So, you're running a practice & things get heated. Your players aren't working very hard. Mistake after mistake is occuring. Everything they do is "flat" with no emotion or real attempt. Maybe you're getting 50% effort. So...you decide to liven things up. You usually yell but today, you throw a ball at a player to get their attention. Not hard & not somewhere on their bodies where they will be hurt. You get in a players face. You scream. You call them a name. An insensitive name. Practice intensity improves and effort rises.
Someone is filming practice. They share their film with the powers that be. Long story short. The film gets u-tubed out of context with no supporting facts. When viewed it is outrageous. There is a nationwide uproar. Why wasn't this coach fired? Eventually Public Opinion wins out or at least the opinion of those outraged by it, and the coach is fired. Later on the AD who had viewed the tape earlier & decided to fine & suspend the coach instead of firing, resigns under public pressure.
This type of conduct should not be tolerated. Coaches & anyone working with students should be expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner. But, when you talk to players, most just say that the actions are motovational & not personal. That after practice, everyone leaves friends. Yet a man has lost his livelyhood & another is forced to resign because he didn't do enough. Heck, even the college president is be called out. All because a camera was at practice and the tape U-tubed nationwide.
Shouldn't the people involved be allowed to decide what should be done without all the public pressure ? Do we get a second chance? Do we get a chance to fix things? And if we lose our jobs anyway, don't we deserve a chance to move on? In today's world of high tech & the time it seems so many have to keep an eye on things, we aren't given that chance. The coach fired due to his poor conduct is still being hounded as he coaches his 12 year old daughter's AAU team this spring despite the fact that he has total support of players & parents.
The message here is simple........watch out. You never know who may be watching....& filming!!!!! If public opinion gets involved, forget any second chance.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
What's this world coming to?
Today I woke up a sunny sky & the first real look of Spring. I was so excited I cleaned house & went to the gym for the first time since last fall. I started out doing my 35 minutes on the elyptical. I brought my Book Club Book, "Look Again" to read & had the TV on in front of me on CNN 24/7 News.
What a world we live in. First I listened to a recount of the story on the former Rutger's Mens' Basketball Coach who was video taped physically & verbally abusing his players in practice. I watched it & was taken aback. I have coached basketball for over 30 years & had thousands of inspired practices. I would never think of using that tactic to motivate youths. I might yell. Heck I might throw a ball in frustration. But never at a player . He wasn't winning so I guess it wasn't working.
Then there was a story on the 28 year old president of North Korea & his hate of the United states. Apparently he has given his army permission to attack the United States with a nuclear warhead if they felt it necessary. Why would any country put that kind of power in the hands of a 28 year old, let alone one so unstable. It's scary to think what he might do & cause.
Next was a story on three murders in Texas & one in Colorado where law enforcement officials were killed in , what looks like, revenge for doing their job. There was a sheriff, two district attorneys, & a wife of one killed. Why would anyone want any of those jobs now?
Finally, they broke into the news cast to deliver "Breaking News". Their was an armed gunman walking around the University of Rhode Island putting the school in lockdown & cancelling all classes. Are any of our campusses or schools safe any more?
I used to watch sports to get away from all this but even the sports world is full of this lack of moral fiber. I have two grandchildren & I wonder just what kind of world we are bringing them in to? Lots of plusses with the advances n technology & medicine . But wow, also some serious Nut Cases out there. Oh well I'm sure my grandparents & parents thought the same thing at one time......& asked that same question....What's this world coming to?
What a world we live in. First I listened to a recount of the story on the former Rutger's Mens' Basketball Coach who was video taped physically & verbally abusing his players in practice. I watched it & was taken aback. I have coached basketball for over 30 years & had thousands of inspired practices. I would never think of using that tactic to motivate youths. I might yell. Heck I might throw a ball in frustration. But never at a player . He wasn't winning so I guess it wasn't working.
Then there was a story on the 28 year old president of North Korea & his hate of the United states. Apparently he has given his army permission to attack the United States with a nuclear warhead if they felt it necessary. Why would any country put that kind of power in the hands of a 28 year old, let alone one so unstable. It's scary to think what he might do & cause.
Next was a story on three murders in Texas & one in Colorado where law enforcement officials were killed in , what looks like, revenge for doing their job. There was a sheriff, two district attorneys, & a wife of one killed. Why would anyone want any of those jobs now?
Finally, they broke into the news cast to deliver "Breaking News". Their was an armed gunman walking around the University of Rhode Island putting the school in lockdown & cancelling all classes. Are any of our campusses or schools safe any more?
I used to watch sports to get away from all this but even the sports world is full of this lack of moral fiber. I have two grandchildren & I wonder just what kind of world we are bringing them in to? Lots of plusses with the advances n technology & medicine . But wow, also some serious Nut Cases out there. Oh well I'm sure my grandparents & parents thought the same thing at one time......& asked that same question....What's this world coming to?
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