9/15/2005 12:36:00 PM by Rob

Bad Sportsmanship

When I went out to Yahoo! Images to search for images dealing with 'bad sportsmanship', I was hoping to find something with an overbearing fan yelling from his seat in the bleachers. But the first thing that came up, I swear to God, was THIS picture of Naomi Watts. So, WTF, it's a sign from God. Put it in there...

Anyhoo, I was away teaching End User Computing to more of the great unwashed the last few days, so I'm back, and I see that I am being branded as a bad sport because I said my kids stood around all weekend with their thumbs up they ass when they were supposed to be pass blocking. You seem like you need a few reassurances, so here ya go.

I did NOT yell once this whole weekend.

Of course, I'm not looking for a medal, especially when you hear the reason. The fact is, I never played the game, and I have been told, at times, by their coaches that it may APPEAR that they are just tiptoeing through the tulips, not hitting anybody, when really, they're "covering a zone" or "pulling out" or a handful of other football related activities. So I honestly can't tell whether or not they're doggin' it or not. So I have no right to yell.

None of this daffodil shit applies when it comes to my observation of basketball or baseball games, mind you.

But why am I even grousing? I see your point, nobody likes to play or watch a game with the overbearing parent whose mouth is going a mile a minute. But when somebody says "lay off the kid for not hustling", well, it's obvious you're either an utter namby-pamby, or you don't have kids, at least none that participate in Organized Sport.

For what IS Organized Sport, if nothing else but a vessel in which parents everywhere pour scads of their hard-earned money, as well as something even more precious, their free time, hauling kids to and from practices, workout sessions, trainers, doctors. Not to mention the games, the fundraisers, the obligatory turns running the concession stand, the chain gang, umpiring, coaching, keeping stats, and being the 'treat mom'.

Really, if you have had a kid in anything from tee-ball on up, if you stand there and tell me that you didn't have to nearly devote yourself during the season to the kid's game, then you're a liar, or you're one of THEM fucks who just drops their kid off, and leaves the coaching, fundraising, and the rest of the work for the rest of us. In otherwords, it's a lot of work for my wife and I.

All we ask, in return, is 100% effort. You don't have to win, you don't have to be the best, but if we take you somewhere to participate in this activity that YOU signed up for, then while you're there, then direct ALL of your attention to the game. Do NOT waste my efforts by spending 3/4 of the practice cutting up with the other guys, showing off for the skirts watching practice from the doorway, or acting like you're dying.

Just do your best, and I know you, and I know what you look like when you're really trying. If you don't wanna put out, ok, just remember that next year when you're standing there with your hand out holding a sheet of paper that I have to sign and notarize, when I tell you to piss off. You're my kid, and all, and I love you, but life is too short to waste. You can chase girls for free all you want, without my having to pay the school a hundred dollar participation fee.

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