Little League World Series
 

From the outset, I think puting 12 yr olds on camera in front of the entire world is a BAD idea. WHat makes it worse is that the cameras always focus on the pitcher who gave up the winning HR, crying and balling on the mound. I don't wanna see that.

Now we have illegal players, overage players, scandals......this stuff is getting worse than MLB!

The most dispicable thing I saw was this morning. This kid from the Harlem team hit a home run, and waved it good bye jogging up the first base line, then danced and showboated down the third base line. Naturally, the manager of the team was warned, and for the cameras he gave a little rant to the kid.

That kind of crap is absolutly reprehensible. Youth sports are to teach sportsmanship, winning gracefully and losing gracefully, respect for your opponents. You don't humiliate the kid you just yaked off of.

Probably did that for the cameras since he knew it would make it to Sportscenter, which goes back to me saying that puting these little kids on TV is such a bad idea.

Of course, I don't ultimatly blame the kid. His parents should have taught him right from wrong, and his coach should have told them that that stuff is unacceptable.

What makes it even worse is that people are on ESPN/any other type of media saying "that type of showboating is natural within black and latino kids". This isn't a case of black & white, it's right & wrong. He should not be showboating like that and humilliating the other team.

And if people are going to say that he's just emulating his professional players. 1) I have NEVER seen a pro baseball player celebrate LIKE THAT before, and 2) ANy pro player who would do that would get beaned his next at bat, which scares me. If he's going to showboat like a pro, what makes a 12 yr old kid see ROger Clemens bean him back and not think that THAT's the right thing to do?

Yeah I basically took Jim Rome's take, but I agree with everything he said 100%

Thoughts?

Re: Little League World Series
 

You did take Rome's take. :D

I'm still thinking about this one, however, so I can't offer a coherent opinion. :p BTW,my nephew just began to coach Pop Warner in San Diego (Encanto/Paradise Hills), so I think I may ask him what he thinks.

On the showboating topic, you would think that the parents would send a message not to do so. But I also suspect that many parents don't pay attention, because they're frustrated jocks living vicariously through their kiddies. :mad:

Re: Re: Little League World Series
 

The Hornets or the Tigers? Stan grew up in PH.....ah the memories (Go SCPA Lions......... NOT!)

They're only mimicking what they see from the media, professional athletes, etc... Just watch the movie, "Any Given Sunday".

The fault does not lie 100% with the parents -- but it is their job to teach sportsmanship.

Our culture has shifted so much that we have forgotten virtues like honor. Rationalizing falsifying birth certificates is pretty much on par with your Enron, Worldcom, etc... We place far too much emphasis on winning.

What satisfaction is there in winning if you do so through deceit?

Actually, right now, one of my sisters is working at the Little League World Series. She says it sucks! Its overrun by tourists, its also usually very hot, and more often than not, she works a 12 hr. day each day she works. It held usually the week before we all return to school.

Re: Re: Re: Little League World Series
 

I'm not sure what team he's coaching. We grew up across from Morse, but none of us attended school there or Lincoln (his mom's alma mater).

I was a Warhawk of Madison High, and he was a Mission Bay High Buccaneer.
:cool:

A certain responsibility lies with the coaches as well though...

I played baseball from 1st grade until I graduated high school, little league through varsity and everything in between. My coaches never went for anything like that - you showboated, you got yanked from the line-up, and ended up having to do sprints or something like that afterwards.

A little discipline goes a long way...

Collin

When I played little league I was taller then my coaches. It caused some problems but nothing a couple of phone calls and documentation couldn’t clear up. I just felt like mentioning that because it really sucks to be accused of cheating just because you’re tall. I usually give the bigger kids the benefit of the doubt and from what I understand on the little league World Series level teams actually hire private investigators to check out ages of opponents.

Re: Little League World Series
 

I have to say that I think the brushback and beanings are a part of the game. A part that was at one time important in sending a message...namely, that not respecting your opponents was not going to go unnoticed. It was done, and everyone knew why it was being done: fans, teammates, announcers - everyone. Fathers explained it to their kids and that the proper response was to simply take the base. However in these days of cry baby, egotistical ball players, the punishment is now responded to by a charging of the mound...and I for one think it's incredibly sad that today's players seem incapable of putting things in perspective.

Anyway, I know that my little brother's team of 14 year olds plays old school ball, and their manager even has a specific signal for the pitcher to hit the batter. At the same time he has taught them not to be unsportsmanlike in their conduct. During one particular game I saw one kid remain in the lineup until his turn to bat, where he was subsequently beaned. Upon reaching first base, there was a pinch runner for the kid, and he ended up sitting out the rest of the game and the next one.

Basically my point is that there is a right way to play the game, and there should be an allowed means of punishment when those boundries are broken. However at the same time there needs to be an explanation at each juncture of why that happened. Coaches need to realize that sportsmanship is part of their job and needs to be a priority. Parents also should explain when watching pro sports that the actions by the pros are not appropriate.

I agree with rome and also, I have no interest in watching. There was a kid the other day who had hit 2 home runs and was up with men on 2nd and 3rd with 2 out in the last inning. The team was down two runs and the kid started waving his arms and getting the crowd going. He promptly struck out to end the game. Another great moment in sports.:rolleyes:

I'm not here to analyze Little League, I just want to say that I'm absolutely thrilled that a team from KY (my home state) won the world series tonight!!! :D Those kids are awesome...makes me feel a little inadequate that 12-year-olds can play better than I could ever hope to, but I'm so proud of them.

USA WINS!

Congratulations!

Hootie

a. They aren't from The Bronx. They're from Harlem. Not even going to go into the "we all look alike" speech.

b. Chill out, it's a game. Really. They're little kids for Pete's sake!

That team was just great. I watched the series with my 9-year old cousin, and we were just BLOWN AWAY by how great they were.

Alvey with 11 innings with no hits! Wow! Even if the kid looks 25, it's a great feat.

They deserved that victory!

Oops, yeah, should have put Harlem, my apologies. And no, I know all New Yorkers don't look alike.

And yeah, they are little kids......that's why I didn't appreciate their showboating..... youth sports are supposed to teach you NOT to showboat, to learn sportsmanship.

I deleted my last post. That was really immature of me, because, you're right, they are just little kids, nothing to get serious about.