Ike Ditzenberger, Snohomish High School Football Player with Down Syndrome
Some of you may have heard about a kid named Ike Ditzenberger, a Snohomish High School football player from Snohomish, WA.
Ditzenberger is the high school football player with Down Syndrome who last week got to make the play of a lifetime against our rival Lake Stevens Vikings. I say “our” rival because I graduated from Snohomish High School and am a lifetime resident of this hip little historic town.
Ike Ditzenberger, 17, was put in the game at the end of the 4th quarter after a pounding by the Vikings. The Snohomish Panthers were down 35-0 and coach Mark Perry thought it would be inspiring to all to put Ditzenberger in the game. As Ike Ditzenberger ran with the ball (at first out of bounds then all the way for a phantom TD) Lake Stevens players were great sports about it. They simulated tackles and reacted in slow motion as he cruised toward the end zone. It was a great moment in Snohomish High School football, and it was for the Vikings as well.
Ike Ditzenberger went viral. People around the world loved the story of the kid with down Syndrome being given a chance, as his mother Kay Ditzenberger would say, “they gave him the gift of normalcy.”
Unless you have a jaded, cold heart, this story will touch you. But unfortunately for local sports writer Mike Anderton of the Lake Stevens Journal, the incident was a “mockery” that basically ruined the game for the Lake Stevens Vikings.
Mike Anderton’s story was published in the local paper on Monday, September 28th. By Tuesday a friend of mine posted a link to his article on Facebook and that’s when the outrage started.
Below is the original ending of Mike Anderton’s coverage of the Snohomish vs. Lake Stevens game starring Ike Ditzenberger. Later, after what I would assume were numerous complaints to the Editor (myself included), the story was edited greatly. But in the beginning, the story was anything but…
From the Lake Stevens Journal:
” With 10 seconds left Snohomish inserted special needs “team mascot” player Ike Ditzenberger into the game, with instructions from the Snohomish coaching staff to let Ditzenberger have a free run.
Ditzenberger slowly rambled around in the backfield, then circled to the sidelines where he stepped out of bounds at the 50, for a one-yard gain. Game over at that point.
But no. Ditzenberger was allowed to continue rambling, and, escorted by teammates, he eventually crossed the goal line, for a phantom touchdown.
Ditzenberger merits credit for donning a Panther uniform and inspiring his fellow players and others, but awarding him an unearned touchdown makes little sense and deprives the Viking defense of its deserved shutout.
This may have been intended as a kindly gesture (Viking Coach Tom Tri said that he was not consulted about it beforehand) but it only makes a mockery of winless Snohomish.”
Where do we even start? Shall we start with the fact that Mr. Anderton refuses to even call Ike Ditzenberger a PLAYER? Calling him the team’s special needs “mascot” goes to show you what sort of person we’re dealing with here. Also, Ike Ditzenberger’s touchdown was a phantom touchdown, as he mentions, so why does this make a “mockery” of the Vikings’ shutout? It honestly made me sick to my stomach to read this man’s vile attempt to ruin such a great moment in football, and an even greater moment in Ike Ditzenberger’s life.
The Lake Stevens Journal, as I mentioned before, has since edited the sharp tongued article, changing it drastically to an inspiring story about Ike Ditzenberger – but originally Mike Anderton was bitter, arrogant and downright nasty.
Since I’m sure none of the major publications (see below) who wrote about Ike Ditzenberger’s inspiring story will hear of the small town sports writer who attempted to ruin it, I figured I’d use this platform to expose him and his disrespectful article. My husband is a youth football coach and one of the things, if not THE most important thing about football is the confidence it builds, the teamwork and the social skills that are learned. There are a lot of inspirational football stories of our time (at ALL levels) where winning had absolutely nothing to do with something miraculous/inspirational happening.
WOW!!
This made Me happy, then sick.
This story reminds Me of a boy we had on our H.S. football team. He was loved by all. He played once. But we all cheered and made signs for him.
To have a man ruin the special moment is sickening. This boy will probably not have the chance to do this again.
WAY TO GO IKE!!
After seeing the original article this morning, I was going to write the paper tonight, and I went back to look at it and couldn’t remember why it had been so disgusting… until I found your blog. Thank you for archiving that original ending and exposing this dope.
The teams and officials were on board. The event had zero impact on league standings, and it took a presumably forgettable game and made it something memorable and positive, particularly for Ike Ditzenberger. Although the worst of the article was edited out, it still refuses to acknowledge the touchdown, even though I can’t see where anyone else has alleged it doesn’t count. The Journal is still getting a letter from me, and I hope many others as well. Thanks again!
I”m so upset that I chose to stay home last Friday instead of go to the game. I would have LOVED to have been a part of that memory! Thank you also for sharing this original ending to the story by this local writer. Would you be willing to post info on how we can contact this writer to share our thoughts with him about his article? I would greatly appreciate it.
It must seem easy for a guy like Mike Asserton to belittle the Ike Ditzenbergers of the world, but that kind of bitterness is neither easy nor easily come by. I’m betting that Assertons father was a sport’s loving man’s man who beat Asserton every time he failed to make the football team. At least Asserton was made Mascot for the Steven’s journalism team, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to let him think that he “scored a touchdown” by writing a *cough, cough* “scathing” article about ditzenberger. You can’t count it as a 6-pointer for the Lake Stevens Journal when the editors let a retard like Asserton pretend to do something great by disparaging two wonderful teams and their awesome down-syndrome player.
What an ugly little man to not be able to see the bigger story than a dopey football game. It showed that jaded high school kids from both sides have big hearts and were willing to give that boy his moment. If I lived in that area I’d be giving that man’s boss all kinds of grief – the world needs people like those players not like the reporter. Thanks for sharing this story, it’s pretty amazing in this day and age.
Mike Anderton should have been fired on the spot. If he is still working for the paper, I hope that every fan from Lake Stevens confronts this pathetic fool, and tells him what a LOUSY human being he is. I had tears in my eyes watching this video for the first time. Congrats to IKE & the Lake Stevens Vikings, for making this a moment, none of us will soon forget. You’ve made millions of fans for this classy gesture.
WOW!!
This made Me happy, then sick.
This story reminds Me of a boy we had on our H.S. football team. He was loved by all. He played once. But we all cheered and made signs for him.
To have a man ruin the special moment is sickening. This boy will probably not have the chance to do this again.
WAY TO GO IKE!!
What a jerk this guy is!
After seeing the original article this morning, I was going to write the paper tonight, and I went back to look at it and couldn’t remember why it had been so disgusting… until I found your blog. Thank you for archiving that original ending and exposing this dope.
The teams and officials were on board. The event had zero impact on league standings, and it took a presumably forgettable game and made it something memorable and positive, particularly for Ike Ditzenberger. Although the worst of the article was edited out, it still refuses to acknowledge the touchdown, even though I can’t see where anyone else has alleged it doesn’t count. The Journal is still getting a letter from me, and I hope many others as well. Thanks again!
I”m so upset that I chose to stay home last Friday instead of go to the game. I would have LOVED to have been a part of that memory! Thank you also for sharing this original ending to the story by this local writer. Would you be willing to post info on how we can contact this writer to share our thoughts with him about his article? I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks and love!
Hi Dawn!
You can go here: http://www.lakestevensjournal.com/contact
There is no Editor email, but there is the email of the Publisher. :)
It must seem easy for a guy like Mike Asserton to belittle the Ike Ditzenbergers of the world, but that kind of bitterness is neither easy nor easily come by. I’m betting that Assertons father was a sport’s loving man’s man who beat Asserton every time he failed to make the football team. At least Asserton was made Mascot for the Steven’s journalism team, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to let him think that he “scored a touchdown” by writing a *cough, cough* “scathing” article about ditzenberger. You can’t count it as a 6-pointer for the Lake Stevens Journal when the editors let a retard like Asserton pretend to do something great by disparaging two wonderful teams and their awesome down-syndrome player.
What an ugly little man to not be able to see the bigger story than a dopey football game. It showed that jaded high school kids from both sides have big hearts and were willing to give that boy his moment. If I lived in that area I’d be giving that man’s boss all kinds of grief – the world needs people like those players not like the reporter. Thanks for sharing this story, it’s pretty amazing in this day and age.
Mike Anderton should have been fired on the spot. If he is still working for the paper, I hope that every fan from Lake Stevens confronts this pathetic fool, and tells him what a LOUSY human being he is. I had tears in my eyes watching this video for the first time. Congrats to IKE & the Lake Stevens Vikings, for making this a moment, none of us will soon forget. You’ve made millions of fans for this classy gesture.
The “apology” stinks.
http://www.lakestevensjournal.com/school-sports/article.exm/2010-09-27_vikings_wax_snohomish_35_0_