Slightly Off Topic...Parent

[johnnyrao]

I often wonder how a large group of perfectly normal, probably nice, people can turn into a bunch of raving maniacs as soon as the ball is tossed for a jump ball and then spend the next 90 minutes belittling 3 people in black and white stripes. I found out a lttile bit today.

I was getting my hair cut and the barber and I were discussing football (that's what everyone talks about here in AL). Anyway, he told me his 10 year old son played linebacker for the town pee wee team. He said to motivate his son he offered him $2 for every solo tackle, $5 for every sack, and $20 for knocking the QB out of the game. He said his son came home real excited one day and said he was owed $56 for 13 solo tackels, 2 sacks, and he knocked the QB out of the game. The barber replied that he told his son that wasn't right because the QB was only knocked out for 3 plays and not the rest of the game. I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! I also would say he was not joking either.

Now, I know (thankfully) most folks are not like that, but they are out there and probably part of that crowd that thinks everything is 3 seconds or over the back.

By the way, he also said he followed the refs after one of the football games and ranted at them all the way to their cars. I simply asked him if his ranting resulted in them changing any of their calls. Of course he said no. I then asked him what the point was other than making him feel better. He couldn't answer that one.

Just wnated to share this with the group since it has been on my mind most of the day.

[ref18]

That type of behaviour is what's wrong with amateur sport.

[Mark Padgett]

I hope you didn't ask him the tough question about his rant until after he was finished cutting your hair!

[Forksref]

When I was coaching, my AD said that sports builds Character and Characters!

Try going to a game in which you have absolutely no interest or connection to either team and just watch the fans. You will be amazed, saddened, appalled and puzzled.

If you want to see crazed parents, try watching a pee wee hockey game. And, when the kids get to high school, the parents buy the beer for the kids' parties.

[johnnyrao]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
I hope you didn't ask him the tough question about his rant until after he was finished cutting your hair!

I waited until he put the razor away to make any comments back to him. Now that I think about it I think I tipped him too. That was a mistake.

[ChrisSportsFan]

Try going to a game in which you have absolutely no interest or connection to either team and just watch the fans. You will be amazed, saddened, appalled and puzzled. m(this is supposed to be a quote from Folksref)

This would be a great requirement for many coaches whom the state, league or district is trying to show them how silly some of their actions look. I did a couple of scrimmages for HS-V coaches I know and then they had us talk to the kids about some general reffing philosophies. He had players sit in the stands so their parents could hear and then the AD told everyone his views on sportsmanship included being courteous to refs--- then he said "do we understand each other"? Nobody ever has a problem going to that gym.