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Silence may be golden, but laughter is priceless. -Dove chocolate, Aubrey of Mesa, AZ
Posted by: MOTW | July 29, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I just got back from Toronto. Pedestrians actually wait for walk lights. Here in the U.S. they'd be mugged and sold for parts.
Plus they have the world's most beautiful cow, too.
Posted by: There are Too Darn Many of us Steves Lately | July 29, 2011 at 11:21 AM
As a former cheerleader I'm appalled.
Posted by: nursecindy | July 29, 2011 at 11:32 AM
C'mon. It'not like it's Hockey, eh?
Posted by: oneblankspace | July 29, 2011 at 11:37 AM
.
Posted by: Layzeeboy | July 29, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Do they still keep score?
Posted by: Spiny Norman | July 29, 2011 at 12:31 PM
as a coach (basketball and soccer) i support the idea that parents be encouraged to shout and stomp and generally make a ruckus, but NOT yell instructions to their progeny. this practice (widespread) makes me crazy as they often are telling the kid to do something that is at cross-purpose with what i want him to do.
i also have parents that cross the line yelling things like "that's stupid" or "what's wrong with you" that are extremely counterproductive (to say the least.)
so, not so wacky, the canadians (this time).
Posted by: Ruud Poot | July 29, 2011 at 12:51 PM
SNORKAGE @ Lazy... Shhhhh!
Posted by: eil | July 29, 2011 at 01:33 PM
It's been a while, but when my oldest daughter was in third grade she played basketball.
All the players had the usual coordination problems and success was rare.
On the occasions when the ball went through the hoop, I cheered for the child, not the team. So I was whooping it up for both teams.
Some of the parents gave me that "look" but I didn't care. Kids should be encouraged and I didn't think it mattered which team they played for.
Posted by: Steve | July 29, 2011 at 02:03 PM
The real purpose as discussed in other articles about this, was not to stop parents from cheering when the kids score etc. It was to stop the parent coaching of their kid on the field (No Johnny, cover the other kid, not her) and even worse the parents who run down their kid (Johnny you're an idiot! How did you miss that pass?). Having both coached and had my kid play, some parents are completely out of line, even having parent fist fights on the sidelines. We had a publicized case here where a parent threatened violence to his kid for not making a play (johnny I'm going to beat your a$$ when you get home for missing that goal).
Too many parents live out their sports fantasies through their kids. This sort of thing helps to bring it back into proportion.
Posted by: ArcticAl | July 29, 2011 at 02:57 PM
But ArcticAl, what if Johnny really is an idiot?
Posted by: nursecindy | July 29, 2011 at 03:17 PM
Being a gymnastics coach is also rather interesting. When the child can't get up on the bars or do a handspring because their arm strength is not where it needs to be, a parent telling me that her child is doing too much conditioning is wrong. Instead, they want them to work on the handsprings. They really don't need to do push ups or chin ups.
grrrrrr
Posted by: Charlotte | July 29, 2011 at 04:00 PM
Are vuvuzrlas still ok?
Posted by: Mocha | July 30, 2011 at 08:37 AM
What Ruud Poot and ArcticAl said. I've coached and parented and seen it all. Parents should start learning control the way children do: by shutting their traps on command. The appropriate time to start coaching the team, screaming at your kid, or criticizing the unpaid referee will never arrive.
I recently heard a soccer mom say something (too soft to hear) to her husband/coach during a game, and he wheeled around and shouted, "Right now, I'm not your husband. I'm the coach. Shut up." I'd like to report that she hit him over the head with her purse, gathered up their son, and marched off the field, but alas, she did not.
Posted by: Just Some Guy | July 30, 2011 at 10:44 AM