12/17--Yeah, he's that good

As #11 Dave Ramos warms up before every Howell Hockey game, the captain creates a buzz, a sense of excitement in the crowd. He may very well be the most talented hockey player in the state, but when a crazed student-fan jumps on his chair to scream his name, a wide smile is seen through the double-caged helmet of Ramos, as he gives a humble head nod to the crowd. That seperates Ramos from every other star in high school athletics.
As a studnet-journalist, my top priority is covering Howell High School sports. Without a doubt, Hockey is my favorite to write about. Still, it is not the only sport I cover. With football, the hardest part is to get quotes from the starting players. This fall, I was constantly turned away because the players thought they were too good to answer questions. Hockey, lead by Ramos, is entirely different.
As I interview Ramos, the fact that he pretends to care and act nervous is the best thing. As a writer, interviewing peers, some of whom I used to play sports with, can be somewhat mortifying. Ramos makes it fun an enjoyable everytime. After most games, Ramos has to recieve roughly 50 text messages from fans. He always makes it a point to return mine, regardless of how he played or the outcome--that's just the kind of man he is...
...As Ramos handles the puck along his defensive blue line, every person in the Howell Rebels student section rises, along with the buzz--everyone knows something exciting is in the future. Regardless of how that play ends-whether it be a goal or Ramos losing posession of the puck-no one blames Dave. Because of what he has done for this hockey program in a little over a year, Ramos has entered a state where he 'can do no wrong'. In some natures, that can be a good thing, and other's, a bad.
Opposing teams and fans, along with some professional bloggers feel Howell's program has too much trust in Ramos and feels that if he went down, so would the team.
Here's the thing-Dave Ramos doesn't go down.
Now, I'm not here to fool my audience. I am a biased writer. I'm a senior at Howell High School, and I sit at the same lunch table as Ramos, so yes, I do interact with him on a daily basis.
Still, on a journalists note, to speak out against the opposers of Ramos in a 'do no worng' atmosphere, Dave Ramos is completely deserving of that type of title.
Not only does he have the talent, as proven last season with his 97 points, but he has the attitude as well. After the 1-0 victory against Brick Memorial, Ramos told me in an interview that he felt as if he let the team and fans down by not scoring a goal.
That type of attitude is the reason why everyone praises Ramos, and the reason in my mind, why he will be the greatest person I ever write about.
For those who interact with him as I do, you will realize Dave Ramos is a man worth modeling after, on, and off, the ice.