Picture a high school all-star baseball game with forty yards of sideline instead of a dugout. Now throw in people with microphones and cameras who have free run of the place. How much different would the result be? The dugout provides a lot of privacy. How much is said in the dugout you wouldn't want mothers to hear?quote:On the other hand, the camera does strange things to a person and maybe some of the blame should be directed toward the media who's looking for that "shot".
quote:Originally posted by RJM:quote:On the other hand, the camera does strange things to a person and maybe some of the blame should be directed toward the media who's looking for that "shot".
I have to agree with that. It don't like it, though.
quote:The dugout provides a lot of privacy. How much is said in the dugout you wouldn't want mothers to hear?
There were cameras in the dugouts at Aflac. There was none of the mugging for the camera.
The dugout is not a wide open area where people with microphones and cameras have free range of movement to do anything they want. The AFLAC games are a scouted event. This football game is a party. These kids have already been scouted and signed for college. Even at the pro level I see a much different environment in a baseball dugout versus the forty yards of sideline at a football game. Besides, football is far more emotional than than baseball.quote:There were cameras in the dugouts at Aflac. There was none of the mugging for the camera.
baseball player's are much smarter than football players.you never see a baseball team penalized for to many players on the field. 
quote:Originally posted by Coach May:
I typed a long post and then deleted it. I typed another long post and deleted that one. Quite honestly I had to cool down so I wouldnt post something I would regret. And the thought came in my head "Its not worth the effort , whats the point anyway."
But then my personality took over and I just had to say what I feel. If this offends anyone I am truly sorry.
Baseball does not tolerate this kind of stuff. From the day a kid first steps on the field he is taught or at least should be taught a respect for the game. Respect for the game means "It is not about you it is about your team. You cheer for your team mates not against the other team. The game is bigger than you. Your team is more important than you. What you do for your team is more important than what you do for yourself. You honor those that have gone before you and paved the way for you by the way you conduct yourself on the field at all times. You respect your opponent at all times. He is a baseball player just like you and has earned that respect. You celebrate your teams accomplishments and your teams success not yours. You honor the game by playing it as hard as you can at all times and with class at all times."
It sickens me to see what goes on in some of these other sports. Its has become a "look at me" "trash talking" "no respect for the opponent" enviroment. Where it is cool to act like a clown and be an individual. This idea that "they are just kids" bull. Kids can be taught to respect the game and the opponent. The coach can instill a fire and determination to compete and at the same time have some class as well. There is nothing I despise more than someone disrespecting the game, their opponent , their team mates , coaches , fans etc. You play as hard as you can , you compete your as*off , and you do it with class.
I watched a few minutes of it and turned it off. I can not watch that stuff. They want to be like the guys in the NFL. How said is that? My players are kids until they are taught to act like men on the baseball field and off of it. If they dont they are not my players. Baseball is a classy game because it is intilled at the young ages and continued through the game. It is not tolerated and should never be. Its about the team. When it becomes about you then go play by yourself.
Many will disagree thats fine. I will not debate this issue with anyone. There are some things that you stand for and there is no wavering.
I, too, was going to enter a long post rebutting many of the previous comments. No need. Coach May, you said it all.
Thank you.
Just a thought on why baseball players act differently than football players--It is the coaches. Coach May's views match up with the high school coaches I have encountered. An example: a few years ago, in my older son's first JV game, their team was beating a lesser opponent by more than 10 runs. Son's team is a very competitive and successful program, opponent barely fields a team each year. Son's team was the home team. Road team's pitcher was struggling and one of our fans, a high school kid, yelled something like "you guys stink". Our JV coach, who was coaching 3rd, called time out, and walked toward the fans. He asked who said that and promptly ejected the kid. As he was doing that, he told the spectators, “We don't do that here. It is not the way we run our program”
At the parents/players meeting prior to the season the JV and Varsity Coaches made it clear that the players and spectators were to demonstrate respect for the game and good sportsmanship above all else.
Son is now a senior. I have been to 95% of the JV and Varsity games during his time in high school and I have not seen our coaches or players or fans show anything but respect for the game, our opponents, and the umpires. Two of our division opponents are the exact opposite-but our fans and players don’t change their approach, despite the various taunts and jeers.
Not an indictment of football coaches, just a comment on how my Son's coaches expect the team and its fans to respect the game.
At the parents/players meeting prior to the season the JV and Varsity Coaches made it clear that the players and spectators were to demonstrate respect for the game and good sportsmanship above all else.
Son is now a senior. I have been to 95% of the JV and Varsity games during his time in high school and I have not seen our coaches or players or fans show anything but respect for the game, our opponents, and the umpires. Two of our division opponents are the exact opposite-but our fans and players don’t change their approach, despite the various taunts and jeers.
Not an indictment of football coaches, just a comment on how my Son's coaches expect the team and its fans to respect the game.
Coach May, great post.
Even within particular sports, there are always going to be those who defy the stereotype of their sport -- both in good ways and bad.
During his high school years, my son played baseball with two guys who were football stars at their respective schools. One guy, who signed with a top D1 football program, was quiet and humble about his skills, had a team-first attitude, and possessed the quintessential baseball personality. Everyone loved him. The other guy, a star QB who is expected to sign with a D2 football program, pumped his fist when he made good plays and did what we termed "pirouettes" as he ran off the field each time an inning ended. My son has always liked everyone he has played with, but this flashy player turned his stomach. To me, he was a football player disguised in baseball gear.
Then there's the guy who plays only baseball but displays all the attitude typical of a football player. His photo is displayed on a local baseball message board and he's listed as a "Top Prospect" A muscular guy, he is pictured in a cocky stance -- arms crossed, head tilted, eyes narrowed, and a smirky look on his mouth. (I would include his photo here, but he is identified by name.) I was absolutely shocked when I saw his photo on the message board, which is frequented by both college and pro scouts. I would think that prospective colleges would run the other way when considering him for their baseball programs.
Even within particular sports, there are always going to be those who defy the stereotype of their sport -- both in good ways and bad.
During his high school years, my son played baseball with two guys who were football stars at their respective schools. One guy, who signed with a top D1 football program, was quiet and humble about his skills, had a team-first attitude, and possessed the quintessential baseball personality. Everyone loved him. The other guy, a star QB who is expected to sign with a D2 football program, pumped his fist when he made good plays and did what we termed "pirouettes" as he ran off the field each time an inning ended. My son has always liked everyone he has played with, but this flashy player turned his stomach. To me, he was a football player disguised in baseball gear.
Then there's the guy who plays only baseball but displays all the attitude typical of a football player. His photo is displayed on a local baseball message board and he's listed as a "Top Prospect" A muscular guy, he is pictured in a cocky stance -- arms crossed, head tilted, eyes narrowed, and a smirky look on his mouth. (I would include his photo here, but he is identified by name.) I was absolutely shocked when I saw his photo on the message board, which is frequented by both college and pro scouts. I would think that prospective colleges would run the other way when considering him for their baseball programs.
Could it be possible part of the difference between baseball and football and basketball is a high school baseball game may have one hundred people in attendance on a good day, where football and basketball will have a few thousand? Crowd noise covers a lot of antics.quote:Not an indictment of football coaches, just a comment on how my Son's coaches expect the team and its fans to respect the game.
Plus emotionally, they're different games. I also coached travel basketball. I'm very calm coaching baseball. I'm very loud coaching basketball. I don't believe torquing up a baseball player has value. It makes a football or basketball player run faster and bang harder.