All NFL Players Need to Know They Learned In 1st Grade

Last Sunday, Blair Walsh missed a 27 yard kick that would have won a playoff game for the Minnesota Vikings. Many fans excoriated him for the 10-9 loss, but the first graders ofBlaine's Northpoint Elementary School felt differently. They sent him letters of encouragement. Here are a couple of examples:

• I know that it can be hard to get through things that are sad. but you have to try and try again. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. One time I made a mistake when I was doing a cartwheel. I felt embarrassed. You can still help the Vikings win the Super Bowl next year.

and

• I peed my pants in front of all of my friends. I felt really sad. I know just how you felt.

In Cincinnati, the Bengals led the Pittsburgh Steelers with mere seconds left, and the Steelers out of time-outs and on their end of the field. However, Vontaze Burfict was flagged for a cheap shot flagrant attempt to injure Steelers Receiver Antonio Brown, then Adam "Pac Man" Jones pushed a referee with only fourteen seconds left in the game, allowing the Steelers to kick a 35 yard field goal to win 18-16. Burfict and Jones were goats in the eyes of everyone, except for the first graders of Hamilton elementary of Cincinnati felt differently. Like the Minnesota kids, they sent encouragement to their hometown heroes:

• Antonio Brown is a weak a$$ loser. I wish you had knocked his head off.

and

• Pac Man, you are still my hero. Don't take sh#t from no one.

Kids say the darndest things.