JBB & JH, I understand your point of view on it, although JH, the linked article seemed to put a positive spin on the event in many ways. I didn't see where the article tied any problems the older players had to LLWS participation, but more so to the environment they grew up in. Sounds like you probably have more insight as to how the event tied into the equation for some of those guys.
Overall, I take the good with the bad with this event. It is baseball and kids. The LLWS has been a staple of the overall game for a long time. For me, the imperfections are part of the appeal.
I do think they are regressing in the way it is produced on TV. Mone is a great story... a talented, personable girl - pretty cool that she was such a contributing member for her team. But there were plenty of other kids with interesting character and background that they could have touched on instead of hammering the Mone story to death. I liked it better when they used to talk more about what the kids' personal interests are outside of baseball and about their hometowns and when they didn't isolate the kid that just made an error for so long.
But anyway, back to my original OP question... I wonder if the kids start to wear down mentally being away from the comfort of home for so long and having to be so careful about what they do or say every minute.
I know a few kids who played and did very well. I never heard of any of that being an issue. Most had parents at the event, and they all loved being there. Getting the rock star treatment when they got home might have puffed up one or two egos temporarily but other than that the kids I know seem like any other kids.