What did you football team mean to you?

[cav58d]

In all seriousness though, I think anyone who has competed in athletics understands that commitment is greater than ability.  You can be a star athlete, but if you don't give it your all every down, time at bat, shooting at the free throw line etc...then whats the point...On the other hand, if your just an average guy, but give 150% every play, you're gonna suceed, and knock that D-1 prospect on his arse while his guard is down (and hopefully while his guard is up too hehe).

To me, thats something i'll take with me for the rest of my life...Underdog only means something if you let it.

[clerick]

Originally posted by Ripsnort


Ski racing in Minnesota? You definately didn't do that at Wild Mountain (formerly known as Troll Hagen in the 60's and 70's) A race there would have taken 15 seconds.

Sounds like the bitterness pill has kicked in. Too bad you couldn't make the team.

Wild mountain is alive and well, as is Trollhaugen, two separate ski areas.

I did/do most of my racing at Buck Hill, a short 16-19 second run most of the time but one of the most productive ski racing programs in the country.

All that is really beside the point.  Your making a couple of stupid assumptions.

1) I didn't make the team.
2) That i am bitter.

I just find the amount of money the education systems spends on sports is obscene.

[C(Sea)Bass]

Football isn't always the dominant sport at schools. When I was in prep school I played on the football team and we just missed winning the Rhode Island Class D championship. Yet attendance at our games was awful. The big thing there was sailing of all things. FREAKIN SAILING man! during the winter it was hockey and lacrosse in the spring. its not that the other sports are not important or not respected, its that the students go to what events are interesting to them.

Most teenagers would much rather watch a football game than a gymnastics event or a debate. Thats just they way they are. Schools do sometimes play favoritism in funding, but there isn't enough money to go around at public schools so the popular sports get the money.

I would never give up the experiences I got from playing sports in High School. The majority of the friends I had were from my teams. Plus sports kept my lazy rear end off the couch and out doing something. Some of my teams got so close during the season that at the end of the year you could usually see tears in the seniors eyes. My senior year hockey was like that and we were 1-17-2. Those experiences were great, and I think they will stay with me for a long time.

[clerick]

Originally posted by raider73
Yeah my Football coaches were great coaches. They influenced me to try my hardest the Family first school 2nd and sports last.

Judging from your prior posts, they need to try a little harder.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by clerick
Wild mountain is alive and well, as is Trollhaugen, two separate ski areas.

I did/do most of my racing at Buck Hill, a short 16-19 second run most of the time but one of the most productive ski racing programs in the country.

All that is really beside the point.  Your making a couple of stupid assumptions.

1) I didn't make the team.
2) That i am bitter.

I just find the amount of money the education systems spends on sports is obscene.

Your assumptions that the amount of money spent on sports is greater than the education itself is pretty stupid, son.

First, give me a percentage of how much state or federal funds go towards football alone.

Then I will show you something called "facts and data" (heh, don't you hate those?) that show how many schools have to RAISE money via booster clubs in order to buy/update new gear for football, since it is one of the most expensive sports to play, gear-wise per capital.

Why not just be honest and tell us why you didn't make the team? Too afraid? Didn't want to make the physical committment? Too fat? Hated one of the players? Had a girlfriend stolen from you by a football jock? You shouldn't have such a bitter outlook on a sport you know nothing about just because YOU failed to make a team.

FWIW, I never played football, and I was an "individual" sport type of person, aka, Skiing, etc. (grew up in Hugo, Mn) but I was never as bitter as you are about the whole thing.

[texasmom]

*rowr*

Man, could y'all get any meaner than you are to one another in this thread?

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by texasmom
*rowr*

Man, could y'all get any meaner than you are to one another in this thread?

Sounds like Clerick has an axe to grind....many of them both on this board and off.

[C(Sea)Bass]

Ripsnort good point about the fund raising. My football team raised the money to re-do the field ourselves, raised money for buses, and equipment ourselves. The only things the school paid for was the locker room and the coaches. The towns gave us our uniforms.

[clerick]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Your assumptions that the amount of money spent on sports is greater than the education itself is pretty stupid, son.

Never said or assumed that.  Calling me "son" is not nearly as demeaning as you had hoped.

First, give me a percentage of how much state or federal funds go towards football alone.

I'm picking on football because it is by far the most grievous example.  To some extent ALL prep and collegiate sports are money sieves.  BTW shall we include the costs of infrastructure too?  for example the 3.4 million dollar stadium the local high school built 2 years ago?  Lets think for a moment, should we spend millions on a structure that sits empty and unused for 95% of the year or upgrade textbooks, computers or hire teachers?  Hmmmmm...

Then I will show you something called "facts and data" (heh, don't you hate those?) that show how many schools have to RAISE money via booster clubs in order to buy/update new gear for football, since it is one of the most expensive sports to play, gear-wise per capital.

As it should be.  I don't care how big or small the school is, make these young men earn it.  After all, it is about building character right?  To this point; when i was still in high school the football players had all of their equipment, excep for shoes, payed for.  While hockey players, swimmers, skiers et.c. had to pay for everything on their own.  When i last priced the equipment skiing and hockey were far more expensive just not nearly as "cool."

[clerick]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Why not just be honest and tell us why you didn't make the team? Too afraid? Didn't want to make the physical committment? Too fat? Hated one of the players? Had a girlfriend stolen from you by a football jock? You shouldn't have such a bitter outlook on a sport you know nothing about just because YOU failed to make a team.

I already stated that i thought the players were "a bunch of arrogant *******es."  I wanted nothing to do with them.

Physical commitment is not and has never been an issue, i probably worked harder to prepare for the ski racing season then many other athletes do.

Don't make mistake passion for bitterness.  This is a soap box topic for me.  I take education very seriously and it irks me to no end when something relatively trivial usurps it.

[FBBone]

Originally posted by clerick
Definitely not, i chose ski racing instead.  

I should qualify my rant.  Team sports are good for kids and even adults.  HOWEVER, the degree to which many school sponsored sports have been elevated to super-academic levels is appalling.  Local news spends a significant amount of time on prep-sports but not on other school activities.  My senior year we had 7 pep rallies to celebrate an 0-6 football team, but never once did we have any such honor placed on the those other competitive activities that truly accomplished something.  We were state champions in Gymnastics and Debate, runners-up in swimming and cross country and baseball.  

I play sports to challenge myself and to have fun, but give me one rational explanation as to why prep and collegiate sports, especially football, deserve more attention then the chess club?

Clerick, just a couple of things here:
1.  Football is more popular than chess, thats why you don't see "Monday Night Chess".

2.  I'd like to apologize if the "bash clerick" aspect of this thread came about from my first post, I really was just poking fun at you ('cause that line was such an easy one after your post:D )

3.  Regarding this comment to raider:

Originally posted by clerick

Judging from your prior posts, they need to try a little harder.

[AWMac]

It taught me to recheck my thread titles before posting them?

Mac

[clerick]

Originally posted by FBBone
Clerick, just a couple of things here:
1.  Football is more popular than chess, thats why you don't see "Monday Night Chess".

2.  I'd like to apologize if the "bash clerick" aspect of this thread came about from my first post, I really was just poking fun at you ('cause that line was such an easy one after your post:D )

3.  Regarding this comment to raider:
 

No worries.

I understand that chess isn't as popular, but the point is valid.  As you can see, taking a shot at our beloved game of football brings down all sorts or knee-jerk stupidity.  I'm not questioning the game, i am questioning its importance.  I could take this a step further and question the fanatical devotion to sports in general.  I enjoy watching and playing sports but when people elevate it to a near religious level i think that it has gotten out of hand.

[raider73]

I think clerick ether was mentally abused by football players as a kid or physically abused. Or he just didn't have what it took to be football player and quit in middle of season he played. Was the reason because you were 3rd string  
 bench warmer??  Is you played clerick you would see its not a waste of money. You gain pride, respect, honor. The coaches make you more discipline and you learn to work well with your football team and they become your brothers.

[C(Sea)Bass]

What school do you play for raider? My school played a few cape teams.