The most impressive athletic feat I witnessed over the weekend happened on the track.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf took the blocks in lane two of the 100-meter dash at the USA Track and Field’s Golden Games in California. Metcalf’s hips were 5 inches higher than the nearest competitor.
At 6’4″ and 230 pounds, Metcalf was 1-inch taller and a good 50 pounds heavier than the rest of the 17-man field.
Against elite sprinters, Metcalf did not advance to the finals. He finished 15th in a field of experienced professionals
As social media cowards label the performance a stunt, I sit here in bewilderment with what I witnessed.
His Start: Powerful
Knee drive: Excellent.
Face: Relaxed
Panic: None
Results: 10.37 on a cloudy, cool afternoon in Walnut, California.
Metcalf clearly took the event seriously and looked like he belonged.
I will never criticize an athlete who branches out to try new things. I will never bemoan an athlete who retires and comes back. Why? Because life is short, and life as an elite athlete is even shorter.
Steph Currry wants to tee it up in a PGA event? Great!
Tim Tebow is gonna try baseball? Go for it!
I’m not saying there wasn’t any risk with Metcalf’s hand-tingling sub-11 second sprint against the nation’s elite. There was.
Haters can criticize the performance. I choose to applaud the effort, determination and results of an NFL players attempt to fit-in among the elite professionals in a foreign sport.
