# High school football teams conspire to let player with Down's Syndrome score **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374 "2010-09-28T18:25:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ace\_Weederman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@Ace\_Weederman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace_Weederman)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/41 "2010-09-29T17:56:37Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > Hell, even if I knew my touchdown was a 100% farce, I’d still feel overwhelmed that all 100+ people on the field all conspired to do something nice for me. I think this is spot on, **Cyberhwk**. At first, I thought the whole production might have been a bit condescending, but now I think it’s just an act of kindness and inclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/42 "2010-09-29T18:05:03Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Well, I don’t have a fast internet connection and couldn’t watch any video or read any story, but my gut reaction is this kind of shit is _WRONG WRONG WRONG!_ I see, so basically you’re saying: “I haven’t looked at the link so I have no idea what I’m talking about, but I’m giving you my opinion anyway.” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/43 "2010-09-29T18:12:38Z")
Or he could have been pretty phenomanol like this autistic kid, that a high school basketball coach let play in pity, and shot 3 pointers lights out. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1fw1CcxCUgg/hqdefault.jpg "Jason McElwain Autistic Basketball Player") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fw1CcxCUgg) ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/44 "2010-09-29T18:45:23Z")
The kids on the team are classy, the other team also. The kids in the stands are what made me misty. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/45 "2010-09-29T19:18:30Z")
I had no idea what a deceitful, insensitive ass I was being when I pulled that quarter out from behind my daughter’s ear the other day. If only someone had warned me of the farcical nature of my actions, and how _WRONG WRONG WRONG_ it was. Also, I have to really re-think the basketball “games” I play with my preschool son. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/46 "2010-09-29T19:30:34Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I had no idea what a deceitful, insensitive ass I was being when I pulled that quarter out from behind my daughter’s ear the other day. If only someone had warned me of the farcical nature of my actions, and how _WRONG WRONG WRONG_ it was. Also, I have to really re-think the basketball “games” I play with my preschool son. Yeah, you need to go hard and really show him what life is actually about: getting your ass kicked by those that are bigger and faster than you. The sooner he learns that valuable lesson, the better. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/47 "2010-09-29T19:36:42Z")
There was nothing deceitful - he knew what was going on. And if they’d all just stood back and not ‘played’ at blocking him then it wouldn’t have been a pretend touchdown, would it? Besides, even that means that he does have to some work - he doesn’t just stroll up the pitch completely unimpeded doing nothing football-like at all. It was nice of the kids and the coaches. There’s nothing wrong with it at all. Most people who’ve actually _read the entire article including the bit that says he knew what was going on_ agree with this. A kid at my daughter’s school got similar treatment in occasional football (soccer) matches too. He knew people were making it easy for him but he, along with everyone else, also knew that he was still having to work for that goal. It was good seeing kids being kind to someone just because they wanted to be nice. Shark, good on you too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/48 "2010-09-29T19:42:08Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > > > I had no idea what a deceitful, insensitive ass I was being when I pulled that quarter out from behind my daughter’s ear the other day. If only someone had warned me of the farcical nature of my actions, and how _WRONG WRONG WRONG_ it was. Also, I have to really re-think the basketball “games” I play with my preschool son. > > Yeah, you need to go hard and really show him what life is actually about: getting your ass kicked by those that are bigger and faster than you. The sooner he learns that valuable lesson, the better. Next time he takes a shot, I’m blocking that bad boy all the way to the neighbor’s driveway. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/49 "2010-09-29T19:50:31Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I had no idea what a deceitful, insensitive ass I was being when I pulled that quarter out from behind my daughter’s ear the other day. If only someone had warned me of the farcical nature of my actions, and how _WRONG WRONG WRONG_ it was. Also, I have to really re-think the basketball “games” I play with my preschool son. Kick his ass, **Lab!** That’ll learn him! Oh, and make sure he knows all about personal fouls. Sweep the leg! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/50 "2010-09-29T19:55:44Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > > [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > > > I had no idea what a deceitful, insensitive ass I was being when I pulled that quarter out from behind my daughter’s ear the other day. If only someone had warned me of the farcical nature of my actions, and how _WRONG WRONG WRONG_ it was. Also, I have to really re-think the basketball “games” I play with my preschool son. > > Kick his ass, **Lab!** That’ll learn him! Oh, and make sure he knows all about personal fouls. Sweep the leg! 😉 Lord, the Karate Kid reference was beyond excellent. “Get him a body bag!!” ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/51 "2010-09-29T20:12:31Z")
I’m not totally comfortable with it either, like the OP. But then again I never purposefully let my kids beat me at games either. What I do do is play games with them that they have a reasonable, legitimate chance to beat me in – Candyland or Go Fish or whatever (they are 6 and 4). One, it makes them feel really good when they do beat me. Two, it makes them good sports who can deal with losing and want to get better. I’m not calling this high school touchdown event an atrocity or anything and I’m glad the kid has a happy memory, but it seems patronizing to me. If I were the coach I’d have let him play a few downs and even try to get him into the endzone, but I wouldn’t have staged it like that. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/52 "2010-09-29T20:28:43Z")
I thought it was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Winnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@Winnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnie)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/53 "2010-09-29T20:46:12Z")
My husband coaches Little League t-ball and there are 2 severely autistic children in our league (not on my husband and son’s team). They have a very hard team keeping up with the game and sometimes things like getting out or foul balls are difficult for them to handle. During the last game of the season last spring we played the team with one of the autistic children, and the coaches let him make a home run. Now in t-ball this is very difficult to do, the kids in the outfield see ZERO action, but the coaches just wanted to let this kid have something special. Everyone was in on it except for the kid’s parents, the kids all played along (very well, I might add), and this little boy hit a ball that barely passed the pitcher and the kids “bumbled” the ball a bit while the boy ran the bases and the catcher “missed” the ball as it came to home. Now that little boy crossed the home plate with the BIGGEST smile on his face, a smile that we rarely saw because the game was often so frustrating to him. His team cheered for him, and his mom and dad stood there with tears running down their faces. I think that’s what affected me the most. Those poor parents put him in t-ball just to have something normal in their lives for once, something that other kids do without any effort, and not only did he do it but he got to be a superstar. The little boy might not have much memory of the event, but I know the parents will remember it forever. At that moment, that’s what mattered. No harm was done, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/54 "2010-09-29T21:07:23Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I’m not totally comfortable with it either, like the OP. But then again I never purposefully let my kids beat me at games either. What I do do is play games with them that they have a reasonable, legitimate chance to beat me in – Candyland or Go Fish or whatever (they are 6 and 4). One, it makes them feel really good when they do beat me. Two, it makes them good sports who can deal with losing and want to get better. > > I’m not calling this high school touchdown event an atrocity or anything and I’m glad the kid has a happy memory, but it seems patronizing to me. If I were the coach I’d have let him play a few downs and even try to get him into the endzone, but I wouldn’t have staged it like that. Your kids will one day grow up and be able to compete for real with a reasonable chance of success. If you hold this young man to the same standards as everyone around him, he’ll lose, terribly, at everything every day for his whole life. With children, you’re training them for someday. This is a young man at the top of his capacity–there’s no someday out there waiting for him. His only real path to dignity is to use his own best effort as his yardstick, and to feel proud when he exceeds his own previous accomplishments–which is what this was. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/55 "2010-09-29T21:31:24Z")
Yeah, that’s a good point. Like I said, I’m not outraged or anything and I’m happy for the kid. I’m just not sure I would have taken the same approach. ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374/56 "2010-09-30T00:31:55Z")
> [@Winnie](#): > > home plate with the BIGGEST smile on his face, a smile that we rarely saw because the game was often so frustrating to him. His team cheered for him, and his mom and dad stood there with tears running down their faces. I think that’s what affected me the most. Those poor parents put him in t-ball just to have something normal in their lives for once, something that other kids do without any effort, and not only did he do it but he got to be a superstar. The little boy might not have much memory of the event, but I know the parents will remember it forever. At that moment, that’s what mattered. No harm was done, IMO. This is a great story, thanks for sharing! I personally love stories like that, it gives me hope that people are basically kind and want to see others succeed and be proud of themselves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-school-football-teams-conspire-to-let-player-with-downs-syndrome-score/555374.md?page=2)