Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE
Often in sports, fans forget that their favorite players are in fact people themselves. Once football players don their pads, a transformation is made in the minds of fans that make athletes seem superhuman. For this reason, every athlete draws the ire of their fans when they collapse in a big game or don’t perform to expectations.
After being throttled by the South Carolina Gamecocks this past weekend, Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray has taken the brunt of criticism from Dawg Nation, as is the life of a quarterback. Murray is the face of the team and fans typically do not give him the benefit of the doubt after a bad game.
However, after the horrible weekend Murray has had, Bulldog fans need to understand that now is not the time to criticize the man under center.
If the devastating loss to South Carolina wasn’t enough, Murray arrived home to find his residence as the target of a fan’s anger with the team. The home of Murray, linebacker Christian Robinson, long snapper Ty Frix and tight end Arthur Lynch was egged and covered in toilet paper, not exactly what the four players imagined they were coming home to.
Robinson was the one who broke the news in a tweet early Sunday morning.
Came to a house that was egged and rolled. Seems that people turn on you when you’re not perfect. Thought we were in this together.
— Christian Robinson™ (@crob45) October 7, 2012
If that was not enough, the Georgia quarterback received even worse news later in the day.
Murray learned on Sunday that his father had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “Papa Murray,” as his father is affectionately called, was diagnosed weeks ago but Aaron was only told by his family on Sunday, perhaps to keep his mind focused on football.
The quarterback tweeted about his day Sunday afternoon.
Probably the worst 12 hours of my life but I know my family will push through. Keep my dad in your prayers please
— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) October 7, 2012
He and his brother left Sunday afternoon upon appearing the news and arrived in Murray’s hometown of Tampa, Fla. Sunday night. The two had left Athens to be present for their father’s surgery that was scheduled for Monday morning.
Sometimes events happen in life to remind us that what we are currently distraught over really is nothing in the big picture of things. Aaron Murray’s weekend is an example of this.
So what the Georgia Bulldogs lost to South Carolina on Saturday? So what they only scored seven points as the conference’s top scoring offense? So what the loss hinders their national championship hopes? There are BIGGER things in life to worry about. “Papa Murray’s” diagnosis is a reminder of this.
Chris Lionetti is a writer for Rant Sports who focuses on the SEC and the Georgia Bulldogs
Follow him on twitter at: @ChrisLionetti
