when you think your team has no fans

[golfnut69]

Read this first then click on the video link at the bottom of the page.
Inmate Football .....There was an unusual high school football game played in Grapevine, Texas. The game was between Grapevine Faith Academy and the Gainesville State School, both in TX . Faith is a Christian school and Gainesville State School is located within a maximum security correction facility.

Gainesville State School has 14 players. They play every game on the road. Their record was 0-8. They've only scored twice. Their 14 players are teenagers who have been convicted of crimes ranging from drugs to assault to robbery. Most had families who had disowned them. They wore outdated, used shoulder pads and helmets.

Faith Academy was 7-2. They had 70 players, 11 coaches, and the latest equipment.

Chris Hogan, the head coach at Faith Academy, knew the Gainesville team would have no fans, and it would be no contest, so he thought, "What if half of our fans and half of our cheerleaders, for one night only, cheered for the other team?" He sent out an email to the faithful asking them to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send," Hogan wrote. "You're just as valuable as any other person on the planet."

Some folks were confused and thought he was nuts. One player said, "Coach, why are we doing this?" Hogan said, "Imagine you don't have a home life, no one to love you, no one pulling for you. Imagine that everyone pretty much had given up on you. Now, imagine what it would feel like and mean to you for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

The idea took root. On the night of the game, imagine the surprise of those 14 players when they took the field and there was a banner the cheerleaders had made for them to crash through. The visitors' stands were full. The cheerleaders were leading cheers for them. The fans were calling them by their names. Isaiah, the quarterback-middle linebacker said, "I never in my life thought I would hear parents cheering to tackle and hit their kid. Most of the time, when we come out, people are afraid of us. You can see it in their eyes, but these people are yelling for us. They knew our names."

Faith won the game, and after the game the teams gathered at the 50-yard line to pray. That's when Isaiah, the teenage convict quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray too. He prayed, "Lord, I don't know what just happened so I don't know how or who to say thank you to, but I never knew there were so many people in the world who cared about us."

On the way back to the bus, under guard, each one of the players was handed a burger, fries, a coke, candy, a Bible, and an encouraging letter from the players from Faith Academy ...

[msdos]

tl;dr

[ajcalhoun]

Golfnut, I usually complain about you, but that was a great story. Thank you.

[Robert1969]

Awesome story. I really felt moved by that. Thanks for telling that story.

[golfnut69]

Texas has at least one more school like gainsville, it is Giddings State School, about 50 miles from Austin... A movie was made about a school, if memory serves, in California, former Miami player "the Rock' played the headcoach

[DfromCT]

WOW...that's a truly moving story, thanks for sharing, Golfnut!

[IM42lane]

Read this first then click on the video link at the bottom of the page.
Inmate Football .....There was an unusual high school football game played in Grapevine, Texas. The game was between Grapevine Faith Academy and the Gainesville State School, both in TX . Faith is a Christian school and Gainesville State School is located within a maximum security correction facility.

Gainesville State School has 14 players. They play every game on the road. Their record was 0-8. They've only scored twice. Their 14 players are teenagers who have been convicted of crimes ranging from drugs to assault to robbery. Most had families who had disowned them. They wore outdated, used shoulder pads and helmets.

Faith Academy was 7-2. They had 70 players, 11 coaches, and the latest equipment.

Chris Hogan, the head coach at Faith Academy, knew the Gainesville team would have no fans, and it would be no contest, so he thought, "What if half of our fans and half of our cheerleaders, for one night only, cheered for the other team?" He sent out an email to the faithful asking them to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send," Hogan wrote. "You're just as valuable as any other person on the planet."

Some folks were confused and thought he was nuts. One player said, "Coach, why are we doing this?" Hogan said, "Imagine you don't have a home life, no one to love you, no one pulling for you. Imagine that everyone pretty much had given up on you. Now, imagine what it would feel like and mean to you for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

The idea took root. On the night of the game, imagine the surprise of those 14 players when they took the field and there was a banner the cheerleaders had made for them to crash through. The visitors' stands were full. The cheerleaders were leading cheers for them. The fans were calling them by their names. Isaiah, the quarterback-middle linebacker said, "I never in my life thought I would hear parents cheering to tackle and hit their kid. Most of the time, when we come out, people are afraid of us. You can see it in their eyes, but these people are yelling for us. They knew our names."

Faith won the game, and after the game the teams gathered at the 50-yard line to pray. That's when Isaiah, the teenage convict quarterback surprised everybody and asked if he could pray too. He prayed, "Lord, I don't know what just happened so I don't know how or who to say thank you to, but I never knew there were so many people in the world who cared about us."

On the way back to the bus, under guard, each one of the players was handed a burger, fries, a coke, candy, a Bible, and an encouraging letter from the players from Faith Academy ...

EXCELLENT STORY!! It's too bad that this does not occur more often in our present society. Many thanks, GN.

[JDTulane]

Heard the story before but it still chokes me up. I'm not religious but to see caring for others like this it makes me glad faith in morality still exists. =]

[wavefan03]

Tulane is becoming a liberal mecca with Cowen, Carville, and M Harris Perry at the center. It's one of the main reasons locals don't affiliate with the school. One of my first clients for my software business loved how Governor Foster would rip the TU environmental law clinic to shreds at every chance. Meanwhile our chemistry dept. is one of our worst programs and last time I checked holds a sub 100 ranking.

I don't feel sorry for kids that end up in lockup. You have to do something serious beyond shoplifting or drugs. They should be happy they get to play ball and get to leave lockup. They got a bible and some food - good for them. I'd rather read about kids that are actually studying for school, volunteering in the community, or helping old folks cross the street like ajcalhoun.

[mbawavefan12]

Tulane is becoming a liberal mecca with Cowen, Carville, and M Harris Perry at the center. It's one of the main reasons locals don't affiliate with the school. One of my first clients for my software business loved how Governor Foster would rip the TU environmental law clinic to shreds at every chance. Meanwhile our chemistry dept. is one of our worst programs and last time I checked holds a sub 100 ranking.

I don't feel sorry for kids that end up in lockup. You have to do something serious beyond shoplifting or drugs. They should be happy they get to play ball and get to leave lockup. They got a bible and some food - good for them. I'd rather read about kids that are actually studying for school, volunteering in the community, or helping old folks cross the street like ajcalhoun.

Epic fail.

[AugWave]

Somebody's perfect. Smh

[DrBox]

One of my first clients for my software business loved how Governor Foster would rip the TU environmental law clinic to shreds at every chance.

Yep - nothing like polluting the heck out of Louisiana, all paid for by the taxpayers and by those who have to breathe the pollution. How dare anyone question that. A little flaring - the taxpayers can pay to clean it up or the residents can breathe it.......how dare a law clinic suggest that the businesses follow the law.

[wavefan03]

One of my first clients for my software business loved how Governor Foster would rip the TU environmental law clinic to shreds at every chance.

Yep - nothing like polluting the heck out of Louisiana, all paid for by the taxpayers and by those who have to breathe the pollution. How dare anyone question that. A little flaring - the taxpayers can pay to clean it up or the residents can breathe it.......how dare a law clinic suggest that the businesses follow the law.

Foster's concern at the time was over environmental racism lawsuits halting development. Nothing involved with pollution. Frivolous bs in my opinion.

I've heard negatives from several people. One of my good friend's who's a civil engineer Jesuit and TU grad, his father has a masters in engineering and is a Shell project manager. Nothing good to stay about TU's env. law clinic. My prior client was from Kentucky and prior to moving to Louisiana worked for one of the largest inland barge operators in the country.

Like it or not TU has an image problem with most Louisianans.

[mbawavefan12]

One of my first clients for my software business loved how Governor Foster would rip the TU environmental law clinic to shreds at every chance.

Yep - nothing like polluting the heck out of Louisiana, all paid for by the taxpayers and by those who have to breathe the pollution. How dare anyone question that. A little flaring - the taxpayers can pay to clean it up or the residents can breathe it.......how dare a law clinic suggest that the businesses follow the law.

Foster's concern at the time was over environmental racism lawsuits halting development. Nothing involved with pollution. Frivolous bs in my opinion.

I've heard negatives from several people. One of my good friend's who's a civil engineer Jesuit and TU grad, his father has a masters in engineering and is a Shell project manager. Nothing good to stay about TU's env. law clinic. My prior client was from Kentucky and prior to moving to Louisiana worked for one of the largest inland barge operators in the country.

Like it or not TU has an image problem with most Louisianans.

So folks in the oil and gas game were annoyed that a law clinic was fighting for the rights of the poor, what horrible JD students we have as they should know that your only choice in the south is to agree with the plutocrats. Oh and I have a engineering degree in Civil Engineering from UMass and an MBA from Tulane (focusing partly on energy i may add) and I think the chem lobby can go F themselves on their way to hell, of course, you should realize that a few biased or misrepresented opinions are irrelevant but I am sure you will convince yourself otherwise. Seriously pal not only are your comments ignorant, unproductive and hurtful, but your reasoning is the worst part of your arguments/statements.

[mbawavefan12]

One of my first clients for my software business loved how Governor Foster would rip the TU environmental law clinic to shreds at every chance.

Yep - nothing like polluting the heck out of Louisiana, all paid for by the taxpayers and by those who have to breathe the pollution. How dare anyone question that. A little flaring - the taxpayers can pay to clean it up or the residents can breathe it.......how dare a law clinic suggest that the businesses follow the law.

Foster's concern at the time was over environmental racism lawsuits halting development. Nothing involved with pollution. Frivolous bs in my opinion.

I've heard negatives from several people. One of my good friend's who's a civil engineer Jesuit and TU grad, his father has a masters in engineering and is a Shell project manager. Nothing good to stay about TU's env. law clinic. My prior client was from Kentucky and prior to moving to Louisiana worked for one of the largest inland barge operators in the country.

Like it or not TU has an image problem with most Louisianans.

Only with ignorant, uneducated and/or biased fools such as yourself. Every large private school faces this sort of nonsense especially when located in an educational hot bed and open minded area such as the Gulf South.

[fracas]

that was a moving read
thanks

[wavefan03]

Not that I agree with you, but best to stick to sports. I'm not going to respond.

[mbawavefan12]

Not that I agree with you, but best to stick to sports. I'm not going to respond.

I wish you would have done so or kept your poison in places where it should be. Shame that you had to troll on such a nice subject matter.

[golfnut69]

Ladies and Gentleman, so much for the "Feel Good Story of the Day"...we now return you to our regularly scheduled programing !!!!
I posted the story to show there are good people in this world, some who may not have been perfect, but may have the ability to change... and if they can change, maybe they can change someone else.. I know, I STILL appreciate the person who changed my life for the bettter...and that was many years ago.....

[DfromCT]

Foster's concern at the time was over environmental racism lawsuits halting development. Nothing involved with pollution. Frivolous bs in my opinion.

I've heard negatives from several people. One of my good friend's who's a civil engineer Jesuit and TU grad, his father has a masters in engineering and is a Shell project manager. Nothing good to stay about TU's env. law clinic. My prior client was from Kentucky and prior to moving to Louisiana worked for one of the largest inland barge operators in the country.

Like it or not TU has an image problem with most Louisianans.

Well, what a surprise: the polluters hate the environmentalists!

I think we should all stick to sports, rather than get into a Conservative vs. Liberal conversation. Golfnut, thanks again for posting this touching story. I'll bet more than one of those kids' lives changed as a result of one coaches ability to sieze the opportunity to make a difference.

[DfromCT]

At the same time we should wonder how our boys feel to see so many empty seats in the Superdome. As much as I know the OCS project has warts, if it generates enough interest to sell out the opener, and at least approach capacity as the year progresses, just think of what kind of affect that can have on a team. But it must really suck to play in the Dome with 1,000 people watching.

[mbawavefan12]

At the same time we should wonder how our boys feel to see so many empty seats in the Superdome. As much as I know the OCS project has warts, if it generates enough interest to sell out the opener, and at least approach capacity as the year progresses, just think of what kind of affect that can have on a team. But it must really suck to play in the Dome with 1,000 people watching.

I was at the Sugar Bowl and the UL fan support absolutely had an impact on the outcome.

[DfromCT]

And I bet was a key reason that they were so fired up while Florida, who's fans (for good reason) didn't travel well, was so flat.

Heck, over the years some of Tulane's best games were on the road, or at home against teams that brought a lot of fans to the Dome. 31-28, 48-7 are two scores that come to mind!

[Robert1969]

And I bet was a key reason that they were so fired up while Florida, who's fans (for good reason) didn't travel well, was so flat.

Heck, over the years some of Tulane's best games were on the road, or at home against teams that brought a lot of fans to the Dome. 31-28, 48-7 are two scores that come to mind!

Good times. How'd we fall so far? But looking back at it, I'm still puzzled how we only won four games in 1982.