Team Parents

You didn't mention the "hottest mom in the park and not afraid to show it" mom     Never had any problem with those either

Buckeye, what exactly do you mean by "those"? 

Funny stuff.  I've found that sitting down the left field line is a fairly quiet place to catch a game.  Headphones in my ears (with no music) seem to keep it peaceful too.  

Golfman- were you at our game this weekend??????   I was the one sitting along in left center.

LOL

One of the nicest Dads I know, used to shout out, "See it, Stamp it, Ship it!!"

I heard that peculiar phrase for the last 10-or-so-years, and never knew what it pertained to, as he uttered it when at the plate or in the field... 

I never asked him what it meant... The only thing I could think was that he used to work at UPS or the Post Office...?

LOL!

Or, as we called him, the "Balkpire".  This guy was good for calling at least 5 balks against the opposing team a game.....from behind the backstop.  Nary a pause, flinch or twitch missed his watchful eyes.  Could hear his call from two counties over.

bballdad2016 posted:

Funny stuff.  I've found that sitting down the left field line is a fairly quiet place to catch a game.  Headphones in my ears (with no music) seem to keep it peaceful too.  

I tried.  But then "My son is due" dad came to have a smoke:  Son up to bat and he is due because he hit 16 home runs last year.  Not one this year because he looks like that kid in Trouble with the Curve. 

But he was not to be outdone by "I think I'll work on my tan" dad:  dude put your shirt back on.  Nobody wants to see your flabby man boobs.  Please use your travel ball money on a gym membership. 

You're on fire, Golfman25! 

I've become a beyond the OF Fence sitter myself and I'm going to watch my daughter coach her team. 

Oh and I can't forget the Umpires Suck Mom:  2 outs.  Bases loaded.  Kid strikes out looking on a fastball outside corner.  She's immediately on the phone to dad, screaming how bad the umpires are and how the pitch was "way" outside -- as if she could see it from up in the stadium stands. 

During my son's first year in travel ball at 12U there was Dad who use to yell "Best play of the game" about 5 or 6 times during a game.  

bballdad2016 posted:

You're on fire, Golfman25! 

Thanks.  I have to be.  Everyone of these guys is true.  If it wasn't so funny, I'd be in jail for assault.  I have never seen such a large group of parents just focusing on their kid and not willing to pull for every kid on the team. 

Golfman25 posted:

bballdad2016 posted:

You're on fire, Golfman25! 

Thanks.  I have to be.  Everyone of these guys is true.  If it wasn't so funny, I'd be in jail for assault.  I have never seen such a large group of parents just focusing on their kid and not willing to pull for every kid on the team. 

If you're on Twitter, check out @OverheardLakeP1 

Mom of my kid is the best and can do no wrong- son was caught stealing once and then a home run was called foul. She told her son both times the ump was wrong and he was robbed and continues to yell at the ump.  I just don't understand where kids these days are getting their sense of entitlement.

I got volunteered to run the website my son's soph year of high school. It included keeping stats up to date. The girl in the dugout kept an awful book. I don't think she paid attention. After two games I kept the official book. This leads us to ...

"What do you mean that's not a hit" dad,

"What do you mean that's an error" dad, and

"What do you mean that's an earned run" dad, and the memorable

"That better be an error on your kid" dad (after his kid got an error)

Parents would run over to me after debateable calls then argue with me. I ended up spray painting walls around me a la Les Nessman. I put a Do Not Enter sign on the fringe of my circle.

Add: I forgot "Emails me fifteen minutes after the box score (9:15pm) is posted" dad, ** and

"Calls me at home after 10pm after the box score is posted" dad

I couldn't imagine keeping the team book. Wait, I can... I did. But only for a year.  I gave up after that and the current HS coach hasn't posted stats anywhere for anyone to see.  And no one even worries about it either.  Amazing, no one worroes about what they can't see. 

Bottom of the last inning.  Our pitcher hits their first batter first pitch.  Batter gives the stink eye while walking to first for about 10 steps than proceeds to jog.  Our parents goes nuts.  Yelling at the ump to get control and what not.  Our precious teenage boy would never!!  LOL  It went on for the complete inning.  I had to walk away.    

After the game my son told me our pitcher peg the kid on purpose.  I guess when our pitcher was on base the kid was kicking dirt into his cleats and slap tagged him hard on the head on a back pick.  Man, I hope my glasses are not the rose colored.  "My boy would never!!"  LOL he is a teenage boy, he would and probably already has.  

bballdad2016 posted:

Golfman25 posted:

bballdad2016 posted:

You're on fire, Golfman25! 

Thanks.  I have to be.  Everyone of these guys is true.  If it wasn't so funny, I'd be in jail for assault.  I have never seen such a large group of parents just focusing on their kid and not willing to pull for every kid on the team. 

If you're on Twitter, check out @OverheardLakeP1 

Thank you for my new favorite twitter feed!

Golfman25 posted:

I just can't stand most of our team parents.  Here's a list.  

The "I coached baseball for 15 years dad":  has no problem coaching his kid during the game from behind the dugout.  Also not afraid to yell out at a player who makes a mistake.  

The "but my kid played varsity mom":  looks down on all the players (and parents) who haven't gotten the call to HS varsity yet. 

The "clean it up" dad:  yells out to the players whenever a mistake is make "clean it up."

The we lost because of the catcher dad:  bang bang play at plate, runner gets in under the tag.  Had nothing to do with his son who left a batting practice pitch up in the zone. Or the throw which was a little high and two steps up the first base side.  

The my kid isn't playing enough so we are going to have a "sit down" with the coach mom:  and after said sit down, little Johnny doesn't come off the field.  Newsflash, your kid ain't that good. 

The I know the rules better than the umpire dad:  they guy who tells the umpire that it's not an infield fly rule because the kid had to back up to catch it.  Then argues with the dad who says he's wrong.  

I think I need to get a pair of their Bose noise canceling head phones. 

 

I'm glad to be away from:

-You better stop hitting MY KID, that's 3 times today!....the fact that this is the first time THIS game the kid was HBP doesn't seem to relevant.

-The dad who yells out EVERY game "How many you going to get wrong today blue?"..and then he wonders why his kid thinks it's okay to tell him to shut-up, almost like he has no respect for authority, weird!

-The mom who yells after nearly every walk "That was a GREAT take kid"....because that isn't aggravating anyone.

-That's just stupid baseball...yells the dad who coached his kid up until this year and the kid searches for him every at bat and every pitch he throws....not distracting AT ALL!

Overall I'm just happy to be done, and will be investing in one of those half canopy chairs so I can make my way down the LF foul line next year. 

Just be glad you all don't have deal with redneck baseball parents like we do here in VA and NC.

My personal favorite it the mom who feels compelled to remind the struggling pitcher that he needs to throw strikes, like the pitcher suddenly forgot that's what he's supposed to do after playing 12+ years.

A close second and akin to "Great take!" is "Good eye!" when the ball is bouncing to home plate.

We all like to poke fun of every kind of dad/mom out there in youth baseball. We rip on high school coaches - and I guess I am the worst of both worlds and am that "coached high school" dad golf referenced.  We rip on travel ball and say in reality everybody sucks (unless of course they play at the level our kid plays - and even then they probably aren't as good as our kid).  I would add to the list the I am so much cooler and more in perspective dad who talks about all the out of control dads while he is so perfect. The fact if the matter is youth baseball definitely has its problems.  But in the long run all we can do is the best we can. Try to control our own frustrations and not worry so much about what others do. Odds are someone thinks you are annoying too!!!

P.S. How about when you sit in the outfield but fail to realize you are along the path to the bathrooms...  And everyone stops on their way to rile you up!  "Just when I thought I was out they pull me back in"!

bebobuno05 posted:

Just be glad you all don't have deal with redneck baseball parents like we do here in VA and NC.

How about a "You might be a redneck sports parent if ...." thread.

bebobuno05 posted:

Just be glad you all don't have deal with redneck baseball parents like we do here in VA and NC.

*cough*...yeah, not like my kid goes 4-wheeling in the woods on his baseball free weekends and shoots guns with his paw-paw on the mountain while checking the deer stands....*cough*....nope, we ain't redneck in Georgia AT ALL! 

^^^  too funny! 

RJM posted:

bebobuno05 posted:

Just be glad you all don't have deal with redneck baseball parents like we do here in VA and NC.

How about a "You might be a redneck sports parent if ...." thread.

-If your fall games have to be over by October 17th, 'cause that's the start of huntin' season, you might be a redneck!

-If your practice field prep involves the removal of 9 or more cars...you might be a redneck!

-If you use duct tape for your jersey numbers, you might be a redneck!

We see the duct tape jersey numbers quite often here. 

CaCO3Girl posted:

RJM posted:

bebobuno05 posted:

Just be glad you all don't have deal with redneck baseball parents like we do here in VA and NC.

How about a "You might be a redneck sports parent if ...." thread.

-If your fall games have to be over by October 17th, 'cause that's the start of huntin' season, you might be a redneck!

-If your practice field prep involves the removal of 9 or more cars...you might be a redneck!

-If you use duct tape for your jersey numbers, you might be a redneck!

If your jerseys are real tree camo with an orange helmet... You might be a redneck.  But hey, you don't have to change between games and the deer stand! 

I actually saw a dad stand behind the backstop and yell "swing" to his kid- at 11 years old.   and would get red in the face and look like he was going to blow up when the poor kid struck out!   kid retired at 12.  felt sorry for him

2020dad posted:

We all like to poke fun of every kind of dad/mom out there in youth baseball. We rip on high school coaches - and I guess I am the worst of both worlds and am that "coached high school" dad golf referenced.  We rip on travel ball and say in reality everybody sucks (unless of course they play at the level our kid plays - and even then they probably aren't as good as our kid).  I would add to the list the I am so much cooler and more in perspective dad who talks about all the out of control dads while he is so perfect. The fact if the matter is youth baseball definitely has its problems.  But in the long run all we can do is the best we can. Try to control our own frustrations and not worry so much about what others do. Odds are someone thinks you are annoying too!!!

P.S. How about when you sit in the outfield but fail to realize you are along the path to the bathrooms...  And everyone stops on their way to rile you up!  "Just when I thought I was out they pull me back in"!

While I generally agree, this post more was venting about the parents on our current team.  They flat out suck.  Worst group of parents I have seen in 16 years of doing this.  I have never seen a group of parents not support all the kids on the team.  You can see it when they bat.  "Come on Johnny.  Have an at bat Johnny.  Let's go Johnny."  The next kid . . . silence.  And god forbid, a kid makes a mistake if he isn't the "chosen one." 

So, i bootlegged this off a friends' Facebook feed from Milwaukee. I use to babysit her kids, she is a grandmother now of a Little Leaguer.

RHDad posted:

My personal favorite it the mom who feels compelled to remind the struggling pitcher that he needs to throw strikes, like the pitcher suddenly forgot that's what he's supposed to do after playing 12+ years.

A close second and akin to "Great take!" is "Good eye!" when the ball is bouncing to home plate.

ok self confession time. I was coaching my son- he was about 14 at time. Struggling on the mound to find the strike zone. I pop off out loud from the dugout - "just throw strikes". My son from the mound pops back " really dad, I hadn't thought of that". Cracked up the whole field, parents, umpires, etc. I had it coming Never said that again!

I absolutely detest the "Umpire in Chief,"  This guy 1) doesn't know the rules.  2) Is sitting 20 yards from the action.  and 3) Thinks the umpires are supposed to be there to take care of his kid's team.    Player from his team leans in on a curve ball and umpire rings him up.  Ball from adjacent field enters playing field, umpire calls time as pitch is arriving.  Batter gets a hit but the play is already dead.   First baseman is humping it to get to the bag before the runner and they collide.  First baseman gets the better end of the deal this time.    This guy absolutely won't SHUT UP for the rest of the game and proceeds to point out every other perceived instance that he really knows the correct call, or wants to mock, "Why didn't you call time out when that ball entered the field?"   It's between inning warm up tosses, bright guy.

I once went to a game & deliberately sat by THE parent who liked to holler stuff...at kids, coach, umpire...

When she turned to see who just bumped her sitting down (accidentally, of course), she nearly dropped her plates...I had duct-taped my mouth..."WTH?" I pulled out my roll & offered her a strip!

Didn't work out too well, but I tried! 

I am sure there was a time or two where I sat away from the crowd down one of the lines because I got tired of what I was hearing.  It is kind of a passive-aggressive thing to do if you think about it imho.  I came to my senses about it in my own mind and spent each one of my son's games from freshmen to senior in high school just outside of the on-deck hitters box and behind the protective fence.  I don't believe I cheered for my son but made sure I cheered like hell for every other kid.  I've heard the meanest comments directed at my son and within earshot of me.  I wasn't going to let those type of people defeat me.  I still get mean comments from people like "When is your son going to get a real job - isn't he too old to still be playing?"  Many of those wish their sons could have done a fraction of what my son did. 

Same with all of you out there.  Nobody will appreciate your kids like you do and you will not convince anyone otherwise.  Looking back, my best advice is don't say anything about your own kids and let their actions do all the talking.  In the mean time, cheer like hell for all the other kids but by no means, do not hide behind the outfield fence.  Be the bigger people because jealousy, envy, politics, etc. are the normal part of the human condition. 

I used this in Cooperstown back in 09: "Hey Blue, i found your cell phone, it has 8 missed calls" ..........and i'm very sorry for that. 

I personally know a Balkpire, "Let it travel" Dad, "2 Strikes now you're ready" Dad, "Calm Down" after any and all "balls" thrown by the pitcher regardless of inning or score Mom and the infamous "Two strike Drill" Dad.

The up front parents.  The ones that will put their chairs right up on the back stop in front of the people sitting further off the fence.  Also the stand and pace up front dad.  Does not care who he is in front of and gets totally po'd if told to move or sit down.  The dad that argues with the opposing team parents about whether the call was correct or not.

Alanj posted:

The up front parents.  The ones that will put their chairs right up on the back stop in front of the people sitting further off the fence.  Also the stand and pace up front dad.  Does not care who he is in front of and gets totally po'd if told to move or sit down.  The dad that argues with the opposing team parents about whether the call was correct or not.

And how about those parents who also line the fence with all those pop-up tents leaving little area to view the game?