I agree kids should be able to relish their achievements. But would some of you feel the same way if a Governor's scholar who had offers from Yale and Harvard took time off to consider their choice? Or the aspiring musician who was accepted into Julliard? It does bother me that so many athletes get so much media attention, schools set aside time in the school day so these kids can have a big hype on their signing day....yet many, MANY more have significant achievements and nothing much is ever said about them. They'll get their name called at graduation. But, no big hype.

 

When watching kids at school in Harvard and Julliard start raking in the money that college athletics rakes in then they will receive the hype. Until then that is just the way it is. Ask ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com, ESPNU, ESPNNews and ESPNClassic.

And this may be the silliest thing I've ever heard.

 

What's probably the most common complaint about sports today? Without a doubt, it's got to be the constant "look at me, look at me" attitude of the modern athlete. Fans, sportswriters and coaches alike all bemoan the lack of focus on "team" displayed by so many pro, college and now high school athletes. And what are these high school kids saying with over-the-top, during-the-school-day announcement parties? Yep, they're saying "look at me, look at me, look at me!"

 

Yes, it's an important day for these kids, but like they say - act like you've been there before. Many more important days are still to come.

 

So when the media comes to the kid and his coach and says we want to televise your signing and we have to do it at 9am the kid supposed to 'act like he has been there before' and the kid is supposed to tell them 'No, thank you. I have Calculus at 9. Can you return at 3:15 when my school day is over?'. I think some of you are expecting way too much from a 17 year old living out his childhood dream and from a small town very proud of his opportunity.

Well said HD........

So when the media comes to the kid and his coach and says we want to televise your signing and we have to do it at 9am the kid supposed to 'act like he has been there before' and the kid is supposed to tell them 'No, thank you. I have Calculus at 9. Can you return at 3:15 when my school day is over?'. I think some of you are expecting way too much from a 17 year old living out his childhood dream and from a small town very proud of his opportunity.

 

Well said. My point was more about the situation where the kid or his parents orchestrate a big event as opposed to the local TV station requesting a move to during the school day to accommodate their schedule. IMO, there is a difference between these two scenarios. One is driven by outside forces and the other is self-promotion.

When watching kids at school in Harvard and Julliard start raking in the money that college athletics rakes in then they will receive the hype. Until then that is just the way it is. Ask ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3.com, ESPNU, ESPNNews and ESPNClassic.

 

So, edeavors that are enriching to a person's life are only worth celebrating and worthy of media attention if they rake in a lot of dough. Myself, my son, my daughter and millions of people like us thank you for belittling our accomplishments. We'll return now to our worthless lives.

So, edeavors that are enriching to a person's life are only worth celebrating and worthy of media attention if they rake in a lot of dough. Myself, my son, my daughter and millions of people like us thank you for belittling our accomplishments. We'll return now to our worthless lives.

 

 

Nope. That isn't what I or my post said or did. Obviously you missed the point I was trying to drive home which is.....blame the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network which stands for ESPN and their family of networks. If it makes money for them they will show it. Doesn't matter what it is whether it is the Scripps Spelling Bee or 10 hours of signing day coverage.

 

To say I was belittling you and your families accomplishments in a post you misread is preposterous but at the same time I guess it is the same as belittling Lamar Dawson for missing a day of school and a 30 minute block of school to think about and announce the biggest decision in his life to date. If only we all could have our priorites straight like you and yours. At least no one started a thread about you guys belittling your accomplishments.

Nope. That isn't what I or my post said or did. Obviously you missed the point I was trying to drive home which is.....blame the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network which stands for ESPN and their family of networks. If it makes money for them they will show it. Doesn't matter what it is whether it is the Scripps Spelling Bee or 10 hours of signing day coverage.

 

To say I was belittling you and your families accomplishments in a post you misread is preposterous but at the same time I guess it is the same as belittling Lamar Dawson for missing a day of school and a 30 minute block of school to think about and announce the biggest decision in his life to date. If only we all could have our priorites straight like you and yours. At least no one started a thread about you guys belittling your accomplishments.

 

I don't believe in blaming entities for decisions made by parents.

 

You don't think college is a big decison for every student, athlete or not? As I stated above, I'm not belittling Lamar. It's not what I would allow my child to do. I said above that I defer such decisions to the parents, even if I don't agree with them. You want to believe someone is belittling Lamar specifically. In fact, it's the entire process that is being questioned, not anyone in particular. But you keep taking it personally. Why is that?

I don't believe in blaming entities for decisions made by parents.

 

I don't believe in bashing kids for fulfilling their dreams.

I don't believe in blaming entities for decisions made by parents.

 

You don't think college is a big decison for every student, athlete or not? As I stated above, I'm not belittling Lamar. It's not what I would allow my child to do. I said above that I defer such decisions to the parents, even if I don't agree with them. You want to believe someone is belittling Lamar specifically. In fact, it's the entire process that is being questioned, not anyone in particular. But you keep taking it personally. Why is that?

 

College is a huge decision for every student, period. The original post in this thread is about Lamar taking a day off of school to come to a decision and the ensuing 30 minute school assembly the following day and is it 'getting out of hand'. You yourself questioned the process and I gave you an answer(because the networks make money off of college athletics) and you turned that into me belittling you and your family. If the people watch it they will show it. In one post your words were....imagine if Manual did this for all of their scholarships won...... It would be awesome if it were done but for it to receive the hype and pomp and circumstance that an athletic signing brings in there has to be a market for it. To me it's that simple and I am not belittling anyone when I say that and if you feel I am belittling you then I apologize. I don't think it is a tremendous discovery on my part when I say that athletics trumps academia in a lot of ways and I am not glorifying that nor am I saying that it should. It is just the way it is.

 

Anytime the school wants to recognize my child whether it be for athletics or academic achievement I don't care what time it is I will be there and I really don't care who else comes. My wife and I willl proudly be there. That would be our parental decision.

 

As for me taking it personal.....I take all things dealing with Boyle County and students at Boyle County personal. Lamar has done nothing to deserve this. You say the entire process is being questioned but it is his actions by taking a day off to make his decision that was mentioned in post #1 to get this whole conversation about the process going. Had he not been mentioned I never would have felt compelled to even post but he was so here I am. I could care less about the process to be honest. Who is hurt by the process? No one. That's who. Once Lamar or anyone from Boyle County is brought into the discussion you should expect to see at the very least Hatz and I enter the discussion at some point. We go hard for Boyle County and always will.

PP92 has been saying exactly what I have been thinking.....great job backing your team and players.....every post backs your players and your school, maybe the other party will take strong notice!!