[nabs-l] Charlie Wilks- blind football player. (as featured on

[Steve Jacobson]

However, all of this does avoid the question that was raised yesterday.  What is normal to us regarding our blindness is not normal to society at large.  How do we 
convey the fact that some of us found ways to participate in athletics to society so that particularly the parents of other blind kids become aware of it.  I'd be willing to 
bet that most of society doesn't know that many of us competed in wrestling, even against sighted kids.  <smile>  In my mind, what is key is not whether expectations 
are low resulting in making something bigger than it is, what is the most important is if it conveys something meaningful to the public.  It is also important that the 
person about whom such a thing is written keeps it in perspective.  We can try to get good articles about what blind people can do printed in our own magazines 
including those for parents, but the fact is that something in the general media is more accepted to many people.  We definitely need to watch that such things are 
written tastefully and accurately.  For example, if the thrust of this publicity was that the guy could play football due to his extra powers as a blind person, that 
wouldn't be good.  Also, in my own mind, articles on blind guys in wrestling where the playing field is relatively level would be preferred, but maybe that's because I 
was a wrestler.  

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:21:04 -0500, Sean Whalen wrote:

>I think it is great that he is out there getting involved with a sport and
>making friends. This said, it is not news worthy. If he found a way to play
>effectively or be good at it, that might warrant a news article. I myself
>played football my freshman year in high school. Aside from blocking for
>field goals, I found no aspect of the game where I could compete on an even
>footing with the sighted kids. Defense is the most difficult of all, given
>that the name of the game is assess and react. If you cannot assess, you are
>in trouble. Unless you can use hearing or other senses to gauge what the
>blocking scheme is, where the play is going and who has the ball, you will
>not be successful.

>Again, it's great that he gets out there and does it. I understand that. I
>love football and played just to get out and be one of the guys. He isn't
>breaking ground here. Any number of us could surely run ahead when somebody
>told us to or slapped us on the leg. Just as it shouldn't be news when a
>blind athlete succeeds in a sport, such as wrestling, where it is known and
>accepted that blind people can compete, it should not be news that somebody,
>blind or sighted, attempts something. I fear this is a case of the low
>expectations of the reporter and society at large, where we are often
>"brave" or "amazing" just for trying.

>I can't stress enough that I have no beef with the kid doing it. Good for
>him. Just keep it out of my newspaper.

>Sean


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