Golden Posts

CabbageDad nominated as a golden post  this response by Coach May to a new member who noticed that baseball questions yielded parenting, life and other advice:

----------------------------------------------------

Welcome to the site BigJay.

I have seen people's opinion on this site change on topics over the years. Usually it coincides with where their kid is in this whole process. Pre HS days. HS days. College days. Pro days. Post baseball days. People tend to see things much differently depending on their experiences and the experiences of their kids. Along with those experiences are life experiences. Not just baseball related experiences.

Take TPM for instance. I knew her when her son was just a new guy coming into Clemson. A professional player. I met her in Jupiter and we watched my son play. I knew her when her son started his Coaching career. Our conversations over the years have been about many topics. In fact many times not about baseball but about life. Over these years I have learned a lot about many of the poster's on this site. And of course their players. I know PG loves Bacon. I know CD loves Coastal Carolina and who his son's first room mate there was. I know what CD likes to do during his down time. I know TR loved Rock N Roll. And I know what he loved to eat before he went to bed. And there is so much more.

So for me what really makes this site special is I get to know people. I get to watch them change over the years. I get to know their kids. I get to listen to their wisdom and even when I don't agree, no especially when we don't agree I kind of think I learn something. I get to look in the mirror and see if I don't need to take a different look at that deal.

I remember when I first started on this site. I didn't really enjoy listening to parents gripe and b tch about coaches. I came back pretty hard and was closed minded. But the more I listened the more I learned. And I really learned it didn't matter if I agreed with how they felt or not, it was how they felt. And I needed to learn why they felt that way and if there was something I could learn from it to be a better coach. And yes the parents on this site made me a better coach. And some of those conversations that made me a better coach didn't have everything to do with baseball. Sometimes they had nothing to do with a game.

I can tell you this, my opinion on some baseball topics when my kids were 12 are not even close to what they are now. We are strong because we are a diverse group with varying opinions. We are open and honest and willing to share things to help others in the journey. And sometimes that help ends up appearing to have nothing to do with a game. But that game is what brought us here. But for many it's not what keeps us here.

Welcome BigJay.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I see no need to wait for a nomination of this post by Coach May:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At what point do you as the coach own the performance of your team on game day? Who is responsible to prepare them to compete? Who is the coach of this team? Maybe the coach should have ran while everyone screamed at them?

So let me get this straight. Your players who just got embarrassed on the field need you to throw them under the bus in front of everyone present in order to "get it?" That's what its going to take to get them to field better, pitch better, hit better basically perform to the level you expect them to play? Then is that what you do at practice every day? Have them run sprints while you scream at them each day at practice.

Or Coach is this your way of telling everyone present "Hey it's not our fault they sucked today. It's all their fault and were going to show you we care by embarrassing them right now in front of you."

It used to offend me greatly when we would spank someone and the opposing coach would take his players to the outfield and start running them as he berated them. Really Coach? Your kids had no idea how to take a primary lead or a secondary lead. They didn't know how to run a cut play. They were horribly coached and prepared and your going to run them? You need to take your as s out there and run because your a freaking joke.

NEVER whip your child in public. Never berate your child in public.

Me personally I would have said: "I apologize guys. We didn't prepare you properly to compete today. I promise were going to get to work tomorrow on becoming better players a better team and better coaches. We got a lot of work to do and were going to get it done."

We talk so much about today's kids and how they don't hold themselves accountable and how they feel entitled. Maybe that's because we have too many adults who don't hold themselves accountable? Your team is a reflection of you Coach. Own it.

Somehow CaCO3's nomination of PLAYWITHEFFORT's delightful bit of self reflection got lost in my inbox:

__________________________________________________

Thank God my son isn't watching me work this morning. I can already hear it now.

"Dad, why are you going to get another coffee now? Why didn't you have it refilled when you went and grabbed that donut? What? Now you have to go to the bathroom? Why didn't you go before you got here? Your boss is going to think you can't get your act together. You never know who's watching".

You looked a little tired walking in as well. Keep your appearance up as soon as you get out of the car and don't carry your sports coat over your shoulder. Respect the workplace. You need to look "buttoned up" as soon as you step onto the company parking lot".

"BTW, I was watching you work on your power point presentation. You know you have a big meeting with a customer on Monday. Hey relax...The only pressure is the pressure you put on yourself. I'm sure you will do a great job!

Anyway, I think you need to work on your approach with the powerpoint. If you would just right click and go to the properties of the object you could use the size and position properties to get your process flow arrows lined up easier.

Do you remember that from the class training you went to last fall?

It will save you time and it's an easy way to keep your deck looking professional. Let me know if you want to get some lessons on it again. I know a guy from the Microsoft product team that worked on the application and I think I can get you in with him the next time we are in Seattle."

"I have to go now dad. My friends are here. So, if you need a Gatorade, you'll have to get it yourself. See you at lunch!

Hey, have some fun in there!"