Meathead Dazzler

[OttoMets]

Millennials have fought the longest war in US history that has taken up their entire adult lives. They didn't need a draft to do it. Boomers and remnants of the "greatest generation" got us into this never ending boondoggle. Millennials didn't ask for this, but, for better or worse, they answered the call.

It's funny, kids over the last 20 or so years are worked so much harder than we were when I was their age. Some things may or may not be different in terms of their attitudes, but the regimented lives with play dates, various practices, entire weekends taken over to sports, competitive college admissions far beyond anything that existed 20 years ago - kids today have to work so much harder than kids 20+ years ago. With respect to Syracuse football and basketball - look at the bodies of the kids on the 2003 team (Melo pudgy, Gmac a skinny freshman who took the summer off to go fishing, etc). The commitment to fitness in every aspect of their lives is exponentially higher than it was just 16 years ago.

I've worked with millennials. Some are entitled and some are amazing. I've worked with old people/boomers who, at the start of my career, were shocked when I had the audacity to not roll over for them in court. One might say those old boomers felt entitled to have the xennial (? those of us born in the late 70s really are generation-less since we don't fit with millennials or gen x.) give in to whatever they want instead of pursuing my clients' interests.

I agree with all this 100%, but I still don't like millenials.

I'll show myself back to the h0t takes thread now.

 

[PhatOrange]

Yep, my point exactly. There is a balance for sure. Compete and have fun at the same time, also how about some context about time and place as well? It has gotten crazy. Almost impossible to coach these days too with people like this on the sidelines

This isn't even youth sports. It's sandlot - playground kickball. baffling.

 

[City of Cuse]

 

[RandomGuy]

Yup. Youth sports in general are batsh%t crazy now.

Everybody plays for some “travel” team with some pretentious name(often involving the word “elite”), not because the kids are actually that good but because the parents paid money for them to play. They all travel all over the place to play all these games, adults all wrapped up and overinvested, posting about it 24/7 on social media and talking about it to anyone who will listen...even though nobody else cares at all.

I’m all for a reorganization of youth sports where no parents are allowed. Just drop the kids off and let them run and play the games. Everyone would be better off.

Yepp. And on the flip side, there are sometimes only "everyone gets a trophy" options. Kids that want to compete are often left thinking the sport is completely stupid(my son.)

Somewhere, the balance between having fun and still competing is missing. It's either play with kids that suck, or play with kids whose parents are delusional enough to think their kid is going pro.

 

[dollarbill44]

"That's right, Coach. I'm going to college, either way. I'll run through a brick wall for you, because I WANT to."

Did the kid not think it was a test, about his character? That's my guess.

Meh, it's a stupid interview tactic. There are better ways to find out about a kid's character than effectively telling him he thinks he's going to be soft and lazy because of where he came from.

 

[Atlcuse44]

Times change. When I was a kid/teen (70s/80s) my parents worked my butt off. I did some sports but my Dad always had me outside mowing, digging, painting, shoveling, etc...
Nowadays, it feels like we are all in a competition for our children to succeed (sports camps. traveling teams, music, academics, etc...) so much more so than when I was younger. It seems kids nowadays are given a pass on 'chores' so that they can focus on sports or whatever activity they do.
Just my opinion, but that is detrimental to their overall work ethic.

 

[NKR1978]

Times change. When I was a kid/teen (70s/80s) my parents worked my butt off. I did some sports but my Dad always had me outside mowing, digging, painting, shoveling, etc...
Nowadays, it feels like we are all in a competition for our children to succeed (sports camps. traveling teams, music, academics, etc...) so much more so than when I was younger. It seems kids nowadays are given a pass on 'chores' so that they can focus on sports or whatever activity they do.
Just my opinion, but that is detrimental to their overall work ethic.

How is working exceptionally hard on music/sports/academics a detriment to work ethic vs being used as cheap labor? It seems both have their benefits with respect to working hard, though the connections you can make through music/academics/sports would trump digging a hole.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Times change. When I was a kid/teen (70s/80s) my parents worked my butt off. I did some sports but my Dad always had me outside mowing, digging, painting, shoveling, etc...
Nowadays, it feels like we are all in a competition for our children to succeed (sports camps. traveling teams, music, academics, etc...) so much more so than when I was younger. It seems kids nowadays are given a pass on 'chores' so that they can focus on sports or whatever activity they do.
Just my opinion, but that is detrimental to their overall work ethic.

I agree and many parents are pushing their kids to do everything, sports, music as well as excel at academics and then said parents sit back and pound their chest as to say " look at how well balanced my kid is". See it all the time but is the kid really into it? Who knows.

And personally I don't really enjoy spending my entire weekend shuttling kids to 45 different events if they are being forced to participate. Who is enjoying any of it at that point??

 

[TheCusian]

older generations *always* think something is wrong with the next generations

work ethic, morals, etc.

meanwhile, every generation has done amazing things and some horrible, detestable things

 

[NKR1978]

older generations *always* think something is wrong with the next generations

work ethic, morals, etc.

meanwhile, every generation has done amazing things and some horrible, detestable things

There are writings from Greece and Rome of old people complaining about how bad the younger generation is.

 

[care taker]

Bottom line is I’ve sat and spoke w Addazio
Been to camps he is a guy you can leave your kid with for 4 years ! Dino’s character was what sold us on cuse . Dino is first class
So Is Addazio and Dabo as well . You think it’s easy to trust some other snakes out there ?

 

[care taker]

Bottom line is I’ve sat and spoke w Addazio
Been to camps he is a guy you can leave your kid with for 4 years ! Dino’s charec

older generations *always* think something is wrong with the next generations

work ethic, morals, etc.

meanwhile, every generation has done amazing things and some horrible, detestable things

true , but The easiest thing to do is have manners and morals and they are certainly on the decline .

 

[Nahson]

The millennials

Hmmm... I seem to remember a certain parent who had a mild temper tantrum on the boards when they realized their son wasn't going to come in as a freshman and immediately unseat Eric Dungey... God, who was that again? Anyways, snow flakes, AM I RIGHT?!

 

[Newhouser]

Yup. Youth sports in general are batsh%t crazy now.

Everybody plays for some “travel” team with some pretentious name(often involving the word “elite”), not because the kids are actually that good but because the parents paid money for them to play. They all travel all over the place to play all these games, adults all wrapped up and overinvested, posting about it 24/7 on social media and talking about it to anyone who will listen...even though nobody else cares at all.

I’m all for a reorganization of youth sports where no parents are allowed. Just drop the kids off and let them run and play the games. Everyone would be better off.

I agree but there are some other societal issues that are creating hesitancy in parents just dropping JR off. Nobody trust anyone anymore, and you can't blame anyone.

 

[kuethstheman]

I can say that coaches absolutely do play favorites, based on conversations with three cousins that played for P5 schools (with varying levels of success). None of them felt like they didn't get a chance to rise above the others on the practice field but one of them thought they didn't get the same chances as others. So here's what they all agree on:

1. You get to a point in the roster where talent levels are pretty close.
2. The head coach doesn't know their abilities that intimately and can see groups of players as interchangeable. This is key. Yes, it's a meritocracy for the most part but this is a reality.
3. So other factors come into play as to who goes in, when the opportunity arises:

• Relationships with HS coaches
• Recruiting targets at the player's HS
• Prejudices
• Players the coaches like on a personal level

Like I said, none of them complained they didn't get a chance to show what they could do but they all saw or experienced cases where a they or some other player was worthy of a chance to play but it didn't happen because of other factors. You could say it was sour grapes but two of them did very well. One was a two-year starter. They all saw it.

 

[Newhouser]

Well, those 18 year olds were the product of the Great Depression, which certainly toughened people up. That being said, there are a s-ton of 18-22 year olds who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 20 years. Those kids are pretty GD tough, and have come home to face endless mental health problems that our society has barely acknowledged. Soooo, yeah, there are a lot of "kids today" whom I'd want storming that beach.

I agree but by numbers alone you are comparing apples to oranges and enlisted vs drafted. Not the same comparison.

 

[Scooch]

xx

I agree but by numbers alone you are comparing apples to oranges and enlisted vs drafted. Not the same comparison.

Of course. The country also hasn't been directly attacked on our own soil by another nation since 12/7/41. And thankfully there hasn't been another world war that threatened our existence since 1945. So the whole thought exercise is apples-and-oranges, really.

 

[Scooch]

true , but The easiest thing to do is have manners and morals and they are certainly on the decline .

Again, that's the perspective of someone older. In terms of morals, is institutional racism "moral"? Because there was a whole lot more of that a few decades ago. But the people who were in on it probably called someone "mister", so it's all good.

 

[sufandu]

How is working exceptionally hard on music/sports/academics a detriment to work ethic vs being used as cheap labor? It seems both have their benefits with respect to working hard, though the connections you can make through music/academics/sports would trump digging a hole.

Because working hard at something you enjoy is easier than working at something you don't that still has to get done. Not sure why you included academics in your comment. It's not like doing work around the house exempts a kid from school. The fact that you refer to the expectation of a family member contributing to welfare of the household as "cheap labor" illustrates part of the problem.

Not everyone can afford to pay someone to do everything for them. For those that are less than well off, that means putting the work in yourself. When my dad was remodeling a room in the house, repairing the roof, fixing the car, etc. I was there with him. It taught me how to work and how to respect people that have to do physical labor to make ends meet. That is something that is eroding in our society.

 

[SUskibum]

older generations *always* think something is wrong with the next generations

work ethic, morals, etc.

meanwhile, every generation has done amazing things and some horrible, detestable things

Best, most accurate post of the thread.

This time is NEVER different

 

[Atlcuse44]

It taught me how to work and how to respect people that have to do physical labor to make ends meet. That is something that is eroding in our society.

Bingo. One of the things I am most grateful to my parents for is instilling in me a good work ethic. I am not the smartest, most athletic, most talented person around but I'll work my butt off and that has gotten me far in life.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

All of which is the completely the fault of parents. Parents who aren't millennials, I'll add, but Gen X.

As a Gen Xer, I'd take offense to that comment if I actually cared.

 

[RandomGuy]

I wonder how many sprints they had to do at BC today? Ouch.

 

[Oakland]

The biggest decline in manners and morals in is the current ruling class. Don't blame that on younger people.

Bottom line is I’ve sat and spoke w Addazio
Been to camps he is a guy you can leave your kid with for 4 years ! Dino’s charec

true , but The easiest thing to do is have manners and morals and they are certainly on the decline .

 

[RMH44]

I'm at my 4th graders elementary school 'fun day' on Monday. the kids are involved in a playground kickball game (ya know with the big red rubber ball) and there are literally 2 Dad's screaming at their 4th graders to do better - no exaggeration - screaming and yelling (catch it, get him out, throw it, kick it harder blah blah blah). Playground kickball. So the cake was the 4th grade girl who dropped a pop up and her Dad screams at her "and you call yourself a softball player"...I just about spit up and I wanted to go punch the guy in the face. Dude it's a 4th grade playground kickball game. What on earth have we become? Fun days for kids I don't think are so fun anymore.

These two aren't being rasied as delicate flowers but holy cripe this is the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

Parents that live vicariously through their children, creating unattainable goals and pressure to succeed sicken me.

Phat, I'm shocked you had the discipline to keep quiet. I'm not sure if I could have...kudos to you.

Kind of reminds me of the the old Ron White "Tater Salad" joke. Paraphrasing: "When I was arrested the police told me that I had the right to remain silent...unfortunately, I didn't have the ability."