On this Memorial Day, I hope you are all having a wonderful weekend with friends, family, and anyone else whose company you enjoy.
Wanted to pass along this fantastic story about a real hero today; his name is John Glaser and he’s a firefighter in Shawnee, Kan. It’s a beautiful story; stay with it and you’ll see why I think it’s so remarkable.
Take it away, the great Joe Posnanski…
**When I say the words “Duke lacrosse,” I’m sure the first thing that comes into your mind is the 2006 “rape” scandal. I’m not going to spend time here railing about the obscene prosecutorial misconduct in the case, or talk about how one woman, making up a story, nearly ruined the lives of 30 innocent college athletes.
Were the Duke players absolutely innocent here? Yes. Had they probably engaged in lecherous, possibly illegal behavior at some point previously? Perhaps. Male college teams rarely have women over as a “one-time thing.”
My point is not to re-hash the case. It’s to tell you that today in Baltimore, the Duke lacrosse team has a chance to wipe away the stain of that 2006 controversy. This group of Blue Devils, the oldest of whom were seniors in high school at the time of the allegations, has a chance to win the national title. They’re playing Notre Dame at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN. Should be a great game.
I hope Duke wins, of course, since I’m a big fan of the school. But also because serious allegations, even when completely made up, stick to a program’s reputation for wears.
And the Duke lacrosse program, with their high GPAs and model behavior, deserve to be known for something besides a made-up scandal.
**And finally, one of the most moving scenes ever from “The West Wing,” when Toby and Mrs. Landingham attend a funeral for a veteran:
