Arkansas High School Football Player Ends Game with Noble Gesture

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Thamail Morgan took the kickoff and headed up the field. He was at the 20 ... 30 ... 40

He had been avoiding, dodging or just simply running through tacklers on the way. Football always had come easily for Morgan. This game was no different. By the time he hit midfield, only open space was ahead of him. The two-time Arkansas all-state selection was headed for a touchdown.

40 ... 30 ... 20

He glanced at the clock and saw the final seconds ticking away. He realized his team, Cave City, was on the way to a victory over Yellville-Summit, comfortably ahead, 34-16. He also realized two other things: This wasn't an ordinary game. And he wasn't the same Thamail Morgan.

When he reached the 2, he stopped. He took a few steps back and took a knee at the 5-yard line.

.....

Yelleville-Summit is a co-op program, a combination of two small rural schools in the northern part of Arkansas, near the Missouri border. Combining the schools allows them to field a football team. But even then, the squad is so small that coach Calvin Mallett has to bring extra uniforms in case a lineman gets hurt and someone needs to fill in.

On Sept. 11, before a game with Salem, the schools came together for a pep rally. Afterward, four of the players piled into the bed of Kymball Duffy's truck to head to his house for a pre-game meal.

According to Marion County Sheriff Roger Vickers, this is what happened next.

As Duffy came over a hill, he quickly came upon a brush pile in the road. Duffy swerved into the other side of the road, attempting to avoid it. He lost control of the truck, sending it into a tumble.

The four players in the back - whose names are not being released - were thrown from the vehicle. Miraculously, three of the players in the back suffered only minor injuries. A fourth remains in the hospital but appears to be headed for recovery. Duffy was killed at the scene.

The game with Salem was cancelled.

The town held memorial services for Duffy, then decided they needed to continue the season as part of the healing process.

Before taking on Cave City, the most seriously injured of the four players in the back of the truck, spoke to the team from his hospital bed.

Players from Yellville-Summit and Cave City met at midfield before the game for a moment of remembrance. Players on both teams were a No. 72 decal - Duffy's number - on their helmet.

The game began and Cave City quickly scored. Minutes later, it scored again. And again. All hope for a storybook ending appeared lost.

......

Thamail Morgan is the type of player who can dominate a high school game. On every play.

Last year, playing for Newport in a state playoff game against Heber Springs, he had 15 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles on defense. He had 145 yards receiving and two touchdowns on offense.

He was coveted by most Division I programs in the South. Then it all changed.

In January, he violated an unspecified school rule that banned him from athletics for a year. Morgan would be eligible for basketball during his senior season but not football.

A year away from football would hurt his chances of gaining a scholarship, so - after considering a number of options - he transferred roughly 40 miles away to Cave City. His scholarship offers did not travel with him.

"Before I screwed up and got myself into trouble, I had some schools like Arkansas, Florida State, Ole Miss, and some other big schools looking at me,'' he said. "Now they are not looking at me, but I have no one to blame but myself for that. Hopefully I can get on someone's radar, even if it is a lower level D-1 or D-2 school."

Cave City coach Jon Bradley was willing to take a chance on Morgan. But only if he met certain conditions. He not only is required to attend extra weight lifting and conditioning exercises, he is required to participate in after-school activities with a local church and meet with a pastor on a regular basis for counseling.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Bradley said. "Thamail made some mistakes that did not allow him to play football anymore at Newport, and we knew what those mistakes were when he came here. I sat him down and talked to him, and let him know I was willing to give him a chance, but there were certain things that he would have to do in order to play for our program.

"So far, he has accomplished, and continues to do everything he has been asked to do, and then some. He has transitioned well and the kids here have accepted him. He is doing well in class, and is a leader on the football field and is a great athlete. We feel fortunate to have him."

....

Morgan did not do this completely on his own.

"We were on the sidelines yelling for him not to score," Bradley said. "Some of the players on the field were saying it, too. But I'm not sure how much he could have heard all of it."

He heard it, Morgan admitted. But he didn't need to.

"Before the game, we as a team talked about being classy,'' he said. "We did not want to come out in a game like this and not show any class.

"As I was running, some of my teammates told me not to score, and I knew that scoring was not the right thing to do."

He was glad to be a part of what happened.

"I just want to thank my teammates for not only being classy all night, but pushing me to be classy as well,'' he said.

The gesture was well received.

"We weren't sure how gloomy they would be before the game,'' Morgan said. "They had gloom, but it was not as bad as we thought. We met before the game, and they told us that they did not want us to feel sorry for them, and they did not want us to back off just because of what happened. They wanted us to play them like we would have if Duffy has still been there with them, so we did.

"After the game, they complimented us, and even thanked us for the way that we played them. They are some really cool cats, and I wish them the best of luck with their healing process and the rest of their season. I hope they make the playoffs."

http://arkansasvarsity.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=992976

[Pooky 3,930]

Sportsmanship appears to be a dying philosophy.

Then something like this comes along, to show adults how it should be done and what real class means.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Pooky

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Sportsmanship appears to be a dying philosophy.

Then something like this comes along, to show adults how it should be done and what real class means.

It's a great story of redemption and second chances. This young man appears to be a talented athlete and I hope he'll rise to the top ....get offered a scholarship to a decent college.

[almaty 19]

i agree ...a great story and remarkable young man..in my career, i have seen people ..with wasted lives..change and become some of the best people i am proud to know....

[_Simpson_ 250]

The score was 34-16 and there was only a few seconds left in the game, a good jester I agree but lets not get carried away. I do like the fact that he had no problem telling people that he was urged by his teammates, I think his team mates should get as much attention and how the Yellville team told the Cave City not to feel sorry for us or take it easy on us.

Edited September 25, 2009 by _Simpson_

[luckytxn 2,265]

No matter what happens with this man life he will always remember this moment in time and hold his head high. He will be fine I think whatever comes his way.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Sportsmanship appears to be a dying philosophy.

Then something like this comes along, to show adults how it should be done and what real class means.

Sorry. Disagree. He EARNED a touchdown. There is nothing "sportsmanlike" about shaving points off the board and if you later found out he was working for a bookie, you would scream bloody murder. There is nothing unsportsmanlike in claiming the prize you earn, fair and square, through your efforts. It is an insult to the other team he did this. It is the ultimate insult, the ultimate "playing field demonstration" to actually lay down and not take what he earned...because he doesn't need it to defeat such an unworthy opponent. Did he spit on them as he jogged back leaving the ball on the playing field. May as well have.

This is a creeping thing in our society that somehow we do not DESERVE what we ear and should give it to someone else. It is also a gesture that the opponent was incapable and he was "going easy on them" I preferto play fair and square and if you clean my clock fair and square I will shake your hand after the game. Were I on the opposing team I would demand an apology for this condescending behavior.

REAL class is a perosn that does his best, claims his prize for his efforts and treats his opponent with respect and honor. This is NOT honorable, this is horrifically insulting

No matter what happens with this man life he will always remember this moment in time and hold his head high. He will be fine I think whatever comes his way.

BS!!!!! My son would be writing a letter of apology or better, asking to address the other team AND their school with his apology for his total disrspect of them. He also would lose the keys to the car for two weeks minimum.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Sportsmanship appears to be a dying philosophy.

Then something like this comes along, to show adults how it should be done and what real class means.

Sorry. Disagree. He EARNED a touchdown. There is nothing "sportsmanlike" about shaving points off the board and if you later found out he was working for a bookie, you would scream bloody murder. There is nothing unsportsmanlike in claiming the prize you earn, fair and square, through your efforts. It is an insult to the other team he did this. It is the ultimate insult, the ultimate "playing field demonstration" to actually lay down and not take what he earned...because he doesn't need it to defeat such an unworthy opponent. Did he spit on them as he jogged back leaving the ball on the playing field. May as well have.

This is a creeping thing in our society that somehow we do not DESERVE what we ear and should give it to someone else. It is also a gesture that the opponent was incapable and he was "going easy on them" I preferto play fair and square and if you clean my clock fair and square I will shake your hand after the game. Were I on the opposing team I would demand an apology for this condescending behavior.

REAL class is a perosn that does his best, claims his prize for his efforts and treats his opponent with respect and honor. This is NOT honorable, this is horrifically insulting

No matter what happens with this man life he will always remember this moment in time and hold his head high. He will be fine I think whatever comes his way.

BS!!!!! My son would be writing a letter of apology or better, asking to address the other team AND their school with his apology for his total disrspect of them. He also would lose the keys to the car for two weeks minimum.

I take it, Gary, that you never played team sports....no surprise there.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

The score was 34-16 and there was only a few seconds left in the game, a good jester I agree but lets not get carried away. I do like the fact that he had no problem telling people that he was urged by his teammates, I think his team mates should get as much attention and how the Yellville team told the Cave City not to feel sorry for us or take it easy on us.

"feeling sorry" and "taking it easy" are ultimate insults for teams OR for people.

How is this different than if he had made the toucxhdown, soiked the ball, did a silly dance and pointed at the other team and laughed? Or soem of the other antics we see in the NFL which everyone then denounces. He stoped short and laid the ball down!!!!!! OMG! This says "you can't stop me and I know it, also we don't need the points bcaeuse you are SO bad I won't even take these easy points from your pathetic team that doesn't even belong on this field with someone as wonderfual and talented as me" What horse squeeze this "sportsman" BS is!!!!!!!

The TRUE sportsman, the TRUE classic honroable gentleman are the ones that make the touchdown, drop the ball and trot back to their team and accept understandable but not ridiculous accolades for their accomplishment. The sahke the others teams hand after the game and thank them for the days challenge. Quiet, elegant, simple and humble. This dude is anything but quiet or humble and now he is rubbing the noses of the other team ina national spotlight for what? Notinal spotilghts are for people that ACHIEVE something, not people that throw away what they can acheive.

[_Simpson_ 250]

Sportsmanship appears to be a dying philosophy.

Then something like this comes along, to show adults how it should be done and what real class means.

Sorry. Disagree. He EARNED a touchdown. There is nothing "sportsmanlike" about shaving points off the board and if you later found out he was working for a bookie, you would scream bloody murder. There is nothing unsportsmanlike in claiming the prize you earn, fair and square, through your efforts. It is an insult to the other team he did this. It is the ultimate insult, the ultimate "playing field demonstration" to actually lay down and not take what he earned...because he doesn't need it to defeat such an unworthy opponent. Did he spit on them as he jogged back leaving the ball on the playing field. May as well have.

This is a creeping thing in our society that somehow we do not DESERVE what we ear and should give it to someone else. It is also a gesture that the opponent was incapable and he was "going easy on them" I preferto play fair and square and if you clean my clock fair and square I will shake your hand after the game. Were I on the opposing team I would demand an apology for this condescending behavior.

REAL class is a perosn that does his best, claims his prize for his efforts and treats his opponent with respect and honor. This is NOT honorable, this is horrifically insulting

No matter what happens with this man life he will always remember this moment in time and hold his head high. He will be fine I think whatever comes his way.

BS!!!!! My son would be writing a letter of apology or better, asking to address the other team AND their school with his apology for his total disrspect of them. He also would lose the keys to the car for two weeks minimum.

I get what your saying and for the most part I agree but when it comes to this situation it was neither here nor there,34-16. I would of rather had him take the touchdown but the fact he didnt I dont think is a big deal in this situation. I do like that fact how the team that had suffered the tragedy asked the other team not to take it easy or feel sorry for us. I am very competitive and theres nothing I hate more when it comes to sports than a pity win.

[rebeccajo 14]

They were already winning.

What he did was no harm.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

They were already winning.

What he did was no harm.

Gary's probably never watched the final seconds of a basketball game when the team with the comfortable lead has possession of the ball. I imagine he'd be screaming his head off at the team for not trying to score a final basket like a 'true sportsman.'

[luckytxn 2,265]

The teammates and the school wanted him to not score. That is the definition of sportsmanship there. One tiny selfless gesture when he had already proven himself superior on the field was a nice ending to a game.

[_Simpson_ 250]

The score was 34-16 and there was only a few seconds left in the game, a good jester I agree but lets not get carried away. I do like the fact that he had no problem telling people that he was urged by his teammates, I think his team mates should get as much attention and how the Yellville team told the Cave City not to feel sorry for us or take it easy on us.

"feeling sorry" and "taking it easy" are ultimate insults for teams OR for people.

How is this different than if he had made the toucxhdown, soiked the ball, did a silly dance and pointed at the other team and laughed? Or soem of the other antics we see in the NFL which everyone then denounces. He stoped short and laid the ball down!!!!!! OMG! This says "you can't stop me and I know it, also we don't need the points bcaeuse you are SO bad I won't even take these easy points from your pathetic team that doesn't even belong on this field with someone as wonderfual and talented as me" What horse squeeze this "sportsman" BS is!!!!!!!

The TRUE sportsman, the TRUE classic honroable gentleman are the ones that make the touchdown, drop the ball and trot back to their team and accept understandable but not ridiculous accolades for their accomplishment. The sahke the others teams hand after the game and thank them for the days challenge. Quiet, elegant, simple and humble. This dude is anything but quiet or humble and now he is rubbing the noses of the other team ina national spotlight for what? Notinal spotilghts are for people that ACHIEVE something, not people that throw away what they can acheive.

I dont think you got what I was trying to say. Im glad the team didnt want the pity win. What your forgetting about all this is he didnt do it for the reasons you keep throwing out there. You think he did this as a way to insult the other team??? I think not, he meant well and sure meaning well doesnt always cut it but please put this perspective before you start comparing him to satan, good grief.

[_Simpson_ 250]

They were already winning.

What he did was no harm.

I agree but with the same respect this was not a noble gesture.