joeywa
Unofficial HS BBQ Consultant & Baseball Pundit
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2013
- Messages
- 17,739
Folks, I'd like to share something I read tonight, as I think it really needs to be seen. College athletes and coaches more often than not take a message board beating for the performance on the field of play. Right or wrong, they are critiqued to the nth degree.
When a story like this comes across the web, I think it's important that it be shared.
My buddy Dustin McComas over at Orangebloods.com told me he didn't mind if I shared it here.
This is from Dustin's post-game write up tonight:
"Also, sometimes you see things that can really put life into perspective. As the media gathered on the field just beyond the clubhouse and the dugout, Cooper emerged after Texas’ normal postgame meeting as a team in the clubhouse. He immediately walked up the nearest stairs before the field to reach the seats just beyond the field box along the first base side. Cooper exchanged a few words with people he knew in the stands, and then down came a young boy with his walker, helped by Cooper and a family member, to the field.
Eventually, the group made it to the bases where they started to walk the diamond together, Cooper accompanying the young boy and helping when needed. As Garrido walked up to the media gathered, he paused and I said softly to him as we prepared to fire questions his way about the game, “Puts things in perspective a little bit, doesn’t it?†And he looked at me and said, “puts things into perspective a lot,†before answering our questions.
The boy’s name is Kooper Hernandez, or “Super Kooper.†And he and the star pitcher for Texas named Cooper go way back.
“He broke his femur. He was diagnosed with bone cancer and he had his leg amputated in October last year. Being from Jarrell it’s small town. Everyone kind of knows everybody. When I found out about it, for some reason he likes me. I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s thinking,†Cooper said with a laugh. “His mom would always tell me when I’d leave that he’d talk about me all the time. So I just kept hanging out with him and stuff and we just kind of have a connection. Today, they were able to come to the game. Whatever I can to help them out. It’s a tough situation, but he’s been awesome.â€
On a night when the guy returning from Tommy John pitched by far the best game he has since he returned, we were all again reminded by Kooper and Cooper that there are much, much more important things in life than baseball, which is a game some are very fortunate to play."
Read more about Kooper's story here.
When a story like this comes across the web, I think it's important that it be shared.
My buddy Dustin McComas over at Orangebloods.com told me he didn't mind if I shared it here.
This is from Dustin's post-game write up tonight:
"Also, sometimes you see things that can really put life into perspective. As the media gathered on the field just beyond the clubhouse and the dugout, Cooper emerged after Texas’ normal postgame meeting as a team in the clubhouse. He immediately walked up the nearest stairs before the field to reach the seats just beyond the field box along the first base side. Cooper exchanged a few words with people he knew in the stands, and then down came a young boy with his walker, helped by Cooper and a family member, to the field.
Eventually, the group made it to the bases where they started to walk the diamond together, Cooper accompanying the young boy and helping when needed. As Garrido walked up to the media gathered, he paused and I said softly to him as we prepared to fire questions his way about the game, “Puts things in perspective a little bit, doesn’t it?†And he looked at me and said, “puts things into perspective a lot,†before answering our questions.
The boy’s name is Kooper Hernandez, or “Super Kooper.†And he and the star pitcher for Texas named Cooper go way back.
“He broke his femur. He was diagnosed with bone cancer and he had his leg amputated in October last year. Being from Jarrell it’s small town. Everyone kind of knows everybody. When I found out about it, for some reason he likes me. I don’t know. I don’t know what he’s thinking,†Cooper said with a laugh. “His mom would always tell me when I’d leave that he’d talk about me all the time. So I just kept hanging out with him and stuff and we just kind of have a connection. Today, they were able to come to the game. Whatever I can to help them out. It’s a tough situation, but he’s been awesome.â€
On a night when the guy returning from Tommy John pitched by far the best game he has since he returned, we were all again reminded by Kooper and Cooper that there are much, much more important things in life than baseball, which is a game some are very fortunate to play."
Read more about Kooper's story here.
