One of my favorite movies is “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.” Near the end of that picture is one of my all-time favorite movie lines: “When the legend becomes truth, print the legend.” (Something I’ve been accused of doing from time to time).
With Abel Carter the saying should be: “When the truth is greater than the legend, just print the truth.”
Carter scored six touchdowns for the Carson High football team in its season opener Saturday, a 49-42 win over Desert Mountain. He rushed for 295 yards and four TDs on 18 carries and returned two interceptions for scores along with picking up 10 tackles.
Red Smith, my favorite sports columnist who spawned this Popcorn Stand, once talked about an editor who told him “stop GODDING up those ball players!”
Yes, we place too much emphasis on a high school kid carrying around an oblong object. But knowing the Carter family, Abel will be able to take all the hoopla surrounding his ability to carry around an oblong object in stride.
Which reminds me of a scene from another one of my favorite movies “Hoosiers” when Norman Dale is talking to Myra Fleener about Jimmy Chitwood’s future.
Fleener expressed her bewilderment about the fuss over Chitwood’s ability to play basketball to which Dale replied something to the effect anyone would want to be treated as a God even for just a little while. To which Fleener replied, “Gods come pretty cheap nowadays.”
I may not always have the proper perspective when it comes to a high school kid’s athletic ability. But there’s no doubt in my mind Abel has the proper perspective about his.
— Charles Whisnand
