It weighed on him in recent weeks, the burden noticeable. He thought it through, attempted to find a way to do both, to let down neither himself nor his teammates.
It wasn’t possible.
So, after last Saturday’s win over Princeton, Witt let his coaches and his teammates know what he had chosen, and later he let the public know, releasing a statement through Yale, saying, “I will be playing in the Yale-Harvard game this Saturday. I have withdrawn my application for the Rhodes Scholarship. My focus this week is solely on preparing for the Game alongside my teammates and coaches.’’
Really, though, they already knew what he would do. As Yale coach Tom Williams said, “I never really had a doubt that he would want to play in this game.’’ As senior free safety Geoff Dunham wrote in an e-mail, “I had a feeling he would choose to play in The Game… . I’m sure it would be hard for him to pass up one last opportunity to suit up alongside his brothers for the biggest game of the year.’’
The decision was, really, no decision at all.
“People who don’t understand this decision have never been part of a team, never been with a group of men, blood and sweat, going through some of the things that those guys go through with each other,’’ Williams said. “If you’ve ever been a part of that, you understand that decision. It’s an easy one.’’
No rescheduling
It’s right there in the criteria for consideration by the Rhodes Committee.
Listed among the criteria by which the Rhodes Scholars are to be selected are these words: “devotion to duty,’’ “unselfishness and fellowship,’’ and “moral force of character and instincts to lead.’’
So, really, how could Witt not make the decision he did?
“You can’t have it both ways,’’ said Williams. “And if he makes the decision to go to the interview, what does that say about him as a leader and a teammate?
“Would you like that? Really, you want to judge him on that? Because, to me, if I’m on the committee, I’m like, ‘Whoa.’ No question.’’
