You are right. I was pretty harsh.
DC is one of the few decent people on the Vikes team.
I'm sure he'll make it right with this kid.
What a gold plated ass. Where do the Vikings find these jerks?
Excellent observation
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.
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.
Wonder what his political persuasion was and if it has changed any since this experience.
I agree 100%. Asking for someone's "ice?"
Men should never wear jewelry that doesn't tell the time.
bttt
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.
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.
I dunno, but Culpepper's a good candidate for a Southwest Airlines commercial: "Wanta get away??"
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.
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.
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