Pats726

This story is from today's Metro in Boston..there is NO link to the story existing..I had to retype this story by hand. It is a column by WCVB Channel 5's Bob Halloran.

Coach is Not the Saint He was Portrayed to Be
If you saw the story of the 17 year old autistic boy who scored 20 points in a high school basketball game recently, you know how inspiring the story is. But you might not have noticed what an evil hypocrite the boy's coach is.
Coach Jim Johnson called the experience one of the greatest moments he's ever had in sports, but he's lying when he says it. Winning a division title mattered more to him than seeing one of the most loyal and dedicated kids he's ever been around get a chance to play and to shine--otherwise, why did wait to put Jason McElwain into the game until there were just over four minutes to play and his team was up by 20 points? Obviously, if Greece Athena was in a nail-biter, McElwain would never have played. McElwain's dream meant nothing to Coach Johnson. Absolutely nothing.
The dreams of an autistic and immensely popular kid meant nothing to him in the first game of the year, the 12th game of the year, and every other game of the year when he failed to let McElwain play--or else McElwain would have played long before senior night. But Coach Johnson couldn't take the chance that if he played McElwain, Greece Athena might have lost somewhere along the way, then that precious division title might have slipped through his greedy little fingers.
Coach Johnson is a disgrace. He's patting himself on the back right now thinking he gave the kid an opportunity, but in point of fact, he robbed McElwain of endless opportunities to play, to feel proud and to feel like a normal kid who fails and falls and gets back up again. Clearly, McElwain can play a little bit. He was 6-for-10 from 3-point range. Maybe a good coach, a kind coach, a coach with his kids' best interests at heart could have found two minutes here or there throughout the course of the season to let everyone on his team play--even the autistic kid with the deadly aim from beyond the arc.
By the way, where was the hero of the home finale two days later? Back on the bench. Greece Athena was playing in the sectional tournament, and Coach Johnson basically told McElwain, "You had your moment kid. Now get out of the way, we've got games to win."
Gotta win, you know. Forget the kids, and all their hard work. "No child left behind" doesn't apply to sports. Leave 'em all behind. Unless the can run the pick'n'roll, who needs them?
I wish Coach Johnson had noticed how many fans packed the gym that night after they heard that there was a chance that "J-Mac" might get in the game. They didn't care if Greece Athena won. They only wanted to see their friend, their classmate who inspired them with his work ethic, positive attitude and genuine kindness on a daily basis-play. They rushed the floor and lifted him high above their shoulders. They didn't celebrate a 79-43 win and a division title. They celebrated a person.
I don't think they'll ever lift Coach Johnson up on their shoulders.He's not the kind of person worth celebrating.

I am embarrassed that this bozo is from this area...leave it to some unknowing scrooge to try and be a contrarian to a heart warming and moving story. It is totally amazing how he does NOT get it..I wonder if he puts every High School coach and college coach to the same standard??? Have all your players played?? How about that manager kid...has he played?? if he doesn't do that with the same zeal, he's hypocritical in the worst sense. Who knows how many other similar stories will never happen because coaches have NOT given players a chance. And the worst part is they will never be known...Is self-righteous Bob Halloran going to ask every coach about that?? I doubt he has the stones to or the guts..losers never can do anything when they are found out and exposed to the truth. But beyond that, he talks about players on the team..and he misses a point right there..Jason wasn't a player!! He was a team manager!! Duh...does Halloran miss that fact?? And he misses another point when he mocks the coach telling him to move aside that the team has to win. In reality, McElwain did not have enough games to be eligible for post season play, a fact that Mr Halloran didn't even know about. Just another case of the holier than though missing facts like a sloppy novice. I am truly embarrassed he is a reporter Boston and one wonders what others think of such thought.

SaCaCh

um....ok... and?

Its one guys opinion, and he's wrong. He is just trying to drum something up from a national story, to draw attention. MOST "reporters" do this now. I grew tired of it years ago and ignore it, you should too and you will be less angry.

ctpatsfan77

One thing I haven't seen: did the coach know McElwain was so good from 3-point range? Or was he just on fire that night?

To use a Patriots comparison: it seems fairly obvious that Bill Cowher had no freakin' clue what he had in Mike Vrabel (and, conversely, that Belichick saw a lot more).

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Willie55

What a dumb-ass Halloran is. The kid wasn't even a player, he was the team manager.

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AdamJT13

Exactly. What's a coach supposed to do? Let every kid who's not on the team suit up and play, just because he wants to?

big mike

How is he wrong? I agree entirely with his article. It's not like the kid can't play. I could understand the coach sitting him on the bench if he totally sucked. But, he SET A RECORD, by scoring 20 points in 4 minutes. The kid can play - yet the coach didn't play him all season until that one game when they were already up by 20, and then put him right back on the bench for the next game. Yet, that isn't stopping the coach from pretending that he actually cares about the kid. I don't see how you guys can disagree with the article.

Willie55

He wasn't a player. He was the manager.

And in regards to sucking, I think if the other team had played some D he wouldn't have hit those shots. Looking at the defenders they just stand there and put their hands up in the air. They weren't playing D.

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shmessy

Halloran = Typical Boston stereotypical curmudgeon. No wonder the South gains population while Massachusetts is turned into a ghost town.

THIS kind of attitude towards everything in general is what Boston is most famous for.

Our own Pats1 is another example, here's what he wrote in the "OT...But isn't ths what real sports is about???" thread:

"To further vent, "Inside the NFL" isn't high up on my list either. America's fetish with Hollywood is disgusting. No friggin' self-esteem. I want to punch the TV every time I hear about this marriage, this break-up, or this whatever. I like disparage "fans" of certain sports just because the glamour of the athletes or the team. Such "fans" can't name the Pats' starting free safety (just as an example - sorry Geno!) but they somehow know every one of Tom Brady's girlfriend's favorite colors. (Nothing against Absolute Brady, trust me).

I also have the near-unstoppable desire to buy and burn every and all entertainment magazine in Stop & Shop."
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Sure, there are haters in other parts of the country, but the Boston area has more of its share of people who want to destroy (or not reach for the stars) than many other places. How many companies have located elsewhere due to the NIMBY's etc? How many athletes avoid the area due to the cannibalistic press corps here?

Too many Clifford Clavins living in their mom's basements. THAT'S the image the rest of the country has of Boston.

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"They (Patriots) may be the greatest team ever" - Chris Mortenson, January 18, 2005 on espn.com

SaCaCh

Someone doesn't seem to understand autistic children and the issues they have.


read here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism

he could play physically, the mental part is where the question was, and why it was better for him to be doing what he was doing.

Pats726

It was the last game of the year..J-Mac wasn't even ON the team..he wasn't tall good enough to play on the varsity or even the junior varsity..he was the manager,,, How many high school team mangers EVER play in a game??? Do you know of any that ever have?? Halloran to me misses it when he attacks the coach..My question to him is is he going to attack every other coach that does NOT let the last few players and manager play. Ask all the local high school coaches if they are going to let their managers play?? If not, have the same zeal and attackk them!! This coach let him play..others NEVER do and are off the hook. Jason played in only one game so he was ineligible for the post season..the next game. Halloran doesn't mention it because that is a fact he didn't want to know about..didn't fit in with his story. Schmessy is so correct in his assessment..what a scrooge!! Maybe WCVB should be bombarded with e-mails...