The crowd at War Memorial Stadium learned a new trick on saving time in a game on Oct. 12. Air Force was the teacher, and the UW football program was the guinea pig. The UW football team may have lost but they stayed honorable.
During the game, an Air Force player was hit, but he got up and started to fall as if he were fainting. As he came off the field, the coach talked to him and “strategized.” The Air Force coach did not call a time-out, but instead “made sure he was okay,” and then put him back in, and the player acted as if nothing happened. Might this be added, the player was not hit hard or in a different manner than any other hit is done.
Neither players nor coaches should use an injury as a time saver, but instead call a time-out. It is an act of cheating that should not be used by any player, coach or team.
As kids, we are taught that cheating is against the rules and is not the right way to go through life, let alone a game. For any players lucky enough to make it to a Division I team, they should know that cheating is not okay. Coaches at this level of play should be teaching and preaching to their players about cheating and its costs.
However, the Air Force coach went right along with his player’s actions and used those extra three minutes instead of using a time-out to strategize with his team.
The Air Force Academy’s code is, “We will not lie, steal or cheat nor tolerate among us anyone who does.”
The act the player made makes me question the player’s ethics, their coach’s ethics and the entire program’s ethics.
UW head football coach Dave Christensen said some words about the incident in the press conference following the game. He then apologized for his words, and UW Athletics Director Tom Burman said he respected Christensen for apologizing.
Christensen said there are no quitters in the locker room and there never will be. The UW football program does not support or train quitters, and therefore cheaters either.
The UW football players played strong and showed what an honorable football team looks and plays like.
I am more proud of Christensen, the players and the program than I have ever been since accepting UW as my home.
The football program should not be down on itself for losing, but be proud it did not stoop to a level below. Winning is not everything. Staying honorable is. Go ‘Pokes!
