But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice， and perhaps he' d get to play when he became a senior. All through high school he never missed a practice or a game， but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands， always with words of encouragement for him.
When the young man went to collage， he decided to try out for the football team as a walk-on. Everyone was sure he could never make the cut， but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his heart and soul into every practice， and at the same time， provided the other members with the spirit.
The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college， but he never got to play in a game.
It was the end of the senior football season， and as he trotted on to the practice field shortly before the big playoff game， the coach met him with a telegram and he became deathly silent.
Swallowing hard， he mumbled to the coach， "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today？"
The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said， "Take me rest of the week off， son. And don' t even plan to come to the game on Saturday."
Saturday arrived， and the game was not going well. In the third quarter， when the team was ten points behind， a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines， the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon.
"Coach， please let me play. I' ve just got to play today." said the young man.
The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted， and finally feeling sorry for the kid， the coach gave in.
"All right， " he said. "You can go in."
Before long， the coach， the players， and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown， who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran， passed， blocked， and tackled like a star. The score was soon tied.
In the closing seconds of the game， this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders.
Finally， after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room， the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone.
The coach came to him and said， "Kid， I can' t believe it. You were fantastic！ Tell me what got into you？ How did you do it？"
He looked at the coach， with tears in his eyes， and said， "Well， you know my dad died， but did you know that my dad was blind？" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile， "Dad came to all my games， but today was the first time he could see me play， and I wanted to show him I could do it！"
前撐竿跳高冠軍鮑勃·理查德講了一個關於一個小男孩的感人故事，這個小男孩鍾情於踢足球。他不停地練習著，為足球熱心地奉獻著自己的全部。但是，他的個頭比別的男孩矮一半，以至於他絕對參加不了比賽。在所有的足球比賽中，這個充滿希望的足球運動員隻能坐在長椅上，幾乎不曾參加過任何一場比賽。小男孩與父親一起生活，兩人相依為命，有著十分特殊的感情。盡管兒子總是坐在長椅上，父親還總會在看台上為兒子歡呼，從未有一場缺席。
上高中了，小男孩依然是班上個子最小的一個。可是父親不僅繼續鼓勵他踢球，而且向兒子表示說，如果他不想再踢球的話，就不用再踢了。
但是，年輕人熱愛足球，他決定要繼續踢下去。他下定決心，在每次訓練中都要盡力表現得最好，這樣的話，當他升入高三的時候也許還有機會參加比賽。整個中學生涯，年輕人從未錯過一次訓練或一場比賽，但在這四年裏，他一直都是坐在長椅上的熱心球員。而他忠誠的父親，也一直站在看台上，鼓勵著他。
當他進入大學後，年輕人決定試著在校足球隊裏跑龍套。每個人都相信，他永遠都不會被留下，可是他留下來了。教練承認，之所以把他留在隊裏，是因為這個年輕人總能全身心地投入到每次的訓練之中，並且教練想用這種精神感染他的隊友。
被留下的消息令年輕人歡欣鼓舞，於是他跑去最近的電話亭給父親打了電話。父親也很開心，訂購了大學比賽的所有季票。大學四年裏，執著的年輕運動員從未錯過一次訓練，但是依舊從未參加過一場比賽。
大四足球季賽到了，在盛大的最後決賽開始前不久，當年輕人小跑著來到訓練場時，教練遞給他一封電報。看過之後，年輕人變得死一般沉默。
他哽咽著對教練說：“我父親今天早上去世了。 我今天不參加訓練了，可以嗎？”
教練輕輕地摟住他的肩膀說：“這個星期剩餘的幾天你就請假休息一下吧，孩子。也可以不趕來周六的比賽現場。”
星期六到了，校隊的比賽進行得並不順利。在比賽的第三節中，當校隊落後10分時，有一個沉默的年輕人靜靜地溜進空****的換衣間，穿上自己的隊服。當他跑上球場邊界線時，教練和隊友們都看到他們這位忠實的隊友回來了。他回來得如此之快，令所有人都很吃驚。
“教練，請讓我上場吧。我今天必須要參賽。”年輕人說。
教練裝做沒有聽到他的話。在這場比分相差不大的決賽中，讓他選擇自己最差的球員上場是根本不可能的事。可是，年輕人一再請求，最後，教練出於同情作出了讓步。
教練說：“那好吧，你上場吧。”
年輕人上場不久，他的教練、隊友和看台上的每一個人都不敢相信自己的眼睛。這位小個子的、鮮為人知的隊員，從沒參加過比賽，卻做得如此到位。對方的球員都阻止不了他。他奔跑、傳球、攔擋、擒抱，就像一位足球明星一樣。兩隊的比分很快平。
比賽結束前的數秒鍾內，年輕人攔截住對方的一次傳球，帶球直攻對方球門，持球觸地獲勝。球迷們沸騰了，隊友們興奮地把他舉到肩上。
最後，當觀眾散盡，隊員們都洗完澡離開換衣間後，教練注意到這個年輕人正獨自一人靜靜地坐在角落裏。
教練走過去，對他說：“小夥子，我真無法相信。你太棒了！告訴我，你是怎麽回事？你是如何做到的？”
他看著教練，雙眼含著淚水說道：“盡管你知道我爸爸去世了，但是你知道他是個盲人嗎？”他哽咽著，勉強衝我擠出一絲微笑，“我的所有比賽，爸爸都來過。但是今天，是他第一次看著我踢球，我希望讓他看到，我踢得很好。”
那份愛，讓我永生難忘
A Dad Who Truly Cares
裏克·賴利 / Rick Reilly
I try to be a good father. Give my kids gifts. Take them to swim. Work nights to pay for their text messaging...
But compared with Dick Hoyt， I' am lousy. Eighty-five times he' s pushed his disabled son， Rick， 26.2 miles in marathons. Eight times he' s not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on bicycle handlebars—all in the same day. Dick' s also pulled him cross-country skiing， taken him on his back mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame， right？
And what has Rick done for his father？ Not much—except save his life.
This love story began in Winchester， Mass. 43 years ago， when Rick was strangled by the umbilical cord during birth， leaving him brain-damaged and unable to control his limbs. "He' ll be a vegetable the rest of his life， " Dick says doctors told him and his wife when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an institution."