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Writing assessment

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Stereotyping lesson

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May 12, 2014

Rick ReillyColumnist, ESPN.com

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11-time National Sportswriter of the Year

Author of "Tiger Meet My Sister ... And Other Things I Probably Shouldn't Have Said."

2014 Inductee: National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame

They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.

It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on-by name.

"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"

And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.

But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five-handcuffs ready in their back pockets-and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.

This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery-many of whose families had disowned them-wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans-for one night only-cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"

And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!

"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"

It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"

Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home-a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.

Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.

Hope.
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Rick Reilly: Gainesville State high school football gets the best gift of all: hope

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May 12, 2014 Rick ReillyColumnist, ESPN.com Close 11-time National Sportswriter of the Year Author of "Tiger Meet My Sister ... And Other Things I Probably Shouldn't Have Said." 2014 Inductee: National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

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* Writer's Notebook: Gallery walk of faces and our first perception of people based on their look.  Do we stereotype people before we know their story?

* Discuss what stereotypes exist in our world.
* In writers notebook, answer the following question: Analyze the attached video. What do you think is the purpose/intent of this commercial? What message is the creator trying to get across to viewers?

* Read the ESPN article attached to this padlet.
* Complete "The Outsiders'" stereotyping activity
* Read Chapter 10

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* (Narrative) Write the story from the first person perspective of the young woman in this video.
* Finish reading book.

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Identity SHORT FILM (Award Winning Inspirational Short)

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Writer's Notebook: What stereotypes does this man face each day? How did doing the  right thing, change his perception within his community? In what way does this remind you of "The Outsiders"?
**The Outsiders Test

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A homeless man has become a Facebook sensation not for a viral video, but for doing the right thing.

When a store clerk left a convenience station without notice around 11 p.m. Wednesday, it took less than 40 minutes for looting to start. Video surveillance caught the thieves in action.

"We got into the office, looked at the video and saw everybody having a free for all," Versiga said. "Coming in stealing beer, cigarettes, candy. Ridiculous things. It was really disheartening."

The most surprising part, Versiga says, was that the people stealing from the store appeared to be well off.

"I saw people just helping themselves...you know...with stuff that they really needed like beer and cigarettes. Now I saw these people drive up in $20, $30, $40,000 dollar cars, trucks, and SUV's. I watched them steal just about anything they wanted," Versiga's post said.

But out of the 10 people who ripped off the store, there was one person who didn't. Jessie Harris, Jr.

"Through this whole thing, the homeless guy walking up with a backpack. I thought, 'Well, he's going to load up.' Basically misjudged him, and he didn't even go into the store. Just stood right at the door watching everybody come out. I walked across the street over at Murphy's saw him over there after everything was done and asked him why, and he said it's not my thing," Versiga posted.

Harris says he was surprised at what he was seeing.

"At first I thought it was the cashier that was working so fast," Harris said. "People was coming out there putting stuff in bags and I thought the cashier, I said, she's good. I walked in there and there wasn't no cashier there."

Afterward, Versiga decided to treat Harris to a meal, then took him to his house and got him a pair of his own shoes. Others have come up to Harris on the street and simply gave him supplies or money.

Harris, who doesn't even know what Facebook is, says it's a fundamental lesson for everyone.

"Not to take what don't belong to them or whatever. Be honest, be faithful and you will get your blessing."

Pascagoula police have arrested one of the suspects, and are actively seeking the others. Anyone with information is ask to submit an anonymous tip to Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers.
Copyright 2016 WLOX. All Rights Reserved.

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Acts of kindness pour in for Pascagoula homeless man

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A homeless man has become a Facebook sensation not for a viral video, but for doing the right thing. When a store clerk left a convenience station without notice around 11 p.m. Wednesday, it took less than 40 minutes for looting to start. Video surveillance caught the thieves in action.

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Writing into the day: Reflect on what you saw in the video. You may discuss specific stereotypes addressed in the video and/or discuss other stereotypes that have affected you or someone you know. Lastly, how many stereotypes have you seen so far in The Outsiders (be specific).

* Review for tomorrow's test.