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Colonel White principal Gerry Griffith says the incident was ''just ridiculous, a tremendous mistake. They were very rude and nasty."

Daly still refuses media requests. A Cincinnati sports radio talk show host piled on, calling the controversy surrounding Martin a ''freak show."

Martin was reinstated the following week. An official presented him with his own whistle and told him to blow it if he didn't like the call. The opposing team gave him Superman decals for his helmet, the kind they get for making a great play. Two-hundred kids lined the fence in Cincinnati waiting to meet him.

''I felt like I was Warren Sapp or something," he says. '' 'Ninety-nine, 99, can I have your autograph?' I gave this one girl a hug. She just passed out. Fainted."

The talk show host, Andy Furman of WLW-AM, contacted Martin. ''He called and apologized and wanted me to talk on his show," Martin says. ''I said no. I told him to put on some padding and meet me on the field."

The team rallied around Martin. ''It made us angry," says teammate Carlos Robinson. ''He makes you want to step up your level of play because he has no legs and we do."

The Cougars, then 1-3, haven't lost since. They are 5-3.

''He's the coolest, greatest dude in the school," says Danyon Wallace, who has known Martin since the seventh grade. ''He took it like a champ. They messed with him, they made him more popular."