Texas bill requiring Ten Commandments in classrooms heads to governor’s desk

Yes, correct, that crowding at the 50 yd line occurred once the word spread, despite Coach's not wanting this to happen.  The school was not a highly regarded one socially/financially, kids often from "wrong side of the tracks", fatherless, etc.  Coach identified with them as he grew up in negative circumstances, unwanted, raised in orphanages, reform schools, rebellious, etc.  Fortunately he got in the Marine Corps, then a job at a Navy yard, both where he developed leadership skill.  A long hardscrabble journey from there to the coaching days.

By the time he started praying the kids had responded well to his methods, which were unconventional to say the least (read the book), but the kids learned discipline and hard work from the coach whereas they didn't get this at home or from previous coaching methods.  He was like a father figure to many.  He was loathe to tell the first kid, and subsequent ones who began gravitating toward him, that they couldn't stand around him.  They were handing him their helmets to hold as he prayed.  He felt trapped that way.  And that did lead to the school and the district telling Coach he couldn't pray on the field any longer "or else" and his suddenly negative year's evaluation.  This is all factual, and why it was voted no at every juncture, every court in the seven years prior to the Supreme Court hearing(s).

"Most of what actually happened didn't count."  Really?? 

Read the case. In that snippet I posted Alito said let's forget the facts of this case. It doesn't get more blatant than that.

Candy, what do you think happened to the players who didn't join the coach's widdle pwayer gwoup? How were they treated by the coach? How were they regarded by the players who did join?

I really don't know the answer to that. BUT THE QUESTION SHOULDNT EXIST. The prayer sessions served to divide the team--the effect that religion has on humanity, writ small.

Read the court decision, and read his book.  Atheists and agnostics will contest what I have posted, which is fine.  I'm not the repository of all knowledge about the case.  I only read the book.

I only got into discussing this here in KS as it is something possibly of interest, other than who hates Biden and who hates Trump, on and on and on ad nauseum.

I learned a lot about the lawsuit appeal process just for delving into it.  

But since you asked, many of the players have since the lawsuit began asked Coach to attend their graduations, be best man at their weddings, grieve with them at funerals, named babies after him.  Probably not all, but many. 

Remember, Kennedy was away from the school and coaching for the 8 years of the lawsuit.  After the decision he was innundated with TV interviews, speaking requests, so much that returning as a high school assistant coach was not a certainty.  Like a 'can't go home again' kind of thing.

Once again, I refer to the sad fact that all this religious idolatry served to divide the team, into "believers and non-believers," and there is no way on earth that this coach would have treated both groups the same.

Religion divides people and breaks up communities, peoples, and nations. It's the single most toxic force in human history.

"More have died under the banner of Jesus Christ than that of any warrior king " (sic) I don't know who said it, but truer words were never spoken.

OK Kevin.  As you like.

Candy

No. Not as I like. As the law and the Constitution requires.

I doubt that you truly understand the social pressure a person feels when everyone around him is chanting a slogan, showing fealty to a deity, bowing in prayer, etc.--and that person doesn't share their beliefs OR is uncomfortable expressing them. The coach didn't have to go to the middle of the field to pray--he could have returned to his office. Doesn't Christian mythology say that God is everywhere and will always hear your prayers?

Therefore, he didn't have to do it on the 50-yard line, and he could have waited until his players went home. As he did it, there was an element of coercion--to join him.

And that's wrong.