They say (at least George Benson and Whitney Houston did) the children are our future. There's certainly no disputing that some of the best ideas come from younger minds.
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the NFL has a very active and visible campaign to promote this cause. There are pink ribbon logos on the fields, and quite often players, coaches, cheerleaders, referees, and others incorporate pink ribbons or pink items into their uniforms or equipment.
But 11-year-old Dante Cano from Marlboro, NJ (shout out to my hometown) thought the NFL should go one step further, and use pink penalty flags during the month of October. He wrote a letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, who not only admired Cano's idea, he ran with it. Sunday's Dolphins-Jets game will use pink penalty flags, and Cano will have the opportunity to go on the field to present the flags to the officials.
Of course, some have criticized the NFL's campaign, saying the use of pink "sissifies" the game, but those are just Neanderthals who clearly don't care about the millions of lives impacted by breast cancer, or the fact that women who battle the disease need strength and courage far greater than many can even imagine.
I hope that more children are inspired by Dante Cano's example. While not every great idea gets recognized at all, let alone with the fanfare his will be, those who worry about the future can feel better about it being in the hands of the next generation.
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