Pft: Schwartz Praises Shanahan's Sportsmanship After Lions' Camera Fails

[justice98]

Wouldn't you all rather beat the Lions fairly? I would never want the Skins to win a tough game with an asterisk in the W column.

 

C'mon man, we're better than that.

 

In the history of the NFL, I've yet to see an asterisk.  The most useless thing in sports are numbers with asterisks next to them. Gimme the W.  They didn't poison the pregame meal or anything.  

 

There's a difference between having a legal advantage and cheating.  Not giving them the pictures wouldn't have been cheating unless they sabotaged the camera themselves.

[balki1867]

I used to live in Detroit and I still stream one of my favorite sports radio shows there.  Schwartz is actually a really good guy.  Part of what he's doing in Detroit is actively trying to shake that 'loser' mentality that's built up over a few decades, so he goes out of his way to be cartoonish about certain things, hence the bit about the headset-- I noticed it too.  Honestly, the Redskins could use some of this at this point.

 

Even with the Harbaugh situation he was upset about the fact that he was legitimately trying to congratulate the guy on a very hard-fought win and Harbaugh (unintentionally) was a little too flip about the post-game handshake.  Schwartz got over it after a few days, and it became a non-issue, even when they played each other again.

 

Compared to what's been in Detroit the last few years (Rod Marinara, etc), its actually good to see someone who wants to make the franchise iconic.  On a sidenote, even though Matt Millen was a massive failure there, it is nice to see Martin Mayhew being successful at a different level in football.

[Godfather151981]

In the history of the NFL, I've yet to see an asterisk.  The most useless thing in sports are numbers with asterisks next to them. Gimme the W.  They didn't poison the pregame meal or anything.  

 

There's a difference between having a legal advantage and cheating.  Not giving them the pictures wouldn't have been cheating unless they sabotaged the camera themselves.

If I recall there was a game between Green Bay and Chicago in the 80's that was won by the Packers on a disputed Don Makowski TD. Ditka was so angry he ordered an asterik placed by the game on the official results column for the Bears. I'm not sure if that stands to this day but I remember that from years ago.

[Godfather151981]

There's no question this was the right thing to do on Shanahan's part. This tells us a lot about Mike Shanahan also. He knew it was the right thing and the sportsmanlike thing to do, so he quietly did it and said nothing about it. How many people might have done that and announced it to the world that they did it. The only reason this story got out is because Jim Schwartz brought it to light. I'm not a Schwartz fan because I think he's a showboater, and quite frankly I didn't appreciate the headset slam in the least, however to his credit it was also a decent move on his part to call Shanahan out in a positive manner. It's this type of thing that Schwartz and coaches in all sports can learn from in that there's a right way and a wrong way to go about your business. It may be a trivial thing in the long run, but as much criticism that's heaped upon Shanahan by the local media and fans, this tells us A LOT about his character and his values. 

 

Incidentally, you might draw a parallel between this and the game (ironically also against Detroit) in the 80's when the ref came over and chastised Coach Gibbs about crowd noise. The Detroit QB claimed he couldn't hear and the ref asked Gibbs to quiet down the crowd - which he tried to do. Back then there was actually a rule which said the home team could be assessed a five-yard penalty for excessive crowd noise, but I think that's been struck from the rule book. I remember thinking about how petty that Detroit QB came across by complaining that he couldn't hear, and also at how brazen the ref was for asking Gibbs to do something about it. Yet that aside, he did the "sportsmanlike thing" and did as he was asked. Again, character counts.

[justice98]

If I recall there was a game between Green Bay and Chicago in the 80's that was won by the Packers on a disputed Don Makowski TD. Ditka was so angry he ordered an asterik placed by the game on the official results column for the Bears. I'm not sure if that stands to this day but I remember that from years ago.

 

He basically ordered the asterisk in the Bear media guide, which doesn't mean a whole lot.  It was nothing official.  

There's no question this was the right thing to do on Shanahan's part. This tells us a lot about Mike Shanahan also. He knew it was the right thing and the sportsmanlike thing to do, so he quietly did it and said nothing about it. How many people might have done that and announced it to the world that they did it. The only reason this story got out is because Jim Schwartz brought it to light. I'm not a Schwartz fan because I think he's a showboater, and quite frankly I didn't appreciate the headset slam in the least, however to his credit it was also a decent move on his part to call Shanahan out in a positive manner. It's this type of thing that Schwartz and coaches in all sports can learn from in that there's a right way and a wrong way to go about your business. It may be a trivial thing in the long run, but as much criticism that's heaped upon Shanahan by the local media and fans, this tells us A LOT about his character and his values. 

 

Incidentally, you might draw a parallel between this and the game (ironically also against Detroit) in the 80's when the ref came over and chastised Coach Gibbs about crowd noise. The Detroit QB claimed he couldn't hear and the ref asked Gibbs to quiet down the crowd - which he tried to do. Back then there was actually a rule which said the home team could be assessed a five-yard penalty for excessive crowd noise, but I think that's been struck from the rule book. I remember thinking about how petty that Detroit QB came across by complaining that he couldn't hear, and also at how brazen the ref was for asking Gibbs to do something about it. Yet that aside, he did the "sportsmanlike thing" and did as he was asked. Again, character counts.

 

I don't know how sportsmanlike it is if the alternative is a penalty.  I mean, Coach Joe is a principled man indeed, but he was trying to avoid a 5 yard penalty more than anything.  I don't recall him trying to quiet the crowd out of the goodness of his heart when it wasn't a penalty.

[Godfather151981]

He basically ordered the asterisk in the Bear media guide, which doesn't mean a whole lot.  It was nothing official.  

 

I don't know how sportsmanlike it is if the alternative is a penalty.  I mean, Coach Joe is a principled man indeed, but he was trying to avoid a 5 yard penalty more than anything.  I don't recall him trying to quiet the crowd out of the goodness of his heart when it wasn't a penalty.

True, but so far as I know that was the only time it was brought to his attention that in someone's perception the crowd was "too loud." Personally I think that penalizing a team for crowd noise is a bit much, especially given that it's something that at the discretion of the ref. 

[balki1867]

If I recall there was a game between Green Bay and Chicago in the 80's that was won by the Packers on a disputed Don Makowski TD. Ditka was so angry he ordered an asterik placed by the game on the official results column for the Bears. I'm not sure if that stands to this day but I remember that from years ago.

 

A clip of the play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6VHrcz-tJ8

 

An article about it: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/57784427.html

[Godfather151981]

I'd put an asterik next to that game also. 

[ldysknzfn1]

It's a shame that he also didn't offer Hazlett as well.

Hilarious!

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I'd put an asterik next to that game also. 

 

Pray tell why?

 

Hail. 

[Tay]

Good Move by shanny

[Godfather151981]

He was over the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball. In fact had I been Ditka I might have even gotten assessed a penalty or even gotten thrown out of the game just to prove a point.

[Rudechain]

Well you know what. I hope Coach sends Kyle on over to Kinkos to fax out game plans too. That would be yet another classy move.

Why stop at the cameras? When there are so many deeds left to do?

Now your just being silly.    It's an honorable gesture and the right thing to do.

[bowhunter]

Watching that video clip saddened me a little. At the time, both Clint Didier and Mark Murphy were playing for GB

[Commander Adama]

Look at a man's values, then see if he follows them when no one is watching.   That is the measure of a true man.

 

Shanahan didn't have to share his pictures.  No one could have forced him.  He did anyway, out a a sense of sportsmanship and honor. 

Shannahan is classy when no one is watching, and I pick my nose when I think no one is watching. Boy, I need to reevaluate my priorities in life!