It’s not fair!

Those screaming about things not being fair is largely tied to time and perspective.  What a difference a year makes.  So the NCAA extended the dead period again and I just got done reading a bunch of twitter responses to it.  What I find bizarre is that they sound so much like I did from about March to July of last year but today they don't resonate so much with me.  It has everything to do with time and perspective.  What happened in July?  My 2021 - a D1 hopeful - committed to a JUCO.  It took me about a month to get over my butt hurt and come to grips that my son would not go straight to D1 out of high school like we'd hoped (er, uh... assumed ).  Oh, God, the horror!  Today am I about happy with where he landed as I can be.  In fact, I'm down right excited about him heading to the JUCO in 6 months.  I'm super pumped. 

It's not like it's a secret, but this last year has taught me just how many players/parents TRULY believe that they're D1-bound.  It's rampant.  It's a sickness.  So many view it as D1 is good and D2, D3, NAIA and JUCO are bad.  D1 is winning and everything else is losing and/or settling.  D1 is what is "fair" for their kid and every other level is somehow not fair.  Admittedly (sadly and embarrassingly), I wasn't too far removed from this sickness a year ago.  But thank God I was able to get "cured" and not spend any more time being bitter and resentful.  Entitlement is such a powerful force that it seems almost no one can escape it's pull100%.  It used to be that only the top elite few walked around entitled.  But today?  It's far easier to count how many players and parents DON'T feel entitled.  Boy, did we ever lose our way.

Some of those JUCO programs are much more focused, and better , than alot of D1 teams. Just look at the number of past alumni that went to the MLB. My 14 year old son , just changed his "Hope to go to " list to include San Jacinto .

Best of Luck to your son-i'm betting that he has a great time at JUCO.

Who said life was suppose to be fair?  Plain fact is it isn't.   You get dealt a hand and make the most of it (or not).

I recall when my wife was babysitting to earn extra money when we were first married.  We had been blessed with two healthy daughters (a son and another daughter would come years later).  Anyway, this was before they were old enough to start school.  One of the children my wife watched was severely handicapped.  It was really heartbreaking to see.  Yet, the parents never complained - at least we never heard them.

We recently learned of the challenges one of the children my wife use to watch.  His youngest has a very rare condition and all but one children's hospital has said no.  The one that said maybe is in MA.  The chance of success is only about 10%, but they are going to try no matter what.

Yep, life is not fair.    As my wife would say, "Get over it."

My wife and I have been blessed.  We have four children.  The middle two have bachelor degrees and have good jobs.   The oldest, while not having a degree, has a steady job and is a good Mom to her three children.  The youngest has some challenges, but graduated HS and has a job.  Is everything perfect?  No, but I can't really complain.  I've seen those that have had it far worse.

Prior to our last daughter's birth, some tests indicated she could possibly have Down's Syndrome.  Wife had to have a amniocentisis.  Fortunately, the test came back negative.  I guess we were lucky.

I'm sure my Mom could say "It's not fair."  She was born three years before Pearl Harbor and grew up during the war years.   Can you imagine sugar, flour, gasoline and many other items being rationed?   She went one summer barefoot so as not to wear out her shoes for the coming school year.   She made sure my sister and I never had to endure such hardships.  We weren't handed everything either.  Yep, life's not fair, but I submit again, "Who said it was?"

@Danj - My son ended up at a D2 JuCo and I was happy he was able to continue to play college baseball.  I think it was his best time playing baseball.  I have to admit though that first time I heard someone mention JuCo ball, I simply didn't believe Jr Colleges had sports.  Then my eyes were opened.

My niece is a brain cancer survivor, competed in D1 softball and is pursuing her 2 degree. Anytime either of my kids ever talked about something not being fair, I said you’re damned straight it isn’t and look what your cousin did with that hand.

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

DanJ: It used to be that only the top elite few walked around entitled.  But today?  It's far easier to count how many players and parents DON'T feel entitled.  Boy, did we ever lose our way.

It all started when everyone on every team started getting trophies.

Only half joking.