December 31, 2008

Crow is NFL reserve player

Tennessee Titans Have Native PlayerLook for the Titan football player wearing jersey No. 26. That's 25-year-old Chester David Harris. More commonly known as Tuff Harris.

Harris, a member of the Crow Nation of Montana, is a reserve defensive back for the playoff-bound Titans. Tennessee has already clinched home field advantage during the playoffs, meaning once the January playoffs start, the Titans will host all their games except if they make the Super Bowl, which is a neutral field.
Comment:  The photo caption adds:Crow tribe honored Tuff Harris in a traditional ceremony last March in Crow Agency, Mont. Photo by Ben Cloud for CrowNews.netBeing a reserve NFL player is enough to merit a chief's headdress? What do you get if you're an engineer who builds a bridge or power plant? A teacher who sends hundreds of schoolkids to college? A lawyer who helps pass legislation in Congress? A freakin' mint?

Let me know when Harris rescues someone from a flood or fire, starts an anti-diabetes program, or donates his earnings to charity. Then I'll say he's worthy of being a role model and an honoree.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not everyone contributes to society in the same manner. I was extremely pleased to hear this in President Obama's speech:

"For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate."

The point I take from that is that we should make a point to lift each other up rather than to try each other down. I will never perform brain surgery nor will I ever build a bridge but my contributions to society are no less valuable.

I don't know a thing about sports but is he one of few sports players who exemplifies good character which is uncommon in sports as portrayed by the media? What I did get from the article you linked is that he exemplified perseverance, something that is not often touted by the media as a strong trait for us.

All too often, we are quick to judge someone's worth based on their job title and not on the impact they may have to the community. Many times it is something they do quietly and they are not looking for validation from the general public.

Sometimes, just being a good or person is recognition-worthy. And for those who take issue with that, I have to ask: What is the real issue here?

Rob said...

The "real issue" is why we're glorifying minor Native athletes when there are so many other Natives to honor as role models. If just being a good person who perseveres is enough, let's honor the thousands of Native doctors, lawyers, and teachers who have persevered enough to get advanced degrees and used them to help their people. That's much more admirable than being an NFL reserve player, if you ask me.