No fun: All business

Good morning! I am able to write this entry early since I am out of bed and waiting for the dentist to call me. It seems in my haste last night, I was eating some of Tink's popcorn and lost a filling. I learned four things....1. A person should with fillings should NOT eat caramel popcorn....2. A person needs their fillings....3. It's nice having access to a dentist who will return the aforesaid fillings....4. Caramel popcorn is NOT on Weight Watchers....just sayin'...that's the last of my popcorn eating days

for a long long time....

On to the big kid who was 'supposed' to come home this weekend and fly to Texas. It seems that the uber-pitching coach does not work on weekends (I want his job), so dad and the kid will fly out this week if he can get out of going to practice one day. They will fly in the morning and return in the evening....fun...look out for the peanuts on the flight.  Dad wanted me to make the trip but here is the reply: "Uh, dad, no offense to mom...." who didn't see this one coming?....."But I would rather go with you....."



Sure, I'm handy for some baked ziti, french toast, trips to the mall and happy hour, but when it comes to pitching and mechanics....fuh-get-about-it....yeah, that's right. So, pop is headed to Houston to ask the manly questions about release and leg and core strength since I just don't get it.....Which is fine. Tink, Diva, and I will do something else, like watch the NFL Draft on television....more about that one in a future post.


Yesterday, the big kid approached the pitching coach and asked for a meeting about his name being left off the travel list. He was calm and rational, which is more than I can say about the coach. Anyway, I will paraphrase since I get information second and third hand...."Coach, can you tell me why I am not traveling?"

"Well, it seems that you have some of the best stuff on the team...." OK, that sounds accurate....

"But, you are having trouble locating the ball....." True.....he needs more active competition to work out the cobwebs since he missed fall and some of the winter ball.....

"It's all in you head...." Huh? Are you calling my kid mental? Like crazy? Huh? You, the guy who apparently is the great role model, bent over and expelled flatus in his face, and called him out saying that you were now number 2 on his hit list. Yeah, you're number two all right.....again, just sayin'.....

"Also, you have to loosen up. You are no fun in the locker room. The guys like to mess with you, but you don't know how to take it...." Loosen up....no fun.....Oh, I see...you have a kid returning from surgery, who worked his butt off all year....who is trying to relax and find the plate....who wants to pitch, shower, study, eat, and sleep....but he is not relaxed enough in the locker room to enjoy noxious gas in his face. I am sorry but this one is #$&##&. (And no, the kid did not learn salty language from me..it was his Catholic grade school football coach who taught him to curse in sentences.)

Let's analyze this meeting....the more mature player approaches a coach who is stunted in his emotional development....let's say that he is more of an adolescent....the bigger man of the two asks for coaching advice and help. The coach turns around and says that he cannot help because it is all in his player's head....a mind game, if you ask me.

Also, since he is no fun because he sees baseball for what it is, he is considered a pariah by of all people, the pitching coach. Ok, on to my coaching days in the elementary school....you know...basketball and volleyball....first of all, I liked the kids who would arrive early, smile easily, focus on practice, and return home with their juice boxes and pretzel gold fish. These kids were a joy to coach. Second, let's call it for what it is...the coach has no idea how to help him.

This leads me to consider writing a post about college coaches in general soon.....

But back to the musings about yesterday's conversation.....I said to the leftie, this is sophomore year in high school all over again. It is the ebb and flow of your life....it is the time to use your own critical thinking skills to figure out how to resolve the command and coaching issues. The ball is in the coach's hands, Buddy wants it...he has to use his physical, mental, and emotional powers to overcome this problem.

Situations like this are pervasive in our lives. We learn how to deal with conflict and difficult people to achieve our goals. it seems that my son has a head start in the problem solving and negotiation process. These skills will make him a better employee and man.

Ok, enough bloviating...time to go to the dentist...no more caramel popcorn.....or cheese popcorn...butter is bad too.....