This is not about who is a good guy/lady. I just can't see the harm in people posting pics of their BB kids. The thread was clearly marked and was totaly harmless. I just can't believe the reaction. Who sets these rules that determin this thread to be out of bounds. I just don't get it.
Posts: 4412 | Location: Canada | Registered: October 13, 2005
Originally posted by justbaseball: I am NOT telling you I am right, but how I perceive it and the over-reaction(s) such as yours only reaffirm to me that I very well could be right.
Dude, does that mean he's right if you keep coming back?
Posts: 651 | Location: Ohio | Registered: February 04, 2006
Originally posted by 2Bmom: Hey, Jon. Go to Unusually Unusual, watch that taser video I just posted, pretend it's someone you don't like, and you'll feel a lot better!
I think I'm going to change my tag line to "Don't tase me, bro!" Cracks me up every time.
Anyway, as we here at UF found out a few days ago, free speech can be annoying! Whether stated abrasively or gently and respectfully. And sometimes it sure would be nice to have a taser! Only you hope the guy who disagrees with you doesn't have one! But, as BBfam says - Carry on! It's a free country, after all.
In one hour, I'm going to pour myself and adult beverage. TGIF!
I think I am understanding lots of the deep frustration here. The above just shows what type of person you are and how you view the world. Did you see the video of the girls who was drunk and was tasered repeatedly? Did you think that was funny too?
What has this got to do with the discussion?
Good post CD.
BTW, go to general I started a thread a while ago for parents who wanted to brag and not feel funny about doing it.
Posts: 11027 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
Originally posted by willj1967: Here's the main point of my post...I get annoyed by what I perceive to be bragging as well. If you look at the "Pitching" section of this site you'll see a dad who posted video of his 9 yr old son pitching and he asked for advice on his mechanics. Obviously, what he really wants is to hear a bunch of people he doesn't know tell him how great his son is. I think that's pretty silly personally, so what do I (as a mature adult) do about it? I do nothing. I ignore it and move on to something else. What does TPM do? She posts a not-so-subtle chastisement of the guy telling him... "Your son is 9, everything is going to change. Relax and enjoy, he's got a long way to go." I found that more annoying than the guy posting the video. What compels people like TPM, infielddad, and to a lesser extent Justbaseball to interject themselves and their perceived superiority into threads that they are not even a part of? There are certainly jerks that deserve to get slammed on this site. But I don't see it being deserved by the original posters in this thread.
"Your son is 9, everything is going to change. Relax and enjoy, he's got a long way to go."
This is excellent advice. I've seen too many parents take nine year old sports too seriously in baseball, basketball, s****r, football, softball, field hockey and volleyball.
Yesterday I watched a group of high school parents take JV sports too seriously. You would have thought I shot the president when I said, "While winning beats the hell out of losing and the kids want to win, this is about development. No one outside this team gives a rat about whether the JV team wins or loses." They did win. It's that S word sport.
Even my son said today, "Last year in middle school I would have had high fives all day for my performance. In high school JV doesn't mean squat. All that matters is the varsity coach approached me in the hall and said he heard I played well."
Posts: 624 | Location: . | Registered: August 12, 2007
I do find it ridiculous that a parent posted a video of 9 year old just beginning to pitch asking for advice? Do you have a pitcher? I gave him advice, he has a lot to learn and enjoy. So do you.
I have always said to enjoy those moments, time flies so fast. I find less and less parents these days enjoying those moments. They already have the pitching or hitting instuctors lined up, signed up for travel teams. They are so enamored with what every other kid at 9,10,11 are doing also. If you take offense to that, well, that's my opinion, that's how I see it. If you take that as a superior attitude, you'll understand someday.
And in the end, you will find, these young pitchers to develop arm problems before HS. I have a REALLY, REALLY big problem with that....
I don't really want to offend anyone here, but you all just really don't get it. You long-term members really don't have any idea how condescending your posts are (I particularly love "you'll understand someday".)?? That's how my mom talked to me when I was 7. This just confirms my previous post. Because you all have been around this site a long time and your kids have made it, you really think you know more about pitching (or baseball or life) than the rest of us. I've pitched for 12 years and coached for another 13 years. I have 3 friends who have pitched in the major leagues and we talk pitching regularly. I've thrown thousands upon thousands upon thousands of pitches in my lifetime with no injuries. I started throwing curve balls when I was 10. I think I'm qualified to manage my son's pitching, which I do. I don't leave it to his coach, at least not at age 11.
Unlike our interlopers, I don't post in any areas of this site that are irrelevant to me (i.e. anything post-HS). That would be foolish of me.
Once again, this isn't about whether TPM or infielddad are "good" people or "bad" people. Having read many of their posts I bet they are really great people. And the problem here isn't that you're giving bad advice. You didn't say anything that's factually incorrect. The PROBLEM is that nobody asked for it. It's the mother-in-law syndrome ("here are all the things you're doing wrong"). The guy who posted the video of his son didn't ask for your advice on life (though he certainly could use it IMO). He asked for technical advice which is not what you provided. This reminds me of an old post where some kid asked for opinions on whether he should get the new Stealth or the new Demarini bat. I think it was TR that posted something like "man I really love the sound of a wood bat hitting the ball." What the **** does that have to do with buying a Stealth or Demarini? That's how many posts on this site come across to me.
Those of us with pre-HS kids were posting pictures and having fun, then the old-timers (with no pre-HS players) came in uninvited to provide their pearls of wisdom and deliver us from evil. Please read this carefully....WE DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION! Can I say it any more plainly than that? We didn't invite infielddad or any of you to comment. You interjected yourselves into a topic that has absolutely Zero to do with you. Do you all go door-to-door in your neighborhoods giving parental advice? I can't believe I have to say this again...nobody was bragging about how our kids are better than anyone else's, etc... I feel like banging my head on my keyboard. Ow that hurt. Okay, I had to erase a few letters there.
I can't speak for others but I am here on this site mostly to learn from others who know more than me. I occasionally answer questions (if you go through the pitching site you'll see that to be true). But mostly I ask technical questions and have been fortunate to get really good answers from some of the coaches and umpires that frequent this site. I am staying, even though I do get annoyed at many posts.
BTW, O'Reilly is selling "Don't taze me bro!" t-shirts. That might be worth the money.
Originally posted by willj1967: I don't really want to offend anyone here, but you all just really don't get it. You long-term members really don't have any idea how condescending your posts are (I particularly love "you'll understand someday".)?? That's how my mom talked to me when I was 7. This just confirms my previous post. Because you all have been around this site a long time and your kids have made it, you really think you know more about pitching (or baseball or life) than the rest of us. I've pitched for 12 years and coached for another 13 years. I have 3 friends who have pitched in the major leagues and we talk pitching regularly. I've thrown thousands upon thousands upon thousands of pitches in my lifetime with no injuries. I started throwing curve balls when I was 10. I think I'm qualified to manage my son's pitching, which I do. I don't leave it to his coach, at least not at age 11.
Unlike our interlopers, I don't post in any areas of this site that are irrelevant to me (i.e. anything post-HS). That would be foolish of me.
Once again, this isn't about whether TPM or infielddad are "good" people or "bad" people. Having read many of their posts I bet they are really great people. And the problem here isn't that you're giving bad advice. You didn't say anything that's factually incorrect. The PROBLEM is that nobody asked for it. It's the mother-in-law syndrome ("here are all the things you're doing wrong"). The guy who posted the video of his son didn't ask for your advice on life (though he certainly could use it IMO). He asked for technical advice which is not what you provided. This reminds me of an old post where some kid asked for opinions on whether he should get the new Stealth or the new Demarini bat. I think it was TR that posted something like "man I really love the sound of a wood bat hitting the ball." What the **** does that have to do with buying a Stealth or Demarini? That's how many posts on this site come across to me.
Those of us with pre-HS kids were posting pictures and having fun, then the old-timers (with no pre-HS players) came in uninvited to provide their pearls of wisdom and deliver us from evil. Please read this carefully....WE DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION! Can I say it any more plainly than that? We didn't invite infielddad or any of you to comment. You interjected yourselves into a topic that has absolutely Zero to do with you. Do you all go door-to-door in your neighborhoods giving parental advice? I can't believe I have to say this again...nobody was bragging about how our kids are better than anyone else's, etc... I feel like banging my head on my keyboard. Ow that hurt. Okay, I had to erase a few letters there.
I can't speak for others but I am here on this site mostly to learn from others who know more than me. I occasionally answer questions (if you go through the pitching site you'll see that to be true). But mostly I ask technical questions and have been fortunate to get really good answers from some of the coaches and umpires that frequent this site. I am staying, even though I do get annoyed at many posts.
I'd like to provide what I believe to be an unbiased response since I joined the board a couple of months ago.
I have a very extensive background playing through college ball and coaching background through 18U/G showcase softball and helping several players with their recruiting process. I'm up to 15U travel on the baseball side. I also coached 15U before having my own kids.
Joining a board is like walking into a party full of strangers with the one person you know. In this case the partner we all know is baseball. You have to feel your way and find a comfort level.
Whenever you post you're opening yourself up to responses from every member of the community. The responses may be positive or negative. They may be helpful or not. You make that choice by sifting through the information provided and deciding what you can utilize.
And yes, there are times parents of younger players display lack of perspective. Even some of the people providing advice may have lacked perspective at some time several years ago. When they comment, they're only trying to help.
Here's how I help people who I tick off with the comment of "You'll look back and laugh at yourself someday." Go watch a game three or four years younger than your son's current age. I can almost guarantee you will shake your head and wonder how parents can get all torqued up over this level of ball. You may even laugh.
Posts: 624 | Location: . | Registered: August 12, 2007
Those of us with pre-HS kids were posting pictures and having fun, then the old-timers (with no pre-HS players) came in uninvited to provide their pearls of wisdom and deliver us from evil. Please read this carefully....WE DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR OPINION! Can I say it any more plainly than that? We didn't invite infielddad or any of you to comment. You interjected yourselves into a topic that has absolutely Zero to do with you.
So I am trying really hard to follow you here. If I were to understand what I think you are saying...then posters who have been through the whole thing or close to it would have no right to advise any of us on anything unless we asked? That by the way would include Zach Duke's father (one of the very best posters this site ever had...let me repeat "HAD")
Extrapolating, Fungo should keep his mouth shut on college and below, as should infielddad, TPM, FutureBack.Mom, Orlando, racab, rz1 and quite a few others (I would guess about 20 current posters) who have kids in pro ball unless asked? BTW, Innocent Bystander fits this category too and is headed for Round-2 with a pre-HSer...which gives me a very good reason to reconsider about my own thoughts on this too...Dude!
But continuing along thinking about your comment, there must be at least another 50-100 college-parent posters who should stay quiet about HS and below since it has "zero to do with them?"...that is unless "asked" by those with kids in HS and below? Taken to an extreme, we should never start a thread...because we weren't asked any question...right?
This is getting really ridiculous Will-Jon. Re-reading my previous post I can see where you thought I was talking like a parent rather than a peer...for that I am sincerely sorry. I had no intention, whatsoever, of coming off that way. OK? To borrow a (para)phrase from you, 'let me make it plain' (which by the way was a "parental" phrase my own parents used with me too...or was it my mother-in-law? Nah, never, she's way too sweet!)...I am sorry! (yet another plain phrase my parents taught me).
BTW, do you know why OPP (Zach Duke's father) and some other really good posters left this site? Because newer people came on here and told them they were full of $hit or they had no business advising them on the pitfalls when they weren't asked. Awfully sad that he and others just said, 'enough is enough.' No one is immune my friend. If you stick with this, you will be told the same a few years from now when you offer advice with good intentions...unsolicited.
quote:
Unlike our interlopers, I don't post in any areas of this site that are irrelevant to me...The PROBLEM is that nobody asked for it.
Speaking plainly again, I made mistakes my first time through and I will make more I am sure. Overall, it has worked out well so far. But there are also things I would do differently such as identifying my kids on here. There are also things I did well like read and listen to OPP, Fungo, infielddad and others. If some of us have experienced firsthand some of these things...or seen them play out before, do you really want us to keep it in the vault? OK, but WOW!
quote:
Because you all have been around this site a long time and your kids have made it, you really think you know more about pitching (or baseball or life) than the rest of us.
Absolutely not! But I do think a number of veteran posters on here know a lot more than you about navigating through pre-HS, HS, college and beyond. Other than perhaps me, they are good people. We all gained a lot from this site over the years. It helped us to help get our kids to where they are and now we have lots of background, experiences and information that I like to read and learn from and sometimes share...yes, unsolicited.
BUT...if this is the new order of this message board...oldies must sit in a corner until asked to comment and never, ever say anything pointed or unpopular, well then a lot of us need to move on. Like I said several posts ago, like OPP I've got plenty of other hobbies to move on over too.
One of the most common mistakes I made in my first year or two on here was misinterpreting or over-reacting to others' posts. I too once 'went off' on a pretty good and experienced poster. As time went on, I realized that these are good people trying to help and that almost never...ALMOST NEVER...did they intentionally mean to sound condescending or parental. The same is true here. I wish you would choose to believe that.
But even after all of that, I will say it again in yet another way. I did not think the question about the reason behind the pictures asked by a veteran poster was unreasonable, nor did I think it was condescending nor elitist nor offensive. I thought it was provocative and that has played out to be true in this thread IMO. Unsolicited, I am offering the opinion that (in most cases) posting photos, videos, stats, etc... of your own son strikes me as self-promotional. Note the words "opinion" and "strikes me" are not absolutes nor authoritative. I have posted information about my kids in the past and I wish I had not. Many, many times I wish that no one on here knew who my kids are including at this very moment. I can think of no benefit to my kids, who to me are the most important parties here, to have the spotlight put onto them by me. That is my opinion, and nothing more, based on a fairly large sample of personal experience. Take it or leave it, your choice.
Going back to an earlier comment you (WillJ) made on this thread, you said:
quote:
No hard feelings here. I wasn't really that bothered...I mostly thought it was kind of funny...
I'm hoping we can get back to that feeling you had before and that Saturday brings some sunshine and a much better day to you and your family. Cheers!
P.S. TG - thats a really good post IMO.
----------------------- Go Bearcats!
Posts: 3675 | Location: California | Registered: June 22, 2003
If you feel I was condescending, and don't like things said, you should take your own advice, you are giving, stay quiet. That's how it is on a message board right ?, they are words, you may think things are condescending, when they just might not be. I find that to be the confusion.
I remember OPP used to say to me, you'll understand that someday, so did Fungo, I never took it as anything more than they had a few years more of experience, and I do understand the comment. So I am passing them along to you. Take it as you wish. I guess you must have found your mom to be condescending, but I am sure you have looked back and understood what she was saying. And since you made reference to your mom, I am assuming you must feel that moms, should stay out of baseball discussions. If that was not yor intention, so you see how things get sidetracked on a message board? There's a good example.
I understand where you feel some of us have intruded. I apologize for that, but if you do go back and look, I said I enjoyed the pics, they brought back memories, and I really didn't agree with infielddad's post or justbaseball's but I felt that they have a right to express their opinions and ask questions and make statments, just as you do also wherever you post, whether asked or not.
Posts: 11027 | Location: South Florida | Registered: July 28, 2003
For the record, not all of us with pre-hs kids think along the lines of will/jon. I can't begin to tell you how much I've learned from posters like Fungo, Justbaseball, TPM etc... My oldest will be in HS next year and we're going in prepared thanks to them. I feel like we won't be in it alone because these guys (and gals) were gracious enough to share their experiences good and bad. At least we have a game plan so to speak. Will my sons play college? Who knows, I don't need to worry about that now, but if they are on that track, I feel I know where to come for advice. I hope none of the posters who were told to back off do-I appreciate them sharing with us pre-hs parents. I bet their experiences have helped many to a situation better than would have happened without a little help from here.
BTW justbaseball--The advice you gave us last year, awesome. My son had a year you really can't pay for, friends for life, great experiences, he's just where he belongs (although the drive isn't fun). He loves it! (okay, so do we )
Posts: 547 | Location: Northern California | Registered: November 10, 2004
My oldest will be in HS next year and we're going in prepared thanks to them. I feel like we won't be in it alone because these guys (and gals) were gracious enough to share their experiences good and bad. At least we have a game plan so to speak. Will my sons play college? Who knows, I don't need to worry about that now, but if they are on that track, I feel I know where to come for advice.
BBfam - that is a very nice post and represents what the hsbaseballweb is all about imho. I especially like the part about not worrying about whether or not your sons will play in college.
Here is the best secret I can give you and you can take it to the bank. If you foster a love for the game in them where it is first and foremost about having fun and not your expectations for them, and if they remain healthy baseballwise, then they will play in college someday! In the meantime, have fun and enjoy
Originally posted by bkekcs: Since there haven't been many pictures posted over the last few pages I thought put a few more on. So here's to the new direction of this thread!
LOL! After getting up at 6am, driving an hour to a tournament, doing pregame for an hour just to watch the rain fall, hang out for two more hours trying to find out what's going on, then driving home to find out we have to drive back later this afternoon, and now play our rained out game is at 8 blipp'n AM tomorrow which means getting up at 5:30am, I needed a good laugh. Thank you.
Posts: 624 | Location: . | Registered: August 12, 2007
)...I am sorry! (yet another plain phrase my parents taught me).
