I'm not objecting at all, don't get me wrong. I just think it's silly to have Kelly frame it up as "Kizer was really excited to play in the Eagles stadium." It was taunting, simple as that. Call it what it is.
Of course I was kidding, bud!
But you are on to something here. ----- Really.
I have not said much about this before, partly because it is hard to describe, accurately, and of course none of us really know what's going on in someone else's mind.
Based on first hand observation, and the testimony of a dozen or more people that know DK, what we have here is a quarterback with a linebacker's attitude (think Jack Lambert, Laurence Taylor, Dick Butkus-ish), or maybe defensive back-like (think Ghetto-Jack Tatum-ish.)
Just to paint as clear of a picture as I can, DeShone is a great guy on and off the field. He is what a lot of people would call an old soul; and he is deeply spiritual, full of faith. But, to say the kid is a warrior on the field is an understatement. He is indomitable, and a force of nature. Kind of like water. If you try to stop it, it builds up enough pressure to make its way, eventually, you cannot stop it; if it wants to be there, it gets there. Only question is how long it takes and how much damage it does.
I want to be very careful about expressing this, in this world of out of control sociopathic sports celebrity. But DK is more like a guy I used to know that was a hell of a street fighter. I remember hearing someone not accustom to the nuances of the English language that described him, "He's the kind of guy you have to step on his neck pretty damned hard to stop him. And he is pretty damned big, and really doesn't like anyone trying to step on his neck. People should think twice before they fuck with him, 'cause if the did, they'd just go home and have a drink."
DK was like that from the time I first saw him when he was 14. My oldest son (who went to Central) and I would laugh, at how much DK's attitude was like my boy's. The only thing is that DK was too damned skinny in high school! They used to say "6'2-175", "6'4-195," but I think that was pure hyperbole listing his weight that high.
The dude was skinny, which helped him at basketball and baseball. Not any more. Like I said from the beginning, his foot speed was deceptive, so is his strength, and his hand speed. (PS, we haven't seen the best of his arm yet, either!)
So if you have watched DK closely this year, you have seen a couple of times where he heard something he didn't like or got ridden a little too hard out of bounds, and he came up ready to go. That is DK. And not many should want to go with him. He really is tough and capable.
So getting back to Flap-gate in Philly : It really was the Eagles thing. However, his gaze being transfixed on good ol' number 8, when he did it, and the 'language' he used to return the 'compliment' from Matakevich were certainly indictable offenses. All things being equal, they were a lot more jovial than the play Kizer lowered the boom on Tyler. I think it was a play or two before Kizer's first running touchdown. Go back and look. He delivers a hell of a blow when Matakevich gets a little off balance trying to get outside and ahead of Kizer to make the play.
In a couple games you can watch Kizer get into conflict with opponents, though it is not as obvious as Flap-gate.
But you are right, it isn't a bad thing that ND's quarterback has the attitude of a badass! How long has it been? Tony Rice? Joe Theisman?
