In a suburb east of Cleveland, Ohio, the long-standing tradition of the town's post-season Little League All-Star game has been officially cancelled. The move was initiated by Beachwood Mayor Merle Gordon with letters to the players parents informing them of the cancellation. The decision was prompted by an article by a man named Fred Engh, founder of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, on a website entitle Parks & Rec Business. Mr. Engh argues that all-star games damage the self-esteem of the players not selected. He cites several reasons why all-star games are damaging, including chance of injury. He even goes so far as to insinuate that the mediocre ballers do not get picked because they may be "obese." That is actually the coolest part of the argument. Of course the fat kids don't get picked for the all-star game! Fatties can't steal second or run down a fly ball.
This is political correctness of the highest order, and not a small reason for the overall decay of our society. If a kid fails to make the all-star team is it the end of the world? Of course not. But now we are going to take away the joys of making and competing in an all-star game away from the kids who can achieve such a thing. It's bogus.
Welcome to the new America folks. Pretty soon there won't be an honor roll.
The next thing you know you will be treating your family to a brand new Scrabble set and when you get home and open it up you will find that there aren't any numbers on the tiles.
When the time comes for my daughter to start soccer I will refuse to enroll her in a league that condemns the infernal act of keeping score. If that means she has to take up golf then so be it. But when she starts to best her old man's tally I'm quitting.
America 2025: where the only game the masses are allowed to enjoy is tic-tac-toe.
We're fucked.
5 comments:
This proves it. Fat kids are ruining it for everyone.
Clearly this takes it too far. The question is how to know when a kid is old enough to deal with failure, and how big a failure. When Emma is 4 and draws a crappy looking elephant (as any 4 year old would) you aren't going to say "Geez that sucks and looks like crap", no you are going to say "thats awsome". Likewise, learning to cope with losing is a skill, one that needs developing. As an active person, I've always said the most important physical skill is knowing how to fall and not get hurt - you have to learn to roll with a fall. And if you never fall, you never learn how to fall properly. So there are times that kids need the esteem boost, and times when its the wrong thing to do. This is basically an example of where the official doesn't want to be on the wrong side of that line.
Excellent comment PH. I'm glad you agree and I'm glad you found my three dimes and three pennies.
I hope you check back often, and I know if you do that you'll help to keep me in check. I can fly off the handle fairly easily.
Tippet I'm also glad you've checked in. I'm going to check out the webisode now. I already know I'll love it. Just like I already know that I love the new Batman movie, before it's even premiered.
You'll love this one too:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/nyregion/10towns.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion
sad
That's great.
I loved the line "They'd rather we sit at home and play Grand Theft Auto."
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