The Vent and Rant Thread

[ApK]

OK, venty and ranty:

DEAR SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS:

I'M HAPPY YOU ENJOYING DANCING AROUND IN YOUR UNIFORMS AND MAKING HUMAN PYRAMIDS.

HOPEFULLY THE TEAMS AT YOUR SCHOOL APPRECIATE YOUR SPIRIT.

BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU: NO ONE ELSE CARES!
MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT FROM YOUR SCHOOL, OR EVEN FROM YOUR TOWN.

PLEASE STOP PANHANDLING IN FRONT OF STORES AND WALKING AROUND IN TRAFFIC BEGGING FOR MONEY.

IF YOUR PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY YOU UNIFORMS AND CART YOU TO COMPETITIONS, THEN TOO BAD. MAYBE THAT MONEY SHOULD BE SAVED FOR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS ANYWAY.

BUT PLEASE DON'T EXPECT RANDOM STRANGERS TO SUPPORT YOU.
YOU ARE NOT A CHARITY CASE, AND CHEERING IS NOT A CRITICAL SOCIETAL FUNCTION.

IF YOU INSIST ON "FUND-RAISING" THEN WASH CARS, HAVE A BAKE SALE, OR FIND SOME WAY TO OFFER VALUE....YOU KNOW...EARN THE MONEY!

CHEER PARENTS: SENDING YOUR DAUGHTERS OUT IN SHORT SKIRTS AND HAVING THEM ASK STRANGERS FOR MONEY IS NOT A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON OR SERVICE SKILL, UNLESS YOU ARE INTENDING THEM TO GO IN TO ONE PARTICULAR VERY OLD PROFESSION.

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by ApK

OK, venty and ranty:

DEAR SCHOOL CHEERLEADERS:

I'M HAPPY YOU ENJOYING DANCING AROUND IN YOUR UNIFORMS AND MAKING HUMAN PYRAMIDS.

HOPEFULLY THE TEAMS AT YOUR SCHOOL APPRECIATE YOUR SPIRIT.

BUT LET ME ASSURE YOU: NO ONE ELSE CARES!
MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT FROM YOUR SCHOOL, OR EVEN FROM YOUR TOWN.

PLEASE STOP PANHANDLING IN FRONT OF STORES AND WALKING AROUND IN TRAFFIC BEGGING FOR MONEY.

IF YOUR PARENTS CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY YOU UNIFORMS AND CART YOU TO COMPETITIONS, THEN TOO BAD. MAYBE THAT MONEY SHOULD BE SAVED FOR MORE IMPORTANT THINGS ANYWAY.

BUT PLEASE DON'T EXPECT RANDOM STRANGERS TO SUPPORT YOU.
YOU ARE NOT A CHARITY CASE, AND CHEERING IS NOT A CRITICAL SOCIETAL FUNCTION.

IF YOU INSIST ON "FUND-RAISING" THEN WASH CARS, HAVE A BAKE SALE, OR FIND SOME WAY TO OFFER VALUE....YOU KNOW...EARN THE MONEY!

CHEER PARENTS: SENDING YOUR DAUGHTERS OUT IN SHORT SKIRTS AND HAVING THEM ASK STRANGERS FOR MONEY IS NOT A VALUABLE LIFE LESSON OR SERVICE SKILL, UNLESS YOU ARE INTENDING THEM TO GO IN TO ONE PARTICULAR VERY OLD PROFESSION.

Yes, yes, yes! I hate getting accosted at intersections for every school and church group. I mind actual derelicts less. At least they actually need the money for survival.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

Yes, yes, yes! I hate getting accosted at intersections for every school and church group. I mind actual derelicts less. At least they actually need the money for survival.

Of COURSE! I think it's perfectly appropriate that football is paid for by the school and tax dollars, but the cheerleaders and band members, etc., should have to panhandle to raise their own money. Let's ban them from in front of groceries, etc., too.

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Of COURSE! I think it's perfectly appropriate that football is paid for by the school and tax dollars, but the cheerleaders and band members, etc., should have to panhandle to raise their own money. Let's ban them from in front of groceries, etc., too.

Hitch

Sarcasm, I hope? I don't see why football gets paid for by my taxes either. As a former band member, I'd rather see the band covered by tax dollars, and the heck with the football team!

But yeah, I don't like the panhandling, and never did it myself.

[wodin]

I didn't see your sarcasm emoji, Hitch.

[badgoodDeb]

Originally Posted by wodin

I didn't see your sarcasm emoji, Hitch.

What *IS* the emoji for sarcasm? Just a wink?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Sarcasm, I hope? I don't see why football gets paid for by my taxes either. As a former band member, I'd rather see the band covered by tax dollars, and the heck with the football team!

But yeah, I don't like the panhandling, and never did it myself.

Lord, I figured it was so self-apparent that it wasn't needed. but wait...</sarcasm>

Originally Posted by wodin

I didn't see your sarcasm emoji, Hitch.

I'm such a fail! I'm with Badgood--what IS the sarcasm emoji? In my case, it's usually

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

What *IS* the emoji for sarcasm? Just a wink?

Ooooh, indeed. Maybe we should petition AT for more emojis? Apple gets 'em, why shouldn't MR?

Lastly--I'm not crazy about panhandlers, myself, but learning to fundraise and all that is actually an important part of school and extracurriculars. Extra stuff is easy, when you don't have to pay for it. I think it's a fairly valuable life lesson--if you want stuff, typically, you have to find a way to pay for it. While it inconveniences us, as adults, I tend to think that the good value of the life lesson outweighs my temporary annoyance of suffering through the sales pitch.

;-)

Hitch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Lastly--I'm not crazy about panhandlers, myself, but learning to fundraise and all that is actually an important part of school and extracurriculars. Extra stuff is easy, when you don't have to pay for it. I think it's a fairly valuable life lesson--if you want stuff, typically, you have to find a way to pay for it. While it inconveniences us, as adults, I tend to think that the good value of the life lesson outweighs my temporary annoyance of suffering through the sales pitch.

;-)

Hitch

I'm STILL not quite sure if I'm reading you right.

Anyway, fund raising, sure. Teach kids that money comes from work. Sell something, do something of value, perform a service.
But don't teach kids to be beggars.

Want to ask me for money for a truly worthy cause? I'm with you.
Want to ask me for money to support your self-serving recreational activity?
GET A JOB!

I don't like football on many levels, but I acknowledge that football, above whatever lessons kids can get out of competitive team athletics in general, often has broad community support. Apparently some people like to watch it and will spend lots money to do so....
Even Band, I can see an argument for the value of the arts in the community and it's influence on personal development, even if it's not YOUR band, though I'd prefer that none of them just beg or panhandle. Better they team up with Junior Achievement or something.

But CHEERLEADING???
For goodness sake people, if you just want to give money away for some stranger's kids recreational activities, please just see the link in my signature. I'll put your money to far better use.

ApK

[wodin]

Originally Posted by Hitch

...
but learning to fundraise and all that is actually an important part of school
...

With the state of education today, learning how to panhandle just might be an important part of school.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

Sarcasm, I hope? I don't see why football gets paid for by my taxes either. As a former band member, I'd rather see the band covered by tax dollars, and the heck with the football team!

Good luck with that.

Football is a religion in many areas, and school football programs get tax support because local voters think that's an appropriate use of the funds.

Football is a multi-billion dollar business, and the Superbowl is the single most watched TV program in the world. Thousands of kids dream of playing football professionally.

If you're one of them, you probably start in Jr. High School, going out for Junior Varsity. You want to make the team, get a starting job, put up good numbers, and help your team win.

When you go to high school, you do the same. You go out for the team, hope to become a starter, put up good numbers, and help your team win city and state championships. Scouts for college football programs keep an eye on promising high school players.

When you graduate, you apply to colleges with strong football programs. Your goal is to get an athletic scholarship. Once again, you want to make the team, become a starter, help your team win in its conference and advance to and win the associated bowl game. And schools with strong football programs are under immense pressure to keep them strong. People who live in the area may pay more attention to the college team than they do to the pros, and wealthy alumni will tie bequests to the school to how well the team is doing.

NFL scouts look at top college players when thinking about who to invite to training camp, so your goal as a college player is to be able to declare for the NFL draft when you graduate, and get selected by a team and asked to report to camp.

Once there, you compete to make the team, get a starting job, and go on to build a career. If you are successful, you can become internationally famous and make millions of dollars a year. The vast majority won't be successful, but the one who are provide the motivation for kids to try.

I've seen complaints elsewhere about college players that "they should be studying!" They are studying. They're majoring in football, and it's what they want to do as a career. That tends to require single minded focus.

My concern is what happens to the ones who don't make the cut. Single minded focus on football may leave you unprepared to do anything else, and you really need a Plan B if something happens like an injury that cuts short a promising career.

Too many schools with football programs don't place enough emphasis on the academic side, and turn out students unqualified to do anything else if football doesn't work out.
______
Dennis

[ApK]

To be fair, I think there are probably more dedicated high-school football players who see an athletic scholarship to college as the goal, rather than a career in the pros. And while some may say even that is a low probability play, I'd say for someone with athletic talent, it may be worth a shot. Certainly there are more football scholarships given each year than there are openings on NFL teams.

As an aside: I was only personal friends with one serious athlete in HS. In his case it was baseball, and as it turned out, he DID make a career of it. Mostly in the minor leagues, one season in the majors, still coaching and training if I'm not mistaken. He found something he loved and was good at and made a life of it.
IIRC he was no slouch academically, either.
Good for him!

[covingtoncat73]

I find I have zero patience for people being stupid on my Facebook page.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by ApK

To be fair, I think there are probably more dedicated high-school football players who see an athletic scholarship to college as the goal, rather than a career in the pros. And while some may say even that is a low probability play, I'd say for someone with athletic talent, it may be worth a shot. Certainly there are more football scholarships given each year than there are openings on NFL teams.

You're likely right. But if you get an athletic scholarship, it's because the school expects you to be an athlete, and continues to extend benefits to you so long as you are. Suffer a career ending injury playing in college, and you might find your scholarship going away because you can no longer do what they are paying you for.

Colleges extend scholarships to players they are recruiting for their football team. If those players go on to the NFL, so much the better, but there are far more college team positions to be filled than pro jobs.

As an aside: I was only personal friends with one serious athlete in HS. In his case it was baseball, and as it turned out. he DID make a career of it. Mostly in the minor leagues, one season the majors, still coaching and training if I'm not mistaken. He found something he loved and was good at and made a life of it.
IIRC he was no slouch academically, either.
Good for him!

Yep. I had a co-worker at a bank named John who had been scouted at second base in high school by the NY Mets. He shattered both ankles sliding home in a game, and so much for a pro career, so he became a financial guy instead.

The bank had a softball team in the area I worked in. John went to Tony, the guy managing the team, and said "Hey, Tony! You wanna win?" Might not be able to play at pro level anymore, but the competitive instincts were in full force.
______
Dennis

[ApK]

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

I find I have zero patience for people being stupid on my Facebook page.

Try posting Hitch's avatar image.

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by ApK

Try posting Hitch's avatar image.

Hitch does have a very good avatar.