the lost Sunday
Sunday I played in a golf tournament benefitting one of the youngster's coaches. The one who once played A ball in the Dodger organization. The guy plays on a baseball team that plays in in tournaments around the southeast, and they were trying to make some money to help be able to do that. After all the help he's been to the youngster, I figured that was the least I could do.
They didn't make it easy though. The tournament was a good hour drive at a course that isn't much to speak of. I played with two other guys who's kids have benefitted from the coach. Our fourth bowed out due to unforseen things coming up. We played OK...nothing special, but we had fun. The thing was, it took up the entire day. I left around 10:30 in the morning and it was after 8:00 when I got home. That meant all I saw/heard of the Jaguars game, or any football at all, was that my boys lost. This morning on sports talk, I got some idea of why, but still I got it all second hand, so I'm not sure. Yes, I realize that even if I had seen it, I wouldn't be sure, but I'd have more of an opinion.
One of the guys I played with was the youngster's coach in the spring, who has moved up to the next age group. I had given some thought to calling him Saturday and asking for some help coaching the youngster's team in the Phillies debacle, but decided to try to let us struggle through. Therefore I had yesterday and the drive to the golf course to recount the events of the prior evening. He just sat there with his mouth hung open. He had coached the 12 year old rules expert before, and knew about his dad. He had a guy who coached with him who spoke to the father of the 12 year old rules expert before every game and reminded him to keep his comments to himself. His support was appreciated, but he can't be making comments about the other team. Apparently the Phillies aren't giving him the same lecture. Also, it was mentioned that you could smell the alochol on his breath when said lecture took place before each game, so I'm sure that's a factor now too. Ya know, it's just a shame that kids' baseball gets to this base level. It hasn't happened with any other team we played, but it's a shame that sort of ugliness is out there and allowed to fester, and I blame their coaches. I was reminded in the car yesterday, that the youngster's old coach always sat everyone down at the beginning of the season and told the parents and kids what kind of behavior was and wasn't acceptable, and a big reason we were there was to learn to be good sports, and verbal abuse (or any other kind) wouldn't be tolerated from either group, or you and your kid could leave. I don't know how much of a factor that was, but I know we didn't have obnoxious jeering parents in our stands, so I guess it was a part of it. It just a shame other coaches don't have that conversation.
One thing I forgot to mention about the game...a first for the youngster. He got hit by a pitch...fastball, probably in the 60 mph range. It was in the small of his back. The kid's got next to no meat on him and this morning, it's still painful if anyone touches it. Another thing I forgot to mention was we played the game immediately after the Florida/Georgia football game ended, and I have a suspicion that the alcohol was flowing at the homes of some of our opposition. While not excusing the behavior, it might explain some of it. That still doesn't explain the obnoxious kids though. We play the same team this Saturday at 8:30 in the morning. Hopefully it's early enough that the parents won't have put away too much alocohol. Yeah, I'm being snarky and I shouldn't. I could stand to be a little more civil, too.
They didn't make it easy though. The tournament was a good hour drive at a course that isn't much to speak of. I played with two other guys who's kids have benefitted from the coach. Our fourth bowed out due to unforseen things coming up. We played OK...nothing special, but we had fun. The thing was, it took up the entire day. I left around 10:30 in the morning and it was after 8:00 when I got home. That meant all I saw/heard of the Jaguars game, or any football at all, was that my boys lost. This morning on sports talk, I got some idea of why, but still I got it all second hand, so I'm not sure. Yes, I realize that even if I had seen it, I wouldn't be sure, but I'd have more of an opinion.
One of the guys I played with was the youngster's coach in the spring, who has moved up to the next age group. I had given some thought to calling him Saturday and asking for some help coaching the youngster's team in the Phillies debacle, but decided to try to let us struggle through. Therefore I had yesterday and the drive to the golf course to recount the events of the prior evening. He just sat there with his mouth hung open. He had coached the 12 year old rules expert before, and knew about his dad. He had a guy who coached with him who spoke to the father of the 12 year old rules expert before every game and reminded him to keep his comments to himself. His support was appreciated, but he can't be making comments about the other team. Apparently the Phillies aren't giving him the same lecture. Also, it was mentioned that you could smell the alochol on his breath when said lecture took place before each game, so I'm sure that's a factor now too. Ya know, it's just a shame that kids' baseball gets to this base level. It hasn't happened with any other team we played, but it's a shame that sort of ugliness is out there and allowed to fester, and I blame their coaches. I was reminded in the car yesterday, that the youngster's old coach always sat everyone down at the beginning of the season and told the parents and kids what kind of behavior was and wasn't acceptable, and a big reason we were there was to learn to be good sports, and verbal abuse (or any other kind) wouldn't be tolerated from either group, or you and your kid could leave. I don't know how much of a factor that was, but I know we didn't have obnoxious jeering parents in our stands, so I guess it was a part of it. It just a shame other coaches don't have that conversation.
One thing I forgot to mention about the game...a first for the youngster. He got hit by a pitch...fastball, probably in the 60 mph range. It was in the small of his back. The kid's got next to no meat on him and this morning, it's still painful if anyone touches it. Another thing I forgot to mention was we played the game immediately after the Florida/Georgia football game ended, and I have a suspicion that the alcohol was flowing at the homes of some of our opposition. While not excusing the behavior, it might explain some of it. That still doesn't explain the obnoxious kids though. We play the same team this Saturday at 8:30 in the morning. Hopefully it's early enough that the parents won't have put away too much alocohol. Yeah, I'm being snarky and I shouldn't. I could stand to be a little more civil, too.
John put this out here at 7:53 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home