On June 23rd I reported on the devastating news about Jeremiah Masoli who was permanently relieved of duty as the Oregon Duck’s star quarterback after a string of stupid behavior. I reported that news from the perspective of a threatened Duck. I wrote that Masoli’s behavior “put our team’s standing for next year’s season in jeopardy,” and this was considered a “greater sacrilege,” worse than “back-washing into the Eucharist cup.” I admit that while writing the piece my concern was mostly centered on the team’s future standings. In my defense, research finding would predict that response. In fact, Okimoto and Wenzel (2009) reported that strong group identifiers respond more aggressively to perceived intragroup terrorism than intergroup terrorism. So it was only natural that I responded to Masoli’s behavior as if he committed a domestic attack of terrorism on the potential future success of the Duck’s football team, which, as you might recall, is a sacred institution for many Oregonians.
In light of the literature, I feel my biased in-group response was justifiable and warranted. However, be that as it may, I feel I owe Masoli an apology. I might have hastily lashed-out when I said that this last stunt would be the end of Masoli. I thought he was “pissing away” his chance to fully benefit from his talents. Well, he has proven me very wrong. He managed to finish his undergraduate degree while under the stress of public and legal scrutiny. On top of that, he applied and was accepted into a graduate program at Ole Miss. And the icing on the cake: he’s going to play football for them! That’s pretty impressive. I admire that he’s willing to take on the challenge of graduate school. But I’m most impressed that he was able to take a bad situation, turned it around, and make it a positive one. I think he should be applaud for that.
USA Today Reports on Masoli’s move
The symbolic identity implications of inter and intra-group transgressions
At least you could get his name right since your such the “EXPERT” on Masoli. His first name happens to be Jeremiah. Go Ole Miss.
First, let me start by thanking you, Todd, for spotting my mistake and bringing it to my attention; it isn’t the first time I’ve fat-fingered Masoli’s first name. However, If you read my first post, you would see that I have used his correct first name in the past. Nevertheless, If you want to split hairs over names and spelling I am happy to oblige. Of course, I would suggest checking your own grammar (ie., “your such….”) first. So I ask: To what “such” of mine are you referring? I’m not sure what a “such” is. With your use of the word “your,” I can only assume that “such” is a noun and “EXPERT” its name. Am I trackin’? If that is the case, I don’t know what you are talking about. I am not in possession of any “such” let alone one named “EXPERT.” If I did own a “such” (whatever that is) I would probably name it something more catchy like “Suchy” or “Suchorino.”
I believe you meant to use the simple conjugation of “you” and “are” which forms “you’re.” Let me use it in a sentence so you can better catch its meaning: Todd, with lusting eyes said to his sister “Damn, Thelma, you’re so sexy that if we lived in Mississippi I’d marry you, just like Ma and Pa!” Does that help?
Joking aside, I believe your post should have read “since you’re such the EXPERT.” If that is the case, I never said I was an “expert” on anything, you made that inference, not me. Lastly, screw Ole Miss, Go Ducks!.