Dying to Win

[gearjock]

Before you read the rest of this; I love football, I mean at multiple levels I truly enjoy the sport

Comments

[gearjock]

Good point, it is my LJ default, I will open it.

[gearjock]

Yes I question why we need individual school teams and coaches versus a "district" team and coaches as a way to consolidate costs. It is ridiculous the amount of money devoted to sports at times when academics are facing massive budget cuts.

I feel both have their place, but the primary mission of schools is to provide academic basics to allow kids to succeed in society.

The kids that are good can still qualify for scholarships through district programs.

[sonicwylde]

Yeah, first hand experience, all the sports programs in my school were funded, but we did not have any theatre, music, and barely had an art class.

[kefitzat]

the coaches at my school did that too - it was a way to "toughen up" the "pussies". i find it to be sadistic. they have no idea that the consequences of their actions are deadly. all they want is a winning team that can beat anything. there IS such thing as pushing too hard, and in this case, and the other 24 like it, they have.

[markormarky]

sadism is the status quo in terms of coaches, nationwide, i am convinced. been there in school.

[gearjock]

I disagree on this particular point. There is seldom a "always or all" comparison.

Some coaches are undoubtedly frustrated wanna-bees that could not make it in the pros or in any other profession and they take it out on others.

Others are truly interested in molding young men's characters and helping them realize their potential.

I know of several myself.

The trick is weeding out the ones that are there for the wrong reason.

[gearjock]

Well I can understand how succeeding in the face of adversity can be character building, I honestly can.

But there is a line to cross and it is up to the adults to recognize those lines.

We used to say hazing built character in fraternities, yet we don't and people build character just the same, without foolish, sadistic games, just plain common sense and education.

[markormarky]

never going to stop, unfortunately. you are spouting downright unamerican talk, close to treason.

you will have to make a new country :-(

people are fucking dumbfucks. end of story.

[gearjock]

We'll see. If this guy goes to jail, change will come.

They are crazy, but they don't want to be punked in prison either, that's certainly not macho to them.....

[gearjock]

It seems common sense, but then we get into football and there is a culture of "tough" and "no whiners", then common sense seems to go out the door with macho bullshit rather than measured sensible approaches to assure a good game AND attempting to maximize safety.