WillyJ
<font color=purple>NyQuil Aficionado<br><font colo
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2000
- Messages
- 3,951
We hear all kinds of sad, maddening and tragic stories in the media these days, but today I heard one on the "Jim Rome Show" that was extremely cool, and I thought I would share it with everyone. . 
Seems there was high school senior in southern Ohio at Northwest High named Jake Porter. Jake had been on the school's football team for 4 years, but had never gotten into a game. Seems he has a condition called "Chromosomal Fragile-X," which causes mental retardation, and he could not risk getting hit and seriously injured.
Northwest was playing powerful Waverly High a couple weeks ago, and Jake's coach, Dave Frantz, really wanted to find a way to get Jake in one game before he was no longer eligible, so he went to Waverly's coach, Derek DeWitt, and asked him if there came a point when the outcome of the game was no longer in question, would he mind if he put Jake in for one play and let him take a knee, just so he could know what it was it like to get out there? DeWitt said sure; he'd tell his players what was up, and make sure no one came in and tackled Jake. . .
The game was not close; and with 5 seconds remaining Waverly lead 42-0. During the time out, Dewitt came across the field to Frantz and told him he'd thought about it, and wanted to do one better for the young man. . he said give Jake the ball, we'll clear a path, and let him score a touchdown. . .
And that's what happened. . After 4 years of showing up for every practice, helping with the equipment, supporting his teammates, Jake Porter finally put on his helmet and took the field for the first time. Time was restarted, the ball was hiked, Jake took the hand-off, and after a moment of uncertainty, he headed down field. . . cheered on and guided by members of both teams, Jake went 49 years and scored a touchdown, then was carried off the field by both teams as the crowd cheered.
In this day and age of jerks and bad behavior in sports, I just think the two coaches here understood what was really important; taught their players a wonderful lesson about humanity; and did what was just about the coolest thing I've heard of in a long time. .
Seems there was high school senior in southern Ohio at Northwest High named Jake Porter. Jake had been on the school's football team for 4 years, but had never gotten into a game. Seems he has a condition called "Chromosomal Fragile-X," which causes mental retardation, and he could not risk getting hit and seriously injured.
Northwest was playing powerful Waverly High a couple weeks ago, and Jake's coach, Dave Frantz, really wanted to find a way to get Jake in one game before he was no longer eligible, so he went to Waverly's coach, Derek DeWitt, and asked him if there came a point when the outcome of the game was no longer in question, would he mind if he put Jake in for one play and let him take a knee, just so he could know what it was it like to get out there? DeWitt said sure; he'd tell his players what was up, and make sure no one came in and tackled Jake. . .
The game was not close; and with 5 seconds remaining Waverly lead 42-0. During the time out, Dewitt came across the field to Frantz and told him he'd thought about it, and wanted to do one better for the young man. . he said give Jake the ball, we'll clear a path, and let him score a touchdown. . .
And that's what happened. . After 4 years of showing up for every practice, helping with the equipment, supporting his teammates, Jake Porter finally put on his helmet and took the field for the first time. Time was restarted, the ball was hiked, Jake took the hand-off, and after a moment of uncertainty, he headed down field. . . cheered on and guided by members of both teams, Jake went 49 years and scored a touchdown, then was carried off the field by both teams as the crowd cheered.
In this day and age of jerks and bad behavior in sports, I just think the two coaches here understood what was really important; taught their players a wonderful lesson about humanity; and did what was just about the coolest thing I've heard of in a long time. .
