The “Sports Teams Being Nice To Kids” meme is moving forward nicely. First, a 7-year old with brain cancer got to run in a touchdown for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He got his own card and even got to hang out with the President (and, I assume, grill him on his policies). East Carolina similarly honored a kid, and WWE Champion John Cena devoted a chunk of Raw to introducing three Make-A-Wish kids as new WWE Superstars.

Now it’s soccer’s turn. Yeah, I’m glad nobody threw firecrackers and beer bottles at this kid, too.

Here’s Atticus Lane-Dupre, an awesomely-named kid with cancer who got the chance to play in front of more than 3,000 Portland Timbers, score four goals and win the game for his ‘Green Machine.’ He got to exchange jerseys with team captain Will Johnson after the game and everything. At the end of the day, it’s just a video of a normal kid having a hell of a lot of fun playing soccer, and sometimes that’s worth celebrating, even without the inspirational story.

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In what continues to be my go-to feel-better story of the year, 7-year old Jack Hoffman is still riding the high of becoming the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ biggest star football player in the program’s long, storied history. (Obviously, I’ve crossed out the Bill Callahan era with a thick, black Magic Marker.) Jack, of course, is the young brain cancer patient who ran for a 69-yard touchdown during the team’s recent spring game, and that was followed up by Upper Deck creating his very own trading card.

Yesterday, Jack and his family got to visit the White House and meet with President Barack Obama for about 15 minutes to talk about the boy’s incredible spring.

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In the spirit of 7-year old brain cancer patient Jack Hoffman’s inspirational run for a touchdown at the end of Nebraska’s spring game and got his own football card comes Noah Roberts, an 8-year old East Carolina University fan with cancer who cannot stop splitting defenders in spring football.

Before you think ECU is copying Nebraska’s kind-hearted gesture (which you shouldn’t be, because seriously), Noah’s no newcomer to the inspirational football game.

He’s been a part of the team for a couple years now. His battle inspires players and coaches. Today, they got a chance to lift him up.

“He came out about two years ago and wasn’t doing too well and it was good to see him out here now still and you know it was a cool experience for him and us,” said Junior Linebacker Jeremy Grove. Head coach Ruffin McNeill said when he thinks of Noah he forgets “any hurt, or complaint, or pain that I may have. You can see how the kids reacted to Noah so that tells you what Noah means to us.” (via WTCI 12)

Noah entered the game in the final moments of the spring game and ran the ball in for a touchdown from about 45 yards out. The clip is after the jump. Come for the inspirational sports story, stay for the defense’s adorable diving tackles.

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By now you’ve probably seen the video of 7-year old Jack Hoffman taking part in a play at the University of Nebraska’s spring game on Saturday, but if you haven’t you need to skip the rest of these meaningless words and watch it after the jump immediately. Then you can come back and join us.

Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Rex Burkhead learned last year that Hoffman was battling brain cancer so he started “Team Jack” to show his support for the young boy, and that including having him as the star guest at the team’s spring game. On one play, Hoffman came in as the RB and the Huskers let him carry the ball for a 69-yard touchdown as the crowd of more than 60,000 people went crazy. Players hoisted Hoffman on their shoulders in the end zone and then I removed my eyeballs and heart because I don’t want to ever see or feel anything else ever again.

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Reigning UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva is already one of the most likable stars in professional sports, but in case there were any stragglers out there who didn’t like Spider before, this video’s about to change all of that. Twelve-year old Joao Pedro is suffering from a bone disease called Epiphysiolysis that has left him bound to a wheelchair for the past 9 months. Doctors aren’t sure if he’ll ever walk again, which is obviously a terrible reality for any child to face, let alone one who loves sports.

One of Joao’s idols in Silva, so a friend reached out to Silva’s doctor, Eduardo Picanço, for an autograph to help lift the child’s spirits. Dr. Picanço and Silva did him one better and agreed to go meet him in person. And sure, we’ve seen plenty of these videos, but damn it all to heck if Joao’s reaction doesn’t just melt your heart.

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Beyond my nieces and nephews, I’m not much of a guy who digs the whole kids scene, because I’ve been told that once you have children it’s “frowned upon” to take them to strip clubs, and it’s like, how the hell are they going to appreciate their mom if they can’t watch her work? But I assume that professional athletes love kids because they love making them, and I guess that’s why I have no clue what a Yo Gabba Gabba is while Metta World Peace was appearing on it.

Apparently this is a children’s show and not something that James Harden mumbled after Peace laid an elbow upside his head, and the Los Angeles Lakers cuckoo bird forward was recently on the show to have a foot race with what I suppose were the rejected 2012 Summer Olympics mascots. While I certainly appreciate this softer side of World Peace, it’s still not my favorite non-basketball thing that he’s done.

Let’s examine after the jump.

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