Yes, we generally like to poke fun at our Oregon “friends”. But not today. Today, a big-time hat tip to our Oregon friends. Todd Doxey, a 19-year old safety-rover prospect who made an impact as a scout-team standout last year, drowned Sunday on the McKenzie river.
Doxey was with teammates who were floating the river, and he jumped off a bridge to try and catch up to them. He couldn’t overcome the current and went under. A fisherman got to him and gave him CPR, and he was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. He passed away Sunday evening.
Such a sad loss, with so much life ahead. Doxey was a rising prospect who was looked upon as a special teams contributor, and probable playing time as a backup safety-rover in ’08. But that on-the-field stuff doesn’t matter. A tough loss for Oregon, our Pac-10 northwest brethren. It should be an emotional scene at Autzen once the season opener hits on 8/30. You just never know what can happen, and yet another reminder that each day is a gift.
From Hooty McBoob:
This certainly puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?
I used to get so worked up over my favorite sports teams – living and dying with every high and low. Over the past several years, I’ve become much less fanatical about “my teams” because I’ve come to realize that there are so many more important things in this world that deserve the energy and passion I used to pour into the Cougs, Mariners and Seahawks – starting with my own family.
Sports will always be my favorite form of recreation and entertainment but that’s where I’ll leave it. If I shed a tear for my favorite team, it’s not because I feel personal pain or joy; it’s because I feel for the participants and their own families.
As I watch my kids grow and help them learn to enjoy life, sports have naturally become part of them as well. No trip to the Rose Bowl – no Rose Bowl VICTORY – can ever mean as much to me as experiencing the joy my 7 and 5 year-old children get from catching a pop-up in Little League; sacking the quarterback in a Pop Warner game; or tumbling on a gym mat. If you’re a parent, you know what I mean, and it makes a story like this all the more tragic.
We are fans of the game – but it’s just a form of entertainment. Our families – our children – are worth living and dying for. The game is not.
I spent this weekend at a Cub Scout campout on the Spokane River with my son and did everything I could to keep him in my sights at all times. It scares me to think that some day, I won’t be able to watch over him and keep him safe from harm.
I pray that Todd Doxey’s family and friends are granted the strength they need to get through their horrible loss.
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