Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2008 > February > 04
Monday, February 4, 2008
“Tackling the game, just like “Rudy”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
He dreamed of playing football at the University of Notre Dame.
Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger was a pipsqueak by football standards. He stood 5-feet-7 and weighed 165 pounds. Tiny. Like his dad, he worked in the steel mills. He didn’t have the money to pay tuition at the private Catholic school. He didn’t have the grades, either.
Talk about a long shot.
But Rudy didn’t bow down to the obstacles. He chased his dream. He quits his steel mill job and enrolls in a junior college near the famed university. He eventually transfered to Notre Dame and landed a spot on the practice football team. There, he exhibits more guts and glory than some prime-time players.
“Rudy,” is one of my favorite movies. It showcases drive, desire, determination, luck, hope and fate. It’s about believing in yourself, never giving up, playing till the whistle blows on the gridiron or in life.
In Gwinnett, we have our own version of Rudy. Two of them, actually.
Meet D.A. Kennerly and Samuel Kim.
They were seniors this year on the storied football team at Parkview High. By football standards, they were undersized. That’s head Coach Cecil Flowe’s assessment, not mine.
“Size plays a big issue,” he told me.
But the Rudyesque way in which they tackled the game overshadowed physical attributes. They hit the weights and practiced hard. They were on the scout team - Kim - 5 feet 9, 180 pounds - at fullback; Kennerly - 5 feet 9, 170 pounds - at linebacker.
Obviously, these young men weren’t the best by a long shot. But there are varying degrees of best. It doesn’t always appear in sports headlines or highlight reels. It might mean seeing some action in a lopsided game and capitalizing on the opportunity. It’s what Rudy did in the movie, in the last game of the season.
“When Sam scored a touchdown in the Meadowcreek game, it was his first touchdown ever,” Flowe said. “D.A. made several tackles in that game. At some games they stood on the sidelines and didn’t play a down.”
Yet there was no crying, moaning or groaning. Not from Kim. Not from Kennerly.
Team first. Me second.
“Their attitude was that it didn’t matter,” Flowe told me. “You can cry about being passed over or you can work and help the team wherever you can. They played on special teams, but they did not have solid active roles on offense or defense.”
Every year, the Panther football players vote on what teammate will receive the “Orange Helmet Award.” It’s given to the player who personifies team sport, Panther pride, overall dedication.
The players couldn’t decide who best fit that description for the 2007 football season. So, there was a tie.
“This was the first time a tie has ever happened,” Flowe said. “Usually, there is one vote or two that swings it one way or the other. But [Kim and Kennerly] are great kids. They gave 100 percent, you know?”
Just like Rudy.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@
Permalink | Comments (15) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
