Speaking of bad decisions....
You can check out all my posts for NESN.com here.
According to the NCAA, this rule change has received unanimous support. If you’re like me, someone who for 5 seasons was held under the oppressive thumb of the NCAA, you’ve come to the realization that the NCAA is run by four men in a sitting room, smoking comically large cigars, sipping bourbon, and cackling about their recently hatched diabolical plan.
In this case, a rule that takes away touchdowns for trash talk, and “other individual acts”.
But why, NCAA? What’s the logic?
”Taunting and prolonged individual acts have no place in our game, and our officials have generally handled these rules well,” said former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, the committee chair. ”This is just another step in maintaining our game’s image and reflecting the ideals of the NCAA overall.”
Bellotti hits the nail on the head. Taunting and Individual acts have no place in “our game.” Unfortunately the NCAA is the only group still playing that game. Which, by my estimate is happening solely in their heads. They surely can’t be speaking about the game that I played, or that counltess athletes across the country will be playing come September. Because in that game trash talk, emotion, and jaw rattling hits exist and are what makes the game fun and intense. But the NCAA does not want individualism. Nope, never. They want to “maintain our game’s image.”
Ohh, that makes perfect sense. Except for, the act of scoring a touchdown is an inherently individual act. Then there is the Heisman, the most important and celebrated trophy in college football which is given to ONE individual. And, how could we forget about the NCAA endorsed video games which use players individual likeness to sell the college football experience.
Trash talking is one of the residual benefits of playing the game and one of my fondest memories of playing. Ray Rice, former Rutgers running back, and current OCNN news correspondent/Baltimore Raven once told me to “Get your F—ing hands off me, I’m a F—ing millionaire.” Hilarious. And True. He’s playing on Sundays and I’m writing blogs.
Speaking of Rutgers, in 2007, their entire offensive line approached me, then a starting defensive tackle, and told me “You couldn’t walk on at Rutgers” and as their right guard eyed me up and down he said “Looks like we got us a little b—h here.” While Ray Rice was right, his offensive line was wrong, UConn 38 Rutgers 19: Rob Lunn Defensive Player Of The Game.
But then there was my personal favorite, against South Florida in 2008: “Hey 65! I love your f—ing blog!” It was true, I was/am a better writer than ball player. But the idea is this, that without the trash talk, without the exchange I wouldn’t have those memories to look back on and smile about. Sure the “talk” doesn’t do much for the “walk.” Winning and losing will still be decided by points and not clever uses of four letter verbs, but as someone with experience on the front lines of trash talking, the game won’t be the same without it.
You can check out all my posts for NESN.com here.
Hey Rob………just checking in…….I would love to click on the video “to the right” on your page link captioned “About” but alas……no video. C’mon man! I need to watch those highlight shots every so often lol. Is that asking too much as a father?? I liked the post about Rutgers and their pre-game motivational comment to you. I remember that well and yes, Ray Rice was pretty decent in that game……and stil is!
your Dad