The Art of Handing the Ball to the Ref and the “What If” Scenarios
I have to admit, after watching last night’s game, or should I say 15 round boxing match, I am totally pumped up and the game was very entertaining. Heck, my heart is still pumping big time. Despite the loss, there are many positives I could focus on today but one thing I cannot get past is DeSean Jackson’s idiotic premature celebration.
To recap, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb through a beauty of a strike, a dagger down the middle of the field into the hands of a streaking Jackson, headed towards the end zone for a touchdown. On the way to scoring, Jackson celebrated prematurely, by showboating with the ball trailing behind him and then letting go of the ball.
One thing I learned in the twenty plus years of watching “JoePa” ball of Penn State football is when you score a TD, you hand the ball to the ref and walk back to the sidelines. You hear frequently to “Act As If”. Act as if you have been to the end zone one hundred times before. Jackson, in only his second professional game did not “Act As If”.
Worse, let’s play the “What If” scenario. What if Dallas recovered the ball? In a wild shoot out on a Monday night, every offensive position is important. The outcome of this game could have been decided on Jackson’s boneheaded play. Who knows, the outcome of the NFC East and maybe the entire NFL (ok, I am getting carried away here) could have been decided by this play.
Here’s another “What If” scenario: Thank goodness the play was ruled where the Eagles had possession of the ball at the Cowboys one-yard line. On the next play, a Bryan Westbrook goal-line dive was the call. “What If”? What if Westbrook fumbled and it was returned for a Dallas defensive TD? What if Westbrook or another player got hurt on that next play? If you think I am going overboard with the “What If” scenarios, go ask Jevon Kearse about the “What If’s” when the Eagles gave up a lead and lost the opening game against the season two years ago to the New York Giants.
So in the end, maybe it was a good thing to happen to Jackson. Humans can do one of two things after a mistake: 1) Learn from it and make improvements upon that mistake or 2) let the mistake repeat. Earlier in the week, on 610 WIP All Sports Radio, they were asking callers to give DeSean Jackson a nickname. Hopefully he does not make mistakes like the one he made last night and earn himself the nickname “DeSean Jackass”. Hopefully he learns from his lesson, his teammates and coaches forgive him, and he forgives himself and takes on the challenge to help bring us Die Hard Eagles Fans a Super Bowl Championship.
With that said, “E-A-G-L-E-S!! EAGLES!!”
