K & R for DeKalb High School Basketball Team ~~ they deserve a shout out!

[Hepburn]

Two Greatest MISSED Free Throws, Supports Grieving Opponent

<snip>

The game pitted Milwaukee Madison High and DeKalb (Ill.) High. Earlier that day, Johntell Franklin a senior for Madison had lost his mother to cancer. He let his coach know that he was not going to participate in the game that evening.

However, later that evening Franklin changed his mind and arrived at the game during the second quarter, wanting to play.

<My summary of following events from the article so I could limit my copying to 4 paragraphs: The coach had not put him on the roster and therefore when Franklin went out to play, the opposing team, De Kalb, was entitled to two free throws. The De Kalb coach declined, but the refs insisted.>

After gathering his players together, senior point guard Darius McNeal told his coach that he would take the shots with the understanding from the entire team that he would miss both shots on purpose.

And McNeal did exactly that, missing both free throws on purpose. He later told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "I did it for the guy who lost his mom, it was the right thing to do."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/126119-the-two-greatest-missed-free-throws-supports-grieving-opponent

The two teams later went out for pizza after the game. In fact, the game had been delayed for two hours on its start because the Coach had been at the hospital with the player whose mom passed away.

Man, this story brought tears to my eyes ~~ maybe there is more kindness in this world than we thought! IMO, these high schoolers certain deserve a shout out for the conduct displayed towards the other team and the player who had just lost his mom.

:thumbsup:

[leftyclimber]

1. I think I have something in my eye.

Recommended.

[Dinger]

28. Me Too

Piece of dust or something.

[grantcart]

32. great its contagious thanks a lot

[MadMaddie]

Rachal was talking about the "Two missed free throws'!

This is the good sportsmanlike conduct that we need to encourage.

We have good kids and good people in this country and I am very proud of them!!



:loveya:

[Hepburn]

5. With all the ugliness in the world....

....it is really touching to see something this nice.

Makes me want to send out some hearts to that team and their coach!

[Hepburn]

2. Many thanks for the recs for this story....

...it touched my heart to see kids who had no problem doing the right thing!

:hi:

[MissDeeds]

3. Beautiful story

Rachel just carried it on her program.

K&R

[fishnfla]

4. thats sportsmanship

they eventually lost the game, but I dont think it mattered

[Hepburn]

6. Thanks for putting this over to the Greatest Page...

...IMO, what those kids did deserves attention and a place on our Greatest Page.

:hi:

[Beam Me Up]

7. Yeah, like Love, this is what the world needs now: common human decency. n/t

[Metta]

8. They have a lot of heart.

They did the right thing.

[emilyg]

9. K/R - with misty eyes.

[tabbycat31]

10. Rachel mentioned this tonight

Kudos to both those teams, and virtual hugs to the player who lost his mother.

[Hepburn]

11. I am so glad that this story got a mention on a national program.

These kids really deserve some notice for doing the right thing.

[lizziegrace]

25. I loved hearing about this on Rachel's show

Sometimes I worry about the future, but then I see high school students like these players and see hope.

[southerncrone]

12. Our hope for the future......kids like these who "get it"!

Also, these are apparently coaches who realize what is REALLY important in life. And that isn't always winning at any cost.

Bravo to all involved! :applause:

[SheilaT]

13. Wow.

Maybe I shouldn't be so impressed at a bunch of high school students doing the right thing, but it is so moving when it happens. Thank you for posting this.

[Iggo]

14. I'm a sucker for these uber-sportsmanship stories.

:applause:

[cherish44]

15. The GOP in the senate could learn a thing or two from these kids

...I'm still pissed about making Senator Brown leave his family while he was having to bury his mother to cast the deciding vote on the stim.

[Hepburn]

17. That was about the lowest of the low...

...when the Pubbies caused that.

JMHO

[northofdenali]

16. After just now reading this, my husband

said "That's people being the way people should be."

'Nuff said. :cry::hug::cry:

[KharmaTrain]

18. Way To Go Barbs!!!

They've been buzzing about this on the radio all day...class acts these days are hard to find.

[pleah]

19. K&R

:thumbsup:

[progressoid]

20. Great story to start the morning.

Thanks.

[Hepburn]

21. You are welcome...

...these young gentlemen ~~ and I do mean gentlemen ~~ truly touched my heart with how they handled this situation.

:hi:

[jakefrep]

22. This ought to be required reading for that idiot coach in Texas...

...(at a "Christian" school, no less) who ran up a 100-0 score on another school.

[Kajsa]

23. THIS is true sportsmanship!

What a terrific group of young athletes!
This young man, Darius, has a lot of heart and soul.

:applause:

[acmavm]

24. What a great kid. My own Mom died at 7:16 a.m. yesterday and

I'm so unhappy and confused. For those kids to do this is a real heart breaker.

[Kajsa]

26. I am so sorry, Acmavm!

My condolences to you and your family
at this difficult time.

:hug:

[acmavm]

29. Thank you. That's why what these kids did just impresses me so.

It's a cold world anymore. A win at any price world. And these kids did the fair thing, the right thing.

They will do great things one day if they keep this up.

[renate]

30. oh no...

I'm so sorry.

I've been sitting here trying to come up with something else to say, but there just aren't words. :hug:

[acmavm]

31. That's all that's necessary, I can't ask for anything more. Thank you.

[Hepburn]

37. I am so sorry about your mom....

...:cry: I lost my mom in 2001...so I know how you feel.

:hug:

[poverlay]

43. If there's something that leaves a person feeling more alone and adrift than losing their Mom, I

don't know what it is. I am so very sorry for your loss Acmavm.
(BTW~I'm not commenting in any way on losing spouses, friends, or children, it's just that moms & dads are so very special and integral to who we are.)

Truly an awful day. I know I have never been the same after my mom passed away. I think of her every day. All we have is the knowledge that we're not alone,
and you are not, ever.

[seemslikeadream]

27. I know Darius

He is a great man, he's earned the title


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DIJsatAVxZ0/R3h650jSRVI/AAAAAAAABiA/J84JeKpST3w/s320/dek+v+rochelle+m+bball+1.jpg

[leftchick]

33. very handsome

;)

[polmaven]

45. Handsome

in both body and soul.

[Hepburn]

36. What a handsome and wonderful group of guys!

Thanks for posting the picture! :hi:

[KamaAina]

34. Did they get possession after the technical?

If so, they should have proceeded to throw the ball out of bounds or step on the line or travel or something... :-)

[rateyes]

49. Possession was probably given to ever would have had it

before the technical.

[jillan]

35. Rachel telling this story last nite brought tears to my eyes.

[AngryAmish]

38. Way to go, Barbs

[FourScore]

39. Thank you for posting this story. n/t

k/r

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

40. Shout out to these compassionate teens

who knew "it was the right thing to do."

[daggahead]

41. I really have a lot of hope for the youth of our country again.

This shows they're on the right track.

[DUlover2909]

42. Bah-Humbug! It's all about winning!

:sarcasm:

[madrchsod]

44. the dekalb high school showing the sports world what really matters

on the court and off the court.

the first anniversary of the northern illinois university shootings was last week

[NoSheep]

46. excellent! I love it!

[jwirr]

47. When I was younger we called that "good sportsmanship" and it was

a quality to be desired. Hooray for the coach and student.

[jwirr]

48. When I was young we called that "good sportsmanship" and it was

a quality to be desired. Hooray for the coach and student.