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Bonny Award: "Heroes of Hook 'em"

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By InDKR'sShadow
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The Bonny Award for "Enemy of the State" was rightfully awarded to a seemingly unconquerable line. Reversely, this award is for those players, active or alumni, who went above-and-beyond the call of duty to represent their school. Credit for the award goes to Whills who will chime in with his picks. It’s an expectation that players be a symbol of Texas on the field. This award is for Horns who have made a statement off the field, the heroes. The definition is purposefully vague so you can nominate candidates as you see fit. Here are a couple to get the ball rolling:

Vince Young

As you probably heard, Vince defended the Longhorn legacy in a Dallas club. It is shocking that anyone would be crazy enough to aggravate a 6’5’’ 233 lb. super-athlete in a small room. The widely-circulated video really just shows schoolyard pushing and yelling. From what I saw, Vince’s entourage did a better job of restraining him than USC’s defense.

We don't condone violence, but we do understand the direct reaction to incitement. The antagonist could have used any number of means for his incitement - he was walking that edge - but he did use one we are well-acquainted with many times over. This has linkage to our mythic, cultural past, to the old West, the wild and woolly Texas - gunfighters shooting it out but even more, wild longhorns in the brush where they were a mortal danger to any cowboy not mounted and a serious threat to those on horseback. Cantankerous and ornery, yet peaceful and enduring in their own world, true survivors in a dangerous land, they always held their own no matter where they went.

Such actions are not always the wisest or most mature course, but in this incident, the immediacy and visceral response is something we all condone; he was our knight: VY stood in for us, for the herd. 

Is this a twisted message? Probably not - it's more about feeling and emotion than rational thought. If they'd been rational, they'd still be talking. Travis probably thought that defending the Alamo at the ultimate expense was rational and logical - but it was deeply emotional in the doing and aftermath. I give rationality a thumbs down on this one. It was and is powerful for us. Maybe no one else, but hey, VY has us backing him up as well. We'll pay his bail. We need people of action. You can’t do many things without them. –Whills

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is twenty-one and won the scoring title after only three seasons. Let that soak in for a minute. On top of that, he makes the short list for this award after reminding the home crowd in Oklahoma City that once a horn, always a horn.

The epitome of school pride...and shrewd long-term business sense, as well. Almost self-explanatory. His continuing education and appreciation for the institution show a strong depth of character and determination. This young man has a place to go and is provisioning himself for the journey. We get to go with him, especially if he gets his degree. So this is a special covenant, a bond we have built with someone who can accomplish great things. Kevin Durant will have the means to go much farther than basketball. -Whills

The Acho Brothers

Sam and Emmanuel seem too good to be true. In reality, they’re even better. These are guys you would want your daughter to date, and not just because Roger Goodell will call their names one day.

The Acho Family has travelled to Nigeria twice to volunteer at local hospitals. Emmanuel described what they were doing for MB-TF, "We’ll go to the pediatrics. We’ll help with the kids. We’ll help with the optometry, the vision station. Last year we carried a lot of people from the post operation room after they had surgery. It’s not like here in the states; it’s about a 400-meter walk with just a numb, limp body.  We also do crowd control because when you have 7,000 needy people trying to get in one door it gets pretty hectic."

Back in Austin, they are regulars on Academic Honor Rolls, which is an incredible achievement for Sam, who is starting his last year in the business honors program. "Big Acho" was also recently named to the Nagurski and Outland Trophy watch lists. I don’t know what else you could ask from a scholar-athlete. 

BON, which heroes did we miss?

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