The Player We Should All Be Talking About Instead: NaVorro Bowman

Posted by Nolan Dalla on Jan 20, 2014 in Blog, Sports Betting | 1 comment

Lost in all the hype and controversy surrounding Seattle’s victory over San Francisco in the NFC Championship game, and the combustible post-game interview given by Seahawks defensive back Richard Sherman, was the extraordinary self-sacrifice of 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman.

I’ve been watching NFL football for more than four decades.  That excruciating play in the fourth quarter at the goal line was one of the most courageous and selfless acts I’ve ever witnessed in the heat of competition.  It bears noting and remembering, especially since it might cost this player his playing career.  According to early reports, that’s how bad the injury was.

For those needing the instant replay, at a critical junction of the game, Seattle’s wide receiver fumbled the ball at the one-yard line.  The ball was plucked in midair by Bowman, who then began an involuntarily fall towards the turf.  At that instant, his leg became twisted underneath another player and as his descent progressed, the knee buckled and snapped.  For a football player, it’s perhaps the very worst kind of injury.  Like a racehorse breaking a leg.

The injury was reminiscent of the Joe Theisman broken leg injury many years ago.  Television kept showing the incident over and over again until you finally had to turn away.  No matter who you rooted for, it was painful to watch.

WATCH NAVORRO BOWMAN PLAY/INJURY HERE

Unfortunately, injuries are a part of football.  Players get injured all the time.  What qualifies NaVorro’s effort as courageous, however, was that he somehow managed to hold onto the ball, despite what must have been a gruelingly painful experience.  Not many players, if any, could have retained possession of the ball while enduring such pain.

The terrible irony of the incident lies in what happened afterward.  Two things, really.

First, in yet another illustration of the abominable rules in force in the NFL, somehow Bowman’s recovery of the ball wasn’t a fumble.  In a mind-boggling synopsis of absurdity and inconsistency, the play was not only “not subject to review,” the ball was given to Seattle at the one-yard line, even though the 49ers player came away with the ball, at the cost of what might be his NFL career.

By the way, this isn’t the perspective of a San Francisco fan.  Not only was I cheering for the opposing team Seattle, but I also had money on the Seahawks.  But fair is fair, and right is right.  Moreover, it doesn’t matter what happened on the next play, which was an actual fumble.  What matters is this — the NFL continues to have rules in force that remain a constant source of controversy and officiating crews that are atrocious.

The second indignity took place a few minutes later when Bowman was strapped to a cart and was wheeled towards the locker room for treatment.  As he left the field and headed into the tunnel passing Seattle fans, he was showered with popcorn from some idiots who obviously lack a brain.  I can’t even imagine something like this happening.  Had I been there and witnessed that, there would have been a fistfight and probably an arrest (me).

Make no mistake.  Navarro Bowman cost me serious money last week in the Carolina game, where he anchored two defensive stops on the goal line.  He did his very best to cost me money again yesterday, by sacrificing his body for his team in a critical spot.  That said, I sure do respect Bowman and I hope he somehow recovers from his injury.

I won’t be rooting for San Francisco anytime soon.  But I sure will be rooting for Bowman.