Bribes

I have never had anybody come up to me and offer X amount of money for Little Johnny to play or whatever. I think that might be because when I was hired I changed almost everything, stepped on everyone's toes and made almost the entire community ticked off at me. They probably hated me so much there was no chance in the world anybody was going to offer me any money for anything except to maybe pack my stuff and leave. I felt (although I'm sure they will disagree) I was even and unbiased in who I played. The best nine were on the field and you had to earn your playing time. Once the original group had phased itself out I had been there long enough the new groups coming in knew I wasn't going to be swayed by anything.

I have had parents tell me things along the lines that they had worked hard on fundraisers or in the concession stand or whatever and wonder how it will help their son. My standard answer is always that they didn't do that work to help their son but to help everyone.

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"The best nine were on the field and you had to earn your playing time."

Your tops in my book!



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HSBBW is well represented with first class High School baseball coaches offering their expertise. The State of N.C. seems to have a corner on that market here!

Actually had a parent send me a gift card for a Steakhouse in hopes of picking his boy for our in house 12U top division league draft.

Saw the dad at a January Hoops game. We spoke about the league and upcoming season and his son( which he prodded to take in the draft)which was a nice conversation. A week later recieved a note and the $100 gift card.

Sent it back the next day. Did not select the boy, yet had I not recieved the bribe I would have considered taking the player as he was a Top 10 kid in the league. No longer a coach but back in those days 6 years ago I was always looking for the total package(Talent, Effort, Attitude, Parents).

quote:

Originally posted by BBoy400:
back in those days... I was always looking for the total package(Talent, Effort, Attitude, Parents).

Back in those days it was Talent, Effort, Attitude, Hot Moms.

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"A week later recieved a note and the $100 gift card."

Lucky you BBoy400! My coaching days are well past too, but all I ever got bribed with was this...



Lil' Timmy's Dad: "I'm not gonna' finish...ya' want it?"

Me, the Coach: "Can I have fries with that?"




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I actually heard a mom say once "After all I've done running concessions for this team and he still won't play Johnny". Another mom heavily volunteered with the Booster Club until her son didn't make the varsity team. Never heard from her again.

Maybe not bribes, but time is money! I have actually thought that a few players would not have even made the team had their parent not volunteered so much.

Bboy, I'm stunned that a parent would offer a gift card

In travel baseball had a parent tell me his son would play for me if I guaranteed he would be the shortstop. I passed. The kid was really good. I already had two excellent shortstops where one had to be moved to second. This kid playing third would have made up a stud defensive infield along with a first baseman who could really pick it.

In travel basketball, at the post season party a parent gave my assistant and me two free plane ticket vouchers for travel anywhere in the country. We typically received a $100 restaurant certificate for each of us where parents chipped in $25. I told my assistant the travel voucher was an attempt to buy playing time next year. We politely declined. We cut the kid (on talent, not the bribe) the following season.

Sometimes coaches make mistakes on who to play. Sometimes there's daddyball. But usually parental complaints are generated by parents who overrate their kids playing ability. You'll hear every reason their kid doesn't play more other than ability.

quote:

Originally posted by AntzDad:

quote:

Originally posted by BBoy400:
back in those days... I was always looking for the total package(Talent, Effort, Attitude, Parents).

Back in those days it was Talent, Effort, Attitude, Hot Moms.

.... and pool for the post season party.

quote:

Originally posted by AntzDad:

quote:

Originally posted by BBoy400:
back in those days... I was always looking for the total package(Talent, Effort, Attitude, Parents).

Back in those days it was Talent, Effort, Attitude, Hot Moms.

Got a chuckle out of that one. That was how we would draft for our LL teams.

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Yeah, that's universal on LL draft night! Always overheard: "I hope as heck her kid can hit!"




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