by Patrick ‘Rey’ Reynell
Too bad professional sports often times resemble a mockery of this beloved sports proverb. Players demand more money. They gripe about playing time. Some have even refused to play in protest of something that does not concern the team.
Yet for most fans, I think, the sports deities bequeath upon us timely moments so as not to make us lose our faith in the games we love.
I don’t consider myself a huge NFL fan, and I’m certainly not a fan of the Seattle Seahawks. But Aaron Curry has made me a fan for the time being of the Seahawks, Wake Forest football, and primarily him.
I admit I have not watched a single live down of football that involved Aaron Curry. It’s hard to not know who he is because of the voluminous NFL draft coverage. The last I heard before the actual draft day was that he could, though chances were very slim, be picked number one if contract negotiations did not work out with Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions.
As Roger Goodell strolled to the podium and announced the first pick not long after 4 o’clock eastern time, I sat watching only half-interested. My Buffalo Bills were picking eleventh overall so I still had some time.
I’m at best a laissez-faire football fan, so I’m not ashamed to say that I needed more than an education on the next two picks.
Then Seattle selected the outside linebacker from Wake Forest fourth overall. At this point I was helping the better half clean around the house, and since this pick involved an ACC school (my current place of residence) I sat down with mild interest.
The cameras swarmed Curry’s table and he started crying. Not too surprised (many cry at the draft), my attentiveness grew as Curry refused to sheath his emotional response. I said aloud to myself, “That’s awesome.” He wants people to see this unadulterated emotion.
This was loud enough for my wife, an avid yet extremely critical sports fan herself, to hear in the kitchen.
She quickly came into the room and commented on the green hat the Seahawks provided. I rolled my eyes.
Then Curry made his way to Erin Andrews for his first interview as a professional athlete. She referenced the sheer emotion displayed in the green room and in classic sports interview absurdity, asked to put it into words.
Aaron Curry’s response earned him two immediate fans.
He said, “It’s hard to put into words how hard we work our whole lives for this one moment.”
Two simple pronouns: “we” and “our.” One nominative, one possessive, but both plural in form. Perhaps meaningless to some, but speaks volumes to others.
He didn’t talk about himself or say “I’ve worked hard” or “People doubted me.” He realizes that it he is not alone; he is not unique when it comes to be being drafted, playing football, making millions.
He also mentioned, in what has become a cliché for young men who were just selected to make millions, that he is thrilled that he can now provide for his mother and younger brothers.
It isn’t about him, or how good he is, or how much money he will make. It’s about the success of his team. In fact, not even the team. It’s about the fraternity that is professional athletes. He wasn’t just happy for himself, he was happy for all of those who worked so hard to get there and can now repay their families.
In an event that is often too much about the individual in a consummate team sport, Curry showed everyone that he gets it and possesses an unbridled appreciation for all involved in his success.
Curry’s family quickly joined him on stage. Adorned with those distinctive green hats, they smiled uncontrollably.
My wife, gazing at the TV in rare appreciation of the genuineness of an overpaid professional athlete, let out an “awhhh.”
I knew then that I wasn’t just over analyzing Curry’s answer. His subconscious had spoken and chose the correct pronoun, thus proving to the both of us that that old sports adage is not dead. There is no “I” in team, and there definitely is no “I” in Aaron Curry.
Rey
Great piece. Hopefully more young players will follow Curry’s lead and realize their place. It’s unfortunate that the media tends to focus on either many of the negative aspects or the bad behaviors of a few. It’s great to read a story like this and hope that an example has been set.
Maybe it’s something to do with the Curry name. Certainly that kid out of Davidson with the same name seems to respect the game and the contributions of those who have come before him.
Thanks, Casey. I think you correctly tagged the culprit – the media. They even found a way to discuss Michael Vick yesterday in the draft coverage.
This hit me as a truly geniune moment from a more than grateful young man.
First off, I would like to say great article and Aaron Curry is a lot like Patrick WIllis, all over the field, and will be a tremendous pro. I would then like to use this as a semi-opportunity to point out a relevant point in a different sport; basketball.
Kobe Bryant is a great player and easily one of the greatest one-on-one offensive and defensive players in the history of the NBA, but it is this exact topic that frustrates me about him. Everyone who follows the NBA in any capacity has engaged in the controversy (this year especially) about who is better? Kobe or LeBron? I’m not here to persuade you either way, but just to simply point out one thing.
Often times in interviews LeBron James will be asked a question, something along the lines of “What do you say to those who compare you to Jordan, Byrd, Magic, and all the other greats?” His answer is ALWAYS “First of all, it’s an honor to even be mentioned with all of those guys.” Now raise your hand if you think Kobe Bryant will ever say anything remotely close to that? Nobody? That’s what I thought.
Last night Kobe Bryant took over the Lakers-Jazz game and scored the first 12 points I believe and ended the game with 38 points and a whopping 1 assist. The entire game Kobe did not smile once. Not only did he not smile, but after every basket I would almost get the feeling that he thinks he’s better than everyone. EVERYONE. LeBron on the other hand, has his Cleveland Cavaliers playing not only the best basketball in the NBA, but multiple coaches, announcers, etc. have described his team as one of the closest teams they have ever seen. Whether it’s a pre-game act, or a playful handshake after a timeout, LeBron makes everyone around him not only better, but happier as well. I just don’t see that from Kobe.
I will close with one final thought: Great players know and act like they’re great, the greatest players don’t.
There is a plaque that hangs just inside The Palestra, the legendary basketball arena on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. It reads:
“To win the game is great. To play the game is greater. But to love the game is the greatest of all.”
Kobe just doesn’t seem to subscribe to that notion.
Doug – thanks for the comment. Concerning LeBron and Kobe, I agree with you almost 100% and you make great points about both. I love LeBron’s mannerisms on and off the court and with the media is unique and amdirable. But the way he carries himself is top notch and I think every time LeBron is interviewed, David Stern curls up on his bear skin rug, rests his chin in his hands, and smiles and sighs uncontrollably.
Kobe not so much. He comes off as entitled and even bitter sometimes. Definitely cocky most of the time. But in many ways his demeanor ON the court is similar to MJ’s. I love LeBron’s candid style, but sometimes it is too playful. And it wasn’t like this the years he was losing. He complained a little and was more business like it seemed. I just think this team is almost too loose at times. Certainly I have no support as they just cleaned Detroit’s clock, double digit wins every game. The Celtics expressed how pissed they were when LeBron and company were dancing on the sideline and having a good time during their blow out win towards the end of the regular season. I kind of thought it was a little overdone too.
Kobe is more business like and that, too, can be good and bad on the court through the course of a game/season.
But I agree – his whoe approach just seems like he thinks everyone else is out of his league. He isn’t grateful whatsoever.
Thanks Rey for the great piece, and Doug for the nice segway to King James. I must admit to being very tired of the chalk show during pre-game, and as a Celtic fan don’t root for his team to make it to the finals… but there is no mistaking the fact that he is a MAN playing a boys game, but he still remembers that it is a boys game.
Rey- Your reflection on Curry’s down to earth sensibilities and Mrs. Rey’s recognition of that humbleness connected me to an ’09 draft pick of my Patriots, Tyrone McKenzie. After a strong freshman year at Michigan State as a linebacker, he left school to return home to Florida to care for and support his widowed mother who had suffered injuries in a car accident. After a year of working at a Tampa area hotel, he enrolled at Iowa State and excelled once again, only to transfer to South Florida to be close to his recently divorced mother. Can you believe that the big, mean NCAA actually granted him a waiver allowing him to play right away (without sitting out the normal one season) due to the hardship of his family? This kid must have something going for him.
Sorry to piggyback your great article, but we do need to celebrate good things happening to good people who have their head screwed on correctly, instead of those living for the next headline…
Thanks for commenting and sharing Muels. And no need to apologize – that is the whole point of writing these – to start discussions.
Come to find out after reading up on Aaron Curry, he brought a kid with leukemia with him to the draft. How the hell does Andrews NOT bring this up in the interview, green room etc. I sat down and watched for a good 10 minutes and it was never mentioned. Maybe I got up too early but poorly reported by ESPN. Could have really added to my article I think.
Reynell – great piece!
I was caught up in watch Aaron Curry as well. Everything he says and everything that has been reported about him leads me to believe that he is going to be one of the good guys in the NFL.
In fact some of the commentators on ESPN were praising the Top 5 picks as players who seemed to carry themselves in a positive manner and that this group might become the face of NFL – a good and positive face. It is certainly Roger Goddell’s wish that the NFL get from the Chris Henrys, T.O. and Pacman Jones of the world putting the NFL in the headlines. Hopefully this group can be the start of it.
Thanks Smitty. I love that Crabtree dropped down to 10 after running his mouth about how great he will be. Now that he is going to a team that can’t decide on a QB, I hope he flops and everyone before him flourishes. I love Sanchez in interviews. I think – like you said – he will soon be the face of the NFL. He’s articulate, humble, and knows that he is not bigger than the game. That has to be hard when you’re the USC quarterback.
Reynell – It has to hit Crabtree hard that fell to #10, but is that really punishing the guy? It would have been better if he dropped to the 2nd round and then was drafted by the Buccaneers – land of no QBs. He could have spent the next 2 or 3 years blocking for the running game.
I was really impressed with Sanchez – hate the fact that he is going to be in AFC East. My only hope is that he has a problem with cold weather. But I think it is safe to say he is going to be a player in the NFL.
Did anyone else hear that they are thinking about moving the draft to prime time? First round would be on Thursday night, 2nd & 3rd rounds Friday and then the remaining rounds on Saturday. Kinda like the idea, as I would prefer to invest a Thursday night as opposed to blocking off an entire Saturday for the draft.
I haven’t heard anything about moving the draft. But I did hear the commissioner mention the possibility of the Super Bowl being on the Sunday before Presidents’ Day. How friggin’ sweet would that be?
Yeah, Smitty, I heard that about the draft. I actually think it is a good idea for the NFL. The draft is their biggest reality show – why not make money off of it. Plus, who really watches the draft after the 2nd round? I think they should just put the first two rounds on prime time television Friday night and the rest on Saturday .