In recent years, attending sporting events, I have different thoughts running through my head while standing and singing the National Anthem. Oh, I still get 'goose-bumps' occasionally when a performer does a particularly fine rendition of that most difficult song. That said, I am beginning to wonder about the true toughness of our nation. Personally, I believe young people are much smarter than those of my generation and my parents, however I think that we have a helluva lot more wimp-ass sissies; No let me re-phrase that thought, I KNOW we have more wimp-ass sissies and the number will be growing.
Jacksonville high school has fired two (2) coaches over the previous three years and both were dismissed because they were 'HARD' with expectations and demands upon their athletes. I have told you before that parents dislike teachers who give a lot of homework and coaches who 'yell.' The entire circumstance firings at Jacksonville are so very transparent that after three telephone calls, I can now give you names of the parents who 'got' the firing done!! There are no surprises.
I am not picking on Jacksonville high school. Six years ago, I was invited to speak to athletes and parents at an exclusive private high school in the greater Boston metropolitan area. The yearly tuition at this school was $27,000.00 and it was not a school that housed and fed students; nope, just an 8-to-3 attendance school. After my presentation, I joined parents for a reception and question/answer session. One well-educated couple, in their mid-fifties, asked me this question: "Do you think it is okay for us to ask our son's football coach to do more to publicly acknowledge our son and other teammates who are second-team players who get little press recognition.?" I followed with this question before offering my answer: "How old and what grade is your son?" They answered, "He is a 20-year old sophomore at Holy Cross College." I thought but did NOT SAY, 'Are you shitting me?'
The most recent coach fired at Jacksonville high school has a strong won-loss record and during his eight year tenure he claims one IHSA Regional Championship and a shared conference title. Players stated that this coach had high expectations and demands on his players. Funny how we champion the military and its rigorous training. Even stranger how we blow smoke up our own ass talking about how sport can build character and hone survival skills/traits, which are applicable to later life challenges. This is true for fewer each year; more and more wimp-ass kids will be forever dependent upon their crippling parents.
This 'helicoptering-parenting onslaught' is not limited to the sport arena. A few years ago, parents locked horns with the Jacksonville school administration over students being allowed to have cell phones on their person while in the classroom. The parents also held a opposite view regarding wearing hats in the building; the administration changed those 'rules' to accommodate the parents who wish to please their children's wishes.. Therefore, today, should a P E teacher ask some fat-ass kid to do calisthenics and sweat, the kid can immediately text or cell phone his Mommy or Daddy and get that shit straightened out.
If things keep going in this direction, you can expect one day our Nation's WALL guarded by orphans ONLY!
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