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Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:43 pm EST

Teammate halts Brandon Marshall's planned Obama celebration

By Chris Chase

Brandon Marshall scored the game-winning touchdown tonight for the Broncos on a late TD pass from Jay Cutler. Afterwards, he reached into his pants and pulled out a glove for what looked like a pre-planned celebration, but before he could do anything, teammate Brandon Stokely ran over to Marshall begging him to stop. Following the game, Marshall explained his thwarted plan to the NFL Network crew.

To celebrate Barack Obama's election, Marshall said he wanted to take a page from John Carlos and Tommie Smith's black power demonstration at the 1968 Olympics. Only, 40 years later, Marshall planned to salute the progress made in the country since the Mexico City Games. The 24-year old Broncos receiver wanted to put on the glove, half-white and half-black, to hold up in triumph. It would have been his tribute to racial harmony. But, fearing a 15-yard personal foul that almost certainly would have been called by the refs after such an event, Marshall's teammate put a stop to it. 

Said Marshall:

"It [wasn't] about black power, it's not about white or black, it's about U.S.A. red, white and blue. But Stokely came over and said it's too close a ball game."

And, really, isn't that what America's all about: life, liberty and the pursuit of conference victories. 

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672 Comments

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  1. lovethegame
    1. Posted by lovethegame Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:37 pm EDT

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    From the crazy shadow people opening to the Marshall's winning TD an amazing night of football. To any of you that missed it: you missed a great game!
  2. Ben S
    2. Posted by Ben S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    First? And good call Stokely
  3. negro
    3. Posted by negro Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    let it go dude... 21st century
  4. Jim A
    4. Posted by Jim A Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    should of let him do it
  5. Larry
    5. Posted by Larry Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:48 pm EDT

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    firsttttttt?
  6. Mr. J
    6. Posted by Mr. J Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:32 pm EDT

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    Thank you Stokely.
    While I don't mind celebrations the penelty would've hurt.
    Also 1st?
  7. chism
    7. Posted by chism Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:02 pm EDT

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    What a vet Stokley is. That penalty would have potentially cost him
  8. Mr. J
    8. Posted by Mr. J Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:32 pm EDT

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    Guess Not.
  9. rexvo2001
    9. Posted by rexvo2001 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:37 pm EDT

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    Well, he's still a beast regardless and Cleveland lost yet another game. By the way, check your editing son! The article was successfully thwarted!
  10. ****
    10. Posted by **** Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

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    good call
  11. Scrubmaster
    11. Posted by Scrubmaster Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm EDT

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    The Browns make me sick. Hows that for a first.
  12. zelseman
    12. Posted by zelseman Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:00 pm EDT

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    I was wondering what he pulled out of his pants. Me and my brother rewound the dvr a few times to see what it was.
  13. www_stevegarufi_com
    13. Posted by www_stevegarufi_com Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

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    Definitely too close a game to do something like that.
  14. The Crow
    14. Posted by The Crow Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:49 pm EDT

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    No matter how good or how meaninful the intentions of a celebration are, it's gonna be a fine no matter what.
    I wonder why Goodell hasn't suspended anybody like Matt Jones or the guys on the Patriots o-line who get in trouble with drugs.
    I think he's racist I really do.
  15. spencer S
    15. Posted by spencer S Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    NFL plays on thursday???!?!?!?!
  16. JRET
    16. Posted by JRET Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:36 pm EDT

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    Stokley was on top of it.....heads up play!!!
  17. guintz
    17. Posted by guintz Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:26 pm EDT

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    smart to hold back, kinda like he was holding his team back most of the night
  18. negro
    18. Posted by negro Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:28 pm EDT

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    move on my brothers...
  19. Suzanne S
    19. Posted by Suzanne S Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:38 pm EDT

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    "He also made Marshall miss a perfect celebration chance"? Give me a break. I'm thrilled our nation elected Obama, but politics do not belong on the football field. There are other ways for Marshall to celebrate Obama's victory (blog, anyone?); a football game is not the appropriate venue. Kudos to Stokley for being the voice of reason.
  20. WWW
    20. Posted by WWW Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

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    I agree Stokely's halt to the celebration was a smart move, but at the same time a strong statement to what our country has just accomplished could have been just as rewarding. In the end Marshall probably made the best decision for the team.
  21. Bling
    21. Posted by Bling Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:42 pm EDT

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    He should have saluted Brandon McDonald for being a huge garbage corner that couldn't cover my grandmother on a fade route.
  22. Andrew S
    22. Posted by Andrew S Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT

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    Heads up play by stokely. They didn't get the penalty, they won, and the story is still being talked about right here right now as if it did happen. thats called a Win/Win.
  23. Phillip M
    23. Posted by Phillip M Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    i thought it was a salute to interracial proctology
  24. Angels Fan 4 Life
    24. Posted by Angels Fan 4 Life Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:37 pm EDT

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    Screw the Broncos Cutler!
    CHARGERS WILL TAKE FIRST PLACE SOON!
    WATCH OUT!
  25. AJ
    25. Posted by AJ Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:23 pm EDT

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    Good call from a game standpoint. I think that the "celebration" would have had a meaning as in comment 1, however, the meaning ould not quite have gotten through as what it was intended for. I do think that we are pleased with the outcome, as the media attention allowed the explanation to come through. This is seeming to have the effect of the point coming across much more truthfully than otherwise. Good thinking on the part of the two players is my vote, and also thanks to the media for covering it for the clarity of the message.

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

Contributors:
Chris Chase, Doug Farrar, Blair Johnson, Kevin Sullivan, Kerry Rhodes,

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