The downside of exceptionalism

[Trilby]

from LOOKOUT: "No kid was ever damaged by realizing there are some players that are just a bit more special. In fact, I would suggest that most players benefit by playing with and against that special player." end LOOKOUT.

my meager two cents. I do not believe a kid should get a trophy just for showing up. All of life is "showing up." I also know how heady athletes (esp teen athletes) can get when all this hero worship is loaded on their inexperienced shoulders...then, they might, MIGHT, get to play with the Big Boys and THAT, my friends, truly seperates the boys/girls from the men/women. It's right there where a kid decides whether he wants to really, really want to bust their, uh, rear ends. These kids ARE special, have a certain drive (that I certainly do not have) and I do believe true athletes, like Dara Torres or Michael Phelps or Shawn Johnson (sorry to be so USA-oriented, but I really don't "know" the other outstanding athletes of other countries...except Yao Ming, who really plays for the US) have a certain special something* and you can actually FEEL the greatness float off of them. They definitely should be recognized as special.
When we are talking about 5 year-old newbies, who knows which kid is going to excel? 5 year-olds don't need to be yelled at, but encouraged.

College football is BRUTAL and I cannot imagine what a man or woman would have to give up to go pro. I think our American pro/champ athletes feel very special, indeed. Nearly God-like. Maybe it's too much, too "special" but then again, maybe it's just right. I think LeBron James is a good example. But then again, he plays for Cleveland and Ohio can use all the good things/people we can lay claim to. We have Shawnee and LeBron and that's about IT.

/end possibly irrelevant rant/

name the movie: "certain special something" was the beginning of a song and win two points!