Stories of dire times, crime and death are frequent on the news wires, so it was nice to see a happy story to lift spirits this holiday season. I'm not the biggest sports fan, but this regional story got my attention when it came across the wires:

TD! Run by player with Down syndrome touches fans By JOHN MARSHALL / AP Sports Writer ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) - A single play, one of thousands on football fields across the country, touched thousands. It came on Sept. 14, when Matt Ziesel, a freshman football player with Down syndrome, took a handoff and went around right end for a 63-yard touchdown. Benton High School coach Don McCamy designed the play and persuaded Maryville's coaches and players to let him score. The play brought nearly everyone in the stadium to tears and spread inspiration around the world after it was posted on the Internet. More than a half-million people have watched the YouTube clip, sparking comments and e-mails from around the world to McCamy, Maryville coach David McEnaney and the Ziesel family. Sportsmanship, it seems, is still around.

Here's the TD run:

The coach, who uploaded the video, gives even more of a background for the inspirational play: "[Ziesel] registered as a freshman at Benton High School -Saint Joseph, MO this year, and told his mother and father he wanted to play football. The team takes good care of looking after Matt, and he is still the cheerleader on the sidelines. He puts his pads and helmet on, stands next to Coach McCamy and waits for his turn to play. Over and over during the course of the game Matt will say, 'Coach McCamy, I am ready! I am ready Coach!' On this Monday night coach gave him a chance."

That alone was enough to pull on my heartstrings. My only disappointment is that while a majority of the video comments are positive, there are a few saying negative remarks because the other team let Ziesel score. I think those comments are missing the point. I think not only is this a big achievement, but it is a major moral victory. I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn into the next inspirational sports film much like "Remember the Titans" or the current film "The Blind Side."

This is a great video and story to remind everyone the proper spirits to be in as we enter the holiday season.

Feel free to share your own thoughts on the story.