posted by BH
There are reports out there that Joe Montana didn't want to participate in the Super Bowl pregame blah blah because he had asked the NFL for $100,000, which the NFL declined to give him. Of course Montana denies these reports, saying he had promised his kids he'd watch their basketball games over the weekend, then watch the Super Bowl together. One, crazy and underreported facet of this whole thing is that Montana was in Detroit on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday before the game. This kind of demonstrates that he did his due dillegence for the league, and as far as anyone has reported, did it for a hotel room and a plane ticket. Another crazy, underreported facet is that Terry Bradshaw also is said to have declined due to money, yet no one's really talking about it.
Let's say for a moment that it's all true. Montana asked for $100,000, the league said no, so Montana told them he had better things to do. Okay. My life's not over. Why does anyone really care? No one's life is better or worse for having Joe Montana participate in this ceremony. Why is this a story? I wasn't a fan of Montana because I thought he was a good guy who was motivated solely be altruism. I liked him because he was the best football player I'd ever seen. The choice to show or not show rested completely with Montana. He doesn't owe anything to the fan or the NFL.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Joe Montana Is Still A God
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3 comments:
Im on the fence for this one. It was the 40th anniversary....And if fuckin Bart Starr (or whoever the fuck the decrepid old man was) could make it, he could have too. He also was reportedly quoted as saying "Ive moved on, the NFL isnt my life anymore"....Ahem....And that lame ass fedex commercial? O.....K....
He doesn't owe anybody crap. He was a sports star, that doesn't mean he is obligated to do anything but win football games. Yet he does so much charity work that it astounds me he is being ridiculed.
Short story:
I had a friend in grade school named Matt Heart. He was born with Leukemia, had a blood clot in his brain, and survived a stoke, making him the most courageous person I've ever had the privilege of knowing.
In fifth grade when it became apparent he wouldn't survive the second stroke, Matt requested to meet Joe Montana. Joe came and didn't just stay for the obligatory 15 minutes, but actually sat next to Matt who was lying unconscious in his hospital bed even after the family had left the room. He signed posters, jersey's, posed for pictures, all for no compensation, and the pictures of him sitting alone in the hospital room holding Matt's hand are truly remarkable.
This is not a man who can be criticized or ridiculed as to whether or not he showed up at some stupid half time show. This is a man who defines himself by the deeds he performs off the field rather than reliving the glories of the old days. I'll always be behind Joe and I only wish more athletes could affect people's lives as positively as he has.
You know what I'm struggling with? The NFL's reliance on old men this year. From the officials to Harrison Ford reading a Dr. Seuss book to the Rolling Stones (who are just a parody of themselves at this point), there sure were a lot of old white men at the festivities this year. It was like they were trying to appeal to the always powerful 50-75-year-old rich white man market.
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