It?s never an easy task, picking 25 players for The Item?s All-Star football team. But this year, it presented more of a challenge.For as long as I?ve been associated with picking this team, there?s been one requirement that stood above all other criteria: to make it, you must have played in seven of your team?s games.This has — on a few occasions — meant not acknowledging some very worthy players who have had the misfortune of getting either hurt or sick, and missing too many games. About a quarter of a century ago, we had to make the painful decision to keep a player who ended up having a significant career in the National Football League off the team because he was injured and only played in one game.That didn?t sit right with anybody, to tell you the truth. And it never does … especially if everybody knows the player belongs on the team.It?s very easy to say that precedents are made to be broken … there?s an exception to every rule … and so forth. But while it may be easy, it doesn?t do anything to address that precedent. If you decide to change the rule, what do you say to all those people over the years who would have been on the Item All-Star team but weren?t because they couldn?t meet the criteria?There isn?t anything you can say. Just as there?s nothing a kid who?s torn up his knee, or come down with mononucleosis, can do. It?s? just one of those unfortunate things.But just because you?re bound by 68 years of precedent doesn?t mean you can?t — going forward — see to it that kids whose accomplishments are impossible to ignore aren?t acknowledged.We?ve been fortunate with this team over the last 10-15 years. We haven?t had a situation where someone whose accomplishments were so phenomenal has been injured too early in the season to meet the criteria. We do this year.In 3 1/2 games, Johnathan Thomas of St. John?s Prep ran for just short of 750 yards. That?s almost a season for a few of the kids who are on this team. His electrifying 107-yard interception return against Central Catholic was such a “wow” moment, it was the Top Play on ESPN the following Monday. But during The Prep?s fourth game of the season, against Everett, he tore his ACL.Anyone with those chops, and who was our Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, just cannot be ignored. Yet at the same time, it does not seem fair that the “26th player” be left off this team because we went against our own precedent.Going forward, we are addressing this. We feel it is absolutely necessary to recognize Johnny Thomas for all he?s accomplished … but we?re doing this apart from the actual team.In 1987, Lynn Tech?s Rick Drislane had what was certainly an all-star season — perhaps even good enough to merit one of our special awards. But on Thanksgiving night, Drislane was killed in an automobile accident.Henceforth, whenever such extenuating circumstances arise, we will present the Rick Drislane Memorial Award. It will be given only when deemed appropriate by The Item, to a player who has proven to be exceptional, but — for reasons totally beyond his control — could not meet the requirement for the number of games played.The inaugural Rick Drislane Memorial Award will be presented at Monday night?s banquet to Johnathan Thomas of St. John?s Prep.