Jonathan Paplebon - Not Impressed With Tantrum Last Night

[Henry]

Hi All,

Well, I am not much of a sports person, but I do watch the Red Sox.  Last night at the end of the game when the Red Sox lost, Paplebon started throwing things around, knocking over a couple of drink tanks, etc.

A lot of our young people take on these Red Sox Players as their Role Models - This type of behavior to me is unacceptable and I certainly would hate to see our high school athletes pull this kind of stuff.  We may not like it if we lose, but one of the things we have to learn in life is how to lose gracefully.  One thing every young person has to learn and that is that you will not always be a winner, so you have to learn how to lose, even though you may not like it.

Jonathan, you have dropped several pegs in my ladder.

[7F24]

Touche'

[MikeF9]

I didn't see the game, but I'm going to throw my two cents in on the matter.

Temper tantrums in sports are as common as a home runs. First ones to come to mind are Earl Weaver with the Orioles, and Lou Pinella with the Yankees and whatever team he has managed. They could really throw a fit. Bob Knight also comes to mind.

I'm guessing Papelbon might have been mad at himself for making the wrong pitch. Or it didn't fly like he wanted it to. The runs were unearned, so he may have been mad at someone else and took it out on the water buckets.
When Julian Taveraz was with the Cardinals, he, too, blew a save oppertunity, and in the dugout, punched the dugout phone. Result-a broken finger.
I also seem to remember a Dodger going nuts (got called out on something) and taking a baseball bat and just went whaling on a water bucket.
Doesn't mean it's right. I am not finding excuses for them. Tantrums just happen. Race car drivers chuck their helmets. Hockey players fight. Just pent-up frustration that boils over.

Any other sports fans want to weigh in?

[Chris Santee]

Billy Martin & Woody Hayes bring back a few memories.

Human Beings + Emotions = Unexpected behavior

on and off the field............

[greenek]

All of the athletes and coaches mentioned play or coach with a high level of energy and emotion. You can add John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors to the list, who have had their share of 'disagreements' with officials during their careers.  Every individual athlete or team play to win. As fans, most of us go to or watch a sporting event hoping that our favorite athlete or team wins. We enjoy seeing well executed plays - especially if the opponents are evenly matched. At a professional level, the stakes are high, and most of the athletes have practiced at their sport for years. Professional sports is highly competitive, and players and coaches realize that they have to excel at their given position or sport, or they can be replaced. Unlike athletes of the past where it wasn't uncommon for athletes to play at their position for complete games, most sports have specialists for certain situations. If a pitcher is a set up man, or a closer, their role is very simple - get the opposing batter(s) out. I've heard it said that most sports are 10% physical, and 90% mental. As I mentioned, professional athletes have spent years at their position. For pitchers, they know how to throw strikes. Between the pitchers and the catchers, they know all of their opponents, and how to pitch effectively to them. Whether it is Papelbon, Mariano Rivera, Tom 'Flash' Gordon, or B J Ryan, they all play with similar intensity. If they are successful, and help the team win, they are usually very exuberant. If they are not successful, such as Papelbon the other night, they don't always accept their failure too gracefully.

All that being said, I agree that it is very important to instill in younger athletes the value of teamwork and giving their all at their particular position. Whether their team wins or loses, they should be having fun while playing. As coaches and parents, it is our responsibility to ensure that they display good sportsmanship and respect for each other and the other team during and after each game. We need to set the example. If young athletes are brought up to practice good sportsmanship, and accept defeat graciously, actions that they see by their favorite professional athletes should have less of an impact on them.

I have to say that I was truly impressed at the end of the recent 7th game between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks. After a very physical series, with a few flagrant fouls and some trash talking, it was refreshing to see the teams lined up shaking hands at the end of the game.

I guess I went a bit off on a tangent. -;)

[Chris Santee]

I've always enjoyed the handshake line after Stanley Cup playoffs.

and of course at all BFA sporting events.

Speaking of which, if you want to see some great competition
AND
good sportsmanship,
come to BFA Saturday morning when Enosburg comes to Fairfax at 11:00am for baseball and softball.