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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE 8 Wednesday, December 5, 2012 1— THE GREAT DEBATE —1 Should the Chiefs have played Sunday? Football wrongly ranked over tragedy e learned a somber truth about the NFL this weekend. It wasn't that backup quarterback Charlie Batch still has it in him, nor was it that the Seahawks can win on the road. It wasn't the revelation that the Jags can't run the ball. It wasn't any of these, but if there was any question in our minds if Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL aren't driven by money, we learned the truth. Come hell or high water, the show must go on. One day after Kansas City Chiefs starting linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins and then took his own life in front of his head coach and general manager, the Chiefs suited up in Arrowhead Stadium to face the Carolina Panthers. Romeo Crennel was expected to coach and Belcher's teammates were expected to play a football game as if nothing happened outside their practice facility the day before — all because the show must go on. Belcher's murder-suicide raises a dozen issues, among them gun control and the violent nature of football itself. As a gun owner and former football player, I have no easy answers about how to fix the problems. But as a human being, it seems to me there was one easy answer in this tragedy and that was to not play a football game on Sunday. I understand the implications involved with canceling an NFL game. There are contracts with television networks, ticket reimbursements and other factors to take into account. Most likely, money would be lost. But how does loss of revenue and a scheduling conflict compare to the loss of a son and daughter or the fact that a 3-month-old baby girl will grow up without parents? Not to be forgotten are Crennel and Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli, who will spend the rest of their lives with the image of Belcher holding a gun to his head, thanking them for all they had done for him before pulling the trigger. There are also Belcher's teammates, people who Tragedies should not rule our lives T DEREK SIDDOWAY Staff Writer practiced with him on a daily basis. "It's hard mostly because I keep thinking about what I could have done to stop this," said Chiefs quarterback Brady Quinn after Sunday's emotional game. "I think everyone is wondering whether we would have done something to prevent this from happening." During my sophomore year of high school, our team was heartbroken by the death of one of our teammates in a car accident. A year later, tragedy struck once more when a recently graduated player — who we had all played with — died in another wreck. It is a heartwrenching experience for individuals and for a team. And yet, my experience barely grazes the surface of what the Chiefs' organization is going through right now Jason Whitlock, a former Kansas City sportswriter and a current columnist for Fox Sports, wrote a passionate piece on the Belcher tragedy that included the following excerpt: "Football is our God. Its exaggerated value in our society has never been more evident than Saturday morning in my adopted hometown. There's just no way this game should be played." The Belcher murder-suicide will never be fully understood, but one thing is for certain. There's just no way that game should have been played. d.siddoway@ chronicle.utah.edu Twitter: @D Sidd his past week, tragedy has struck a number of times in the sports world. But that doesn't mean life should stop because of it. Life is hard. It's the tragedies that happen in life that should push people to keep going, not stop them in their tracks and cause them to give up. So when news broke of Jovan Belcher's murder-suicide Saturday, many clamored to prevent the Chiefs from playing in the game on Sunday. Belcher, a Kansas City linebacker, murdered girlfriend Kasandra Perkins and then took his own life at the Chiefs' practice facility, leaving behind their 3-month-old daughter. This event is tragic, yes, but it was no reason for the Chiefs to put a halt to the upcoming game. Belcher murdered an innocent woman. He killed himself. Both are horrific events. He left his baby daughter without a family. He ruined multiple lives, but that doesn't mean Kansas City should shut down. If every sad event in this world made people stop and grieve to the point of not continuing their lives, the world would cease to turn. I am not saying the friends, family and associates of Belcher and Perkins can't acknowledge the terrible set of events, as I hope they did. But to throw out the idea that everyone should have stopped working and not play the game would be dishonorable. Belcher played a game he loved his whole life, and he continued on doing it until his final moments on Earth. To cancel the game would be disrespectful to him. Acknowledge his life and his loss on the field. Don't devalue it by not playing. Jobs depend on the Chiefs' organization running. Employees depend on the checks S. DUNN The only letter you actually want to write . . . continued from Page 6 Share your opinion with The Daily Utah Chronicle! CBSSports.com for his re- Write a letter to the editor at www.dailyutahchronicle.comfietter-to-the-editor/ turning prowess. Dunn and Lotulelei were recognized as All-Americans by Athlon Sports on Tuesday. There's no time to rest and enjoy the attention, however. After graduating this month, Dunn will return home to CARSON HUISKAMP tir StaffWriter for their own families. Games give the fans a chance to get away from their own problems for a few hours. Ruining three lives is enough tragedy for one day — we don't need to halt life to bring extra attention to it. There are some people who have done amazing things to help the world, and even they can't make the world stop. Take Steve Jobs, for example. He did wonders for the world, and he changed an entire industry. He was adored as well as envied by many. He was generous with his power and helpful with his time. Yet, with all his help to the world, only a small remembrance was paid in his honor after his passing. But the world continued on. He will always be remembered, but one has to also understand that there are greater things at hand. The world didn't stop for Jobs and it shouldn't stop for Belcher. Belcher was a murderer and showed the ultimate display of selfishness when he decided he had the right to take another's life. For that, the only respects paid should be for the victims. A moment of silence was given before kickoff of the Chiefs' game, and the game was played just as it had always been scheduled to do so. That is exactly what should have happened. prepare for the NFL Scouting Combine. He hopes his five career returns will net him a spot on an NFL team in April when the draft rolls around. "NFL teams are always looking for the next playmakers," Dunn said. "In these past couple games I think I was able to show I could be a playmaker." But regardless of how the future turns out, Dunn feels honored to have made his mark on c.huiskamp@ chronicle.utah.edu Twitter: @CarsonHuiskamp history. "It is truly a blessing," Dunn said. "You work hard and you want to win as a team, but you also work hard for yourself and you want individual accolades. It's fun to know that you can go down in history and people can remember you for the things you did that season." d.siddoway@ chronicle.utah.edu Twitter: @D Sidd • w I itea [little meet i4t'l-ilvewN, tweet haraerspeak twitter need. more tweets? twittertweet tweetlema niac MY/0 mothertmic er • carts events going on • • • around the U and Salt Lake City, follow our Twitter account at speak twitter heard on t tweet er RT maltwe tw he lot wi lot .ffm.itweeed vv e Neet a. red more tw speak twitter speak twitter peak twitter ittertweet ; ,, twidiot ,vidiot othertwyci, - "4- " Follow th er Cr RT "•"""'etT,(31Pg Chr rreont -4r • I h FAIMIr JOB POSTING Win (10.15 kids) for SLC School District After School program 19.5 hrs/wk; M-TH 2:30.5:30/6pm and Fridays 12:30-5:30/6pm. Start at $9.50 per hour. Send resume to: heidi.clark@slcschools.org or call 578.8275 GROUP LEADERS • • Dglit1901 1 I I I BLIND Nick DIRTY! FEATURING LIVE MUSIC AT THE GALLIVAN CENTER PILOT WATERHOUSE DOZEN= "ATION ORCHESTRA. 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