While a heretofore widely unknown wide-out for the Giants, Odell Beckham, was garnering all the attention this week in NFL for his gaudy grab in game against Dallas, the best post-game story barely made a ripple with the media, mainstream and otherwise.
The Jacksonville Jaguars season of discontent continued (1-10) after their visit to Lucas Oil Stadium last Sunday as they suffered yet another shellacking, this one at the hands of Chuck Pagano’s Colts, 23-3.
Things will get better, Jaguars, even if it’s in California?
One of the happy highlights of the mustangs win was a 73-yard touchdown strike from Andy Luck to wide-receiver, and new father, T.Y. Hilton (4r / 122y / 1td).
Frosting on the cake here, for those who favor uplifting endzone events as opposed to the bummer brand (See: “Flop-Jack”), was T.Y.’s unique revelry upon crossing the plane.
No spike, no dance, no crowd leap this time, instead, T.Y. (Eugene) got creative and began caressing the Wilson® as it were a baby, a beautiful girl in this case.
There was a new addition to the Hilton family last week as Eugene’s wife, Shantrell, who, I’m assuming, with the help of her medical professionals, brought a bouncing baby girl into the world. Her name, Eugenia, I suppose after her Dad. That’s nice.
ESPN gave the heartfelt hurray some brief air-play on Monday.
Hanna Storm did the honors, zinging Eugene with a closing ha-ha that only a junior producer could’ve fashioned: “Does she have good hands?” I think he said, ‘yes.’
I don’t have children but my wife, Marianne, has three and now three granddaughters.
As she pulled on-call duty this Thanksgiving holiday, her skillful and slender hands will be helping, most likely, more than one expectant couple deliver their own bundle(s) of joy in her capacity as a CNM (certified nurse midwife) at one of our Atlanta area hospitals.
And contrary to pop-culture belief (Seinfeld), the only things that will be “flying” in the delivery rooms are the sound decibels, in absence of epidural, and grateful hearts.
In a poignant moment of parental pride and familial devotion, Mr. Hilton displayed his thankfulness for all the nation to see. It’s not an outpouring of emotion we’re accustomed to viewing in these arrogant times, where so many, old and young alike, think themselves in possession of all life’s answers & truths and a full entitlement to most of its pleasures.
Sport takes alot of flak these days from critics far & wide, sometimes deservedly so, but too often it stems from a general disdain the non-sporting classes have for the world of tumultuous merriment (See; anti-Redskins, sports betting, sticky-gloves, CFP, etc.).
But Eugene is not unique. He is, in fact, the norm in pro sport and his gratitude for the goodness that life can produce is a fine example to those who too often focus their gaze and grind upon the glorified, the grandiose, the grotesque, the graft and grievance.
Steven Keys
Macro Sport
Photo credits: baby-toss, wc.cca, 11.29.08, A.Garrett; baby-bulldog, 1892, H.Walker, wc.cca; Bundesarchiv, Tibet, E.Krause, 1938, wc.cca; baby-bath, J.Orsini, wc.cca, 1.10.13; Mom-baby, 2000, Gambia, wc.cca; baby,yawn-Mom, 1958, wc.cca, Muratov.
Posted: 11.27.14 @ 6:42pm; edit 11.28 @ 11:03pm EST
Ahead of the Curve 