Focus on: Derrick Coleman

[-The Glove-]

I really hope the learning curve isn't too steep and he can step up in a huge way. The division race will be tight and we need to be firing on all cylinders. No training wheels, please!

http://is.gd/mBl5Mo

When the Seahawks deploy a lead blocker for All-Pro tailback Marshawn Lynch in Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Panthers in Carolina, that fullback will be Derrick Coleman.

That’s the same Derrick Coleman who was a tailback at UCLA and was signed to the Seahawks’ practice squad last December. Oh, and he’s legally deaf.

 

[ivotuk]

Good stuff. I think he will be an excellent full back. Few won't be as good as mike rob, at least not right away, but I'm sure he will get there

 

[LudwigsDrummer]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

 

[dbmack]

I have a good idea how it is for him. Not that I ever played football, but any work place can be challenging at times keeping up with the hearing people.

 

[beasthawk]

They must REALLY like him, he has a lot of expectation on his shoulders. All the guy has to do is not be noticable.

 

[Obie]

How does he hear the whistle?

 

[QuahHawk]

Hearing aids, he can hear a little bit with them, but he still reads lips most the time. Basically a loud stadium and he would take out his hearing aids and just play def.

 

[dbmack]

Hearing aids, he can hear a little bit with them, but he still reads lips most the time. Basically a loud stadium and he would take out his hearing aids and just play def.

Not necessarily. I have no idea if he will leave them in or not, but I would leave mine in if I was in a loud stadium. Hearing aids have advanced technology these days. I have a setting specifically for noisy environments.

 

[Ruminator]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

You played drums for Ludwig van Beethoven, the deaf composer?

Coleman overcoming the challenges of his hearing impairment and making the 53 to start the year is impressive. If he plays the entire season, and especially if the FO decides they want to keep him into next season, wow, what an awe-inspiring success story that would be. But just making the 53 is amazing in its own right.

The reality in the world of the deaf and hard-of-hearing is that they are among the most isolated people in the world, and few hearing people know any of them personally. Hellen Keller, who was both blind and deaf, once said: Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.

While the deaf and hard-of-hearing can certainly connect with each other, it is often a damningly frustrating experience for them to try to connect with the hearing. Not always at the "fault" of the deaf, but oftentimes the impatient hearing person who quickly regards the hearing-impaired person as a burdensome inconvenience to be marginalized or brushed aside. Kudos to those who refrain from doing so and make a genuinely respectful effort to connect with the hearing impaired.

Ever see the movie Children of a Lesser God? It's a beautifully done and timeless movie that is well worth renting. Marlee Matlin, deaf, won an academy award for best actress in this film.

 

[dbmack]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

You played drums for Ludwig van Beethoven, the deaf composer?

Coleman overcoming the challenges of his hearing impairment and making the 53 to start the year is impressive. If he plays the entire season, and especially if the FO decides they want to keep him into next season, wow, what an awe-inspiring success story that would be. But just making the 53 is amazing in its own right.

The reality in the world of the deaf and hard-of-hearing is that they are among the most isolated people in the world, and few hearing people know any of them personally. Hellen Keller, who was both blind and deaf, once said: Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.

While the deaf and hard-of-hearing can certainly connect with each other, it is often a damningly frustrating experience for them to try to connect with the hearing. Not always at the "fault" of the deaf, but oftentimes the impatient hearing person who quickly regards the hearing-impaired person as a burdensome inconvenience to be marginalized or brushed aside. Kudos to those who refrain from doing so and make a genuinely respectful effort to connect with the hearing impaired.

Ever see the movie Children of a Lesser God? It's a beautifully done and timeless movie that is well worth renting. Marlee Matlin, deaf, won an academy award for best actress in this film.

This may be true for some deaf and HoH people but I have never been isolated and I have no problems connecting with the "hearing people." I have been HoH for 60 years and I admit it was harder when I was a kid in school because of the teasing, but kids tease other kids about a lot of things. Things got better when I got to HS. I didn't start wearing hearing aids until the early 80s, before that I got by with lip reading - which I am still very good at. If hearing people don't know any of us personally it is probably because they don't know we are HoH. Some of us adapt quite well. You would be surprised how few people know I even wear hearing aids.

 

[HawkWow]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

You played drums for Ludwig van Beethoven, the deaf composer?

Coleman overcoming the challenges of his hearing impairment and making the 53 to start the year is impressive. If he plays the entire season, and especially if the FO decides they want to keep him into next season, wow, what an awe-inspiring success story that would be. But just making the 53 is amazing in its own right.

The reality in the world of the deaf and hard-of-hearing is that they are among the most isolated people in the world, and few hearing people know any of them personally. Hellen Keller, who was both blind and deaf, once said: Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.

While the deaf and hard-of-hearing can certainly connect with each other, it is often a damningly frustrating experience for them to try to connect with the hearing. Not always at the "fault" of the deaf, but oftentimes the impatient hearing person who quickly regards the hearing-impaired person as a burdensome inconvenience to be marginalized or brushed aside. Kudos to those who refrain from doing so and make a genuinely respectful effort to connect with the hearing impaired.

Ever see the movie Children of a Lesser God? It's a beautifully done and timeless movie that is well worth renting. Marlee Matlin, deaf, won an academy award for best actress in this film.

This may be true for some deaf and HoH people but I have never been isolated and I have no problems connecting with the "hearing people." I have been HoH for 60 years and I admit it was harder when I was a kid in school because of the teasing, but kids tease other kids about a lot of things. Things got better when I got to HS. I didn't start wearing hearing aids until the early 80s, before that I got by with lip reading - which I am still very good at. If hearing people don't know any of us personally it is probably because they don't know we are HoH. Some of us adapt quite well. You would be surprised how few people know I even wear hearing aids.

I can't recall the last time I teased a deaf person.

 

[dbmack]

I can't recall the last time I teased a deaf person.

This was in the late 50s when I was in grade school. It probably doesn't even happen anymore in this day and age of PC. At least I hope not.

 

[vin.couve12]

How does he hear the whistle?

Block 'till you hear the....just keep blocking.

Works in favor of the Hawks.

Really though, he's probably got an implant so he can pick up those noises. Simulated hearing called cochlear implants. My oldest brother tried them before he died. Never seen him so excited. Speaking of which, the WA school for Deaf in Vancouver used to play games on the little stadium they have down off of Grand. Was hilarious to hear all the deaf dudes yelling at the other team. Half the time they scared the heck out of the other team and played real physical, but usually lost.

 

[HawkWow]

Haha...havin fun with you. I would never tease anyone not wearing a 9ers jersey.

I mentioned in another thread that Coleman won me over when I saw him position himself in the huddle, incredibly focused as he read the QBs lips. Got a bit choked up, truthfully. One reason I LOVE the preseason...the great stories within the story. Happy you too are doing well. Aloha.

 

[LudwigsDrummer]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

You played drums for Ludwig van Beethoven, the deaf composer?

Coleman overcoming the challenges of his hearing impairment and making the 53 to start the year is impressive. If he plays the entire season, and especially if the FO decides they want to keep him into next season, wow, what an awe-inspiring success story that would be. But just making the 53 is amazing in its own right.

The reality in the world of the deaf and hard-of-hearing is that they are among the most isolated people in the world, and few hearing people know any of them personally. Hellen Keller, who was both blind and deaf, once said: Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.

While the deaf and hard-of-hearing can certainly connect with each other, it is often a damningly frustrating experience for them to try to connect with the hearing. Not always at the "fault" of the deaf, but oftentimes the impatient hearing person who quickly regards the hearing-impaired person as a burdensome inconvenience to be marginalized or brushed aside. Kudos to those who refrain from doing so and make a genuinely respectful effort to connect with the hearing impaired.

Ever see the movie Children of a Lesser God? It's a beautifully done and timeless movie that is well worth renting. Marlee Matlin, deaf, won an academy award for best actress in this film.

One of the kits I play on are built by the Ludwig Drum Company and are one of my favorites due to their history.
My wife is an ASL interpreter via real time video. Cool huh? She loves it.

 

[HawkAroundTheClock]

I can't recall the last time I teased a deaf person.

This was in the late 50s when I was in grade school. It probably doesn't even happen anymore in this day and age of PC. At least I hope not.

I can't speak to what kids say to each other on the playground, but yeah there's so much more awareness, acceptance, and integration of all types of learners in schools these days. At least, that's been my experience as a substitute in more than 50 schools.

As a hearing person, I always thought many things would be impossible without hearing. About 13 years ago I got a temp placement at Seattle's Lighthouse for the Blind where I worked in a room full of people with hearing-impairment. It was eye-opening to see how capable and uninhibited they were. While a football field is not a workplace office, Derrick Coleman's ears don't concern me.

Also, dbmack, I have to tell you that in our house the name "Kaepernick" is now always pronounced "PAPAKI." It's the most natural misnomer I've ever heard. :th2thumbs:

 

[HawksFTW]

Interestingly enough, a deaf university was the first school to use the modern circular huddle:

The modern-day circular huddle, in which the players all face inward in a tight circle, was invented by Gallaudet University quarterback Paul D. Hubbard in 1892. Gallaudet was among the first schools intended for the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and the first intended for their postsecondary education. When quarterbacking, Hubbard realized that his hand signals could be read by opposing players, a particular concern when Gallaudet played other schools for the deaf. To remedy this, he had his players form a circle so that his sign-language signals could be sent and received without anyone on the sidelines or on the opposing team seeing.[1]

Former University of Illinois Coach Bob Zuppke is also credited with the invention of this formation.

This type of huddle is still in common use today, typically between plays in American Football as the quarterback assigns the next play to the offense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huddle

 

[SupersonicSeahawkz]

I am proud that a deaf football player plays for my hawks. My father is deaf and he tried out for the saints back in the 60's and almost made it. If things would have worked out differently who knows where I would be now.

As for Coleman, I think the fact that I would have no idea he was deaf before it was made public by the newspapers speaks volumes of his talent. Also people need to understand that lip reading isn't easy. People who lip read usually understand less then 50% of what is being said in a sentence and need to fill in the blanks based on what they understand. But using football terminology is easier to understand because there is no sentence structure and no verbal cues to provide sarcasm or hidden meanings. As for being deaf, loud means nothing and he moves based on the snap of the ball rather then the snap count.

But I believe that after MRob is back from his illness, he will sign for the minimum to go get that ring!

 

[Smelly McUgly]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

The totally sexy Marlee Matlin.

Yeah, I enjoy "The West Wing."

 

[v1rotv2]

I am sure he will represent with all heart as he is a beacon in his culture. We hearing people don't really know any deaf celebrities.

Marlee Matlin and she's cute as hell.