What a waste of time

Today some of my students informed me that there is a place that people can comment on Shawnee News Star's website concerning our football program, so like an idiot I read some of the comments tonight. Come on folks, let's get real. We have some great kids at Tecumseh, but we don't have much athletic talent at the present. Some of the most talented athletes have been injured--not because they weren't in shape--because they play football, a full-contact sport.
Some comments keep referring to Tecumseh's winning tradition--Tecumseh, Oklahoma? Seriously, we have had some decent teams through the years, but we have never been a football powerhouse.

Some of these people are blaming coaches for everything from our win-loss record to global warming. They keep bringing up the fact that players have quit; therefore, the coaches are to blame. From a mom's point-of-view let me comment here. If a player quits or chooses not to play, he doesn't want to play. That is not a sin, crime, character flaw, or anything to blame anyone for. It is a fact. A boy who wants to play football will play. Some of the ones who don't want to play will make up excuses for quitting--injury, job, academics, coach--but the reality is he doesn't want to play. I grew up with so many boys who were made to play or who only played because their dads wanted them to. Those same boys grew up to be men who refused to be that kind of father. We raised two sons. Jason played football three years (7th-9th grade) and then decided to focus on his cutting horse competitions and ag activities; I must admit we were a little disappointed because we love sports, and we enjoyed watching him, but Tony (who played football too) said then that a kid who doesn't want to play should not play. Football is not a half-hearted sport. It takes full effort-heart and soul. Carson went to South Rock Creek, so he didn't get to play until his 9th grade year. We didn't allow our boys to play little league football for personal reasons. Carson exhibited a love for the game that was a joy to watch. He was always such a quiet, low-key kid until he was on the football field--then he became crazy. He would have played for any coach, any team, any time. He loved the game and still calls to tell me about his flag football games at OSU. If they didn't start at 10 pm, I would be in the stands watching him because he was fun to watch.
I'm not sure why I'm even commenting on this blog about this topic, but I refuse to be a part to the anonymous argument in the News Star. I'm ready to go to bed, and my blood pressure was probably up when I was reading the comments, so I thought I'd better write down my thoughts so that I could sleep. Perspective, folks, perspective.