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PonyOne
02-03-2005, 10:18 AM
dear God some people have no sense of dignity... first you get a job where you get paid millions of dollars a year to throw around a ball and get tackled by big guys in tights, and now look at this...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/football/nfl/specials/playoffs/2004/02/02/bc.fbn.superbowl.culpep.ap/index.html?cnn=yes

Daunte Culpepper's necklaces were very impressive, until he asked for them back after Wednesday's ceremony.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Daunte Culpepper showed off his scrambling ability Wednesday -- in a crowded convention center ballroom.


The Minnesota Vikings quarterback presented a paralyzed high school football player two diamond necklaces worth about $75,000 during an NFL awards ceremony, but then awkwardly asked for them back after it was finished.


The apparent gift prompted a mother to cry, a father to think about buying a safe to store it and Culpepper to find a way out of the mess.


"I'll get him something else," Culpepper said sheepishly.


The confusion began at the FedEx ground and air player of the year honors, where finalists Culpepper, Peyton Manning, Shaun Alexander and Curtis Martin were on stage for the announcement.


When the master of ceremonies opened the floor for questions, Jerry Townsend spoke up from his wheelchair in the front row.


"Hey Daunte, can I get some of that ice?" he said in a low voice, referring to the two sparkling necklaces hanging around Culpepper's neck.


Culpepper jumped up, pulled them off and brought them over to Townsend, a senior defensive back at Jacksonville Episcopal High School who was paralyzed from the neck down while making a tackle in October.


Townsend spent the last four months in various hospitals and was released Wednesday -- just in time to go to the Super Bowl event.


After Culpepper put the necklaces around Townsend's neck, his mother started to cry. His father talked about needing to get a safe for the expensive jewelry.


Culpepper, meanwhile, went back to his seat and finished the awards ceremony (Manning won the air award, and Martin won the ground one). After it was over, Culpepper patiently answered dozens of questions while keeping a close eye on his jewelry across the room.


One of the diamond-laced necklaces was the No. 11, Culpepper's jersey number, and the other was a large pepper (for Culpepper).


"Where's that kid at? I've got to get my stuff back," Culpepper said.


Culpepper then walked over to the Townsends and asked them to write down their address so he could send them something else. Culpepper wasn't sure what it would be.


In an unrelated note, Culpepper will appear in a 60-second NFL Network commercial to air during the Super Bowl along with several other players and coaches from around the league that didn't make it to the big game. They'll be singing Tomorrow, a tune from the musical Annie.

What a freakin loser.

joshers
02-03-2005, 11:18 AM
i don't think you would have given him the 75,000 dollar gift either. gotta be realistic, if anything he'll donate 75,000 to charity fund that'll help paralyzed kids.

PRSplaya
02-03-2005, 01:00 PM
that's just flat out rediculous! People like that make me sick :mad:

Axl_Rose
02-03-2005, 06:35 PM
Theres so many ways of interpretting that though... I mean maybe the tone was very jockular and the football player or whoever he was thought the kid in the wheel chair new it was all a joke.

I mean who would expect anyone to give someone else something so expensive?

It bight not relate to this topic.. but Ive always got annoyed at people who believe others in successful positions have an obligation to help others out. I respect people who make it big because its an achievement. Just because someone is well off doesnt make them more obliged to help others.

The football player could, as a sign of good will, donate something to the guy or a related charity.

chucklivesoninmyheart
02-03-2005, 07:46 PM
Well,at least he offered to get him something...but it shows where this guys heart really was during that day.

Successful people(people who get a break,and yes there are exeptions)are not more obligated to extend mercy,grace,kindness or their wealth/success with anybody...but with such things given to them,you would think they would be inclined(and there are some).

TOXIC SHOCK TROOPER
02-03-2005, 10:11 PM
Not to open a can of worms, but I once skated with an ex Minnesota North star who let me wear his hockey gloves. I was about 9 or 10 and I wasn't sure if he was "giving" them to me or letting me borrow them. He took them back... whoop de fricken doo! I mean, I was happy to just wear them.

Bill Goldsworthy was the guy by the way.

If I ask a rich guy to give me 75,000 bucks and he says "sure!" and hands it over, well...maybe I'd run. But seriously, who would expect such a thing?

And yes, Im a viking fan, but I dont care if it was Brett Favre doing the same thing, this time I cut the guy some slack. Which doesn't happen real often.

PonyOne
02-04-2005, 12:21 AM
i don't think you would have given him the 75,000 dollar gift either. gotta be realistic, if anything he'll donate 75,000 to charity fund that'll help paralyzed kids.

i wouldn't have because I don't think that the sum of all my posessions (including my car) equate to $75,000... but... if i had millions and it wouldn't effect me I may consider it.

plus i wouldn't even joke around like that in the first place. i don't really think it's fair. it's cool for him to give the kid something in the end but again, even if it was just a joke, i don't really think it was a cool joke at all.

no, he's not obligated to give the kid a $75,000 piece of jewelry or anythin gfor that matter and no, i won't get into why anyone has a $75,000 piece of jewelry either. but... jeez.