Pitching and Pitchers Discussion I may have saved a young pitcher's life a coupla weeks ago

[mike_dyer]

My kid was subbing/trying out for a team a coupla weeks ago. I noticed a pitcher was taking a loss pretty hard so I offered her some encouragement. The conversation went like this:

"What's the matter, young lady?"

"I lost, sir. We were ahead by a lot of runs in the bottom of the 7th and I was fading. I knew I couldn't finish but my dad tells me to never, ever, ever ask if I can come out of the game no matter what because my coach will take me out of the rotation. Coach says we need to finish what we start, always. So I got in trouble and gave up a few hits, made an error. Everyone started making errors. It all just went downhill."

"Well kid, your coach and your dad sound like they need to lighten up a little and grow up a lot."

"You really think so, mister?"

"Yes I do. But don't worry about it anymore. It's just a softball game."

"But the t-shirt my mom wears says it's more than just a game."

"That's a slogan. It's just something people say, some of them may even believe it. People will also tell you the good guy always wins in the end, but reality proves to us that in the real world Goliath kicks David's butt 99.9% of the time."

"I guess you have a point."

"Listen kid, pro athletes lose games like you and your team did all the time and the whole world is watching. The peons who aren't involved make a big deal about it but the athletes themselves stroll off the field of play like a BOSS and get on with their lives like nothing happened. You'll find them out later that night yucking it up with their friends without a care in the world.

"I wish I could be like that."

"You can. Just stop caring so much. A softball game, win or lose, is meaningless even though the people around you right now are acting like it's a big deal. Be honest, your coach and your dad care about it more than you and the girls on your team do, don't they?"

"Yes..."

"Indeed. Look kid, you can go from the being the best pitcher in history to trying to selling yogurt of all things. And if you did that you would forever be seen as a success story in this sport. Most won't be so lucky.

View attachment 324

"Gosh, softball seems so pointless."

"Now you're learning, kid. Hey, it was good talking to you. Do me a favor and take care of yourself. It doesn't sound like anyone else is going to."

Later that day I was walking to my car and I heard the girl's coach ask the other girls if they had seen her. She was nowhere to be found.

Run kid, run. Run like the wind.

 

[jdcii]

Disappointed, I expected better fiction out of you.

 

[ApogeeDemon]

did the speech sound like this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr44V8yopjs

 

[cobb_of_fury]

Dang AD, I was saving this clip for the Face Mask debate - [video=youtube;74Y7PD_uBe8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Y7PD_uBe8&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[Scooter7]

[video=youtube;U2tNsZQGmVw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2tNsZQGmVw[/video]

 

[okiedad1961]

This sounds the line, your union rep tells you ,when he wants you too give up your dreams of success in your career,and tells you ,you'll never achieve anything unless you have there backing.Yes Parents and coach's take this game way too seriously,but telling a kid nothing SHE aspires to be is acheivable ,so why worry about it?You are what you put into it,success isn't given its achieved.That's what made this country what it is ,the individual freedom to aspire to achieve anything.

 

[cobb_of_fury]

I think this video clearly sums up this thread - Thanks for watching - Enjoy!!
[video=youtube;upHympOpqRc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=upHympOpqRc[/video]

 

[BulldawgsDirector]

Was that story a really bad after school special from the 80's? Was this an episode of Full House when DJ's friend was a softball player and Uncle Joey intervened? I know it from somewhere, but the only thing I am sure of is the script and the acting was equally bad.

 

[coachmsd]

I heard he also rescued a puppy and helped an old lady cross the street safely

 

[tjsmize3]

Was that story a really bad after school special from the 80's? Was this an episode of Full House when DJ's friend was a softball player and Uncle Joey intervened? I know it from somewhere, but the only thing I am sure of is the script and the acting was equally bad.

YES!!!...I remember that episode.... cried like a baby when slightly inebriated Uncle Joey said "run Kimmy, run. Run like the wind Kimmy." It was from those few weeks back in season 6 where Uncle Joey was going through his "hippie" phase.

 

[mike_dyer]

This sounds the line, your union rep tells you ,when he wants you too give up your dreams of success in your career,and tells you ,you'll never achieve anything unless you have there backing.Yes Parents and coach's take this game way too seriously,but telling a kid nothing SHE aspires to be is acheivable ,so why worry about it?You are what you put into it,success isn't given its achieved.That's what made this country what it is ,the individual freedom to aspire to achieve anything.

I think someone should have aspired to be just a little bit better with the english language....

 

[okiedad1961]

I think someone should have aspired to be just a little bit better with the english language....

See even a poor redneck that can't spell can make a good point.If id listened to your advice I woudn't of even been smart enough to make that good point."Quitters never Win,Winners never quit"

 

[mike_dyer]

See even a poor redneck that can't spell can make a good point.If id listened to your advice I woudn't of even been smart enough to make that good point."Quitters never Win,Winners never quit"

A. I never gave you any advice.

B. What point did you make other than you're a hysterical reactionary who can read and write at about a 4th grade level?

 

[coachjwb]

Yes, there are a ton of parents and coaches who take it way more seriously than they should, and put lots of undue stress on the kids along the way. And at some point, those kids whose parents care more about it eventually quit, usually without being told by another adult that they shouldn't care.

There's a lot than can be learned in competitive sports ... I look at my DD and she learned so much from winning, from losing, from her teammates and from her coaches. Some of the things she learned was how to do things the right way, and some was about how not to do things. One of the things she learned somewhere in her life (I'm not sure if it was from playing sports) was to not be arrogant and rude to people who may not read, write or talk as well as her.

 

[megsmom]

coachjwb,
You said it well. I agree with you.
ALSO....Not sure why some posters want to make rude comments. I remember when my girls started school. I told them be kind and play nice. Thinking a lot of adults forget to do that.there have been a lot of negative comments lately on a lot of posts. Thought the general purpose was to share info not insult.

 

[okiedad1961]

Megsmom, good point on sharing info,my comments were based on the orginal post ,and my thoughts on them .Must have struck a nerve w Mr Dyer,and he thought I was stupid for disagreeing w him.Most folks that have stronglly held beliefs in there agenda act that way,nothing new.Never was a great speller but most get what I'm saying,enjoyed the earlier posts.

 

[Hilliarddad3]

MegsMom.... There was once a rambling rectum called the dice man here who took on many alter egos...... I believe he may be up to it again somewhere in these pages of the forum again......

 

[Louuuuu]

... a rambling rectum called the dice man ...

And that's stating it conservatively !