the mindset of today's athletes

To step aside from economics today, I want to dive into an issue that has been bothering me for sometime now. The mindset of many high school athletes today.

It bothers me, it eats at my insides, when I hear constant criticism of another team during competition. The baseball player comes off the field and says something along the lines of "his curve ball does not break", "he does not throw that hard at all", "he's got nothing!" And that after popping out, grounding out, or even striking out.

Earlier this year: "the kid from Sequoyah you talked about, he was really not that good, I was not that impressed." "He did not really throw that hard." "I felt like you talked him up too much". I was thinking oh my so what was the score? "8-0". Well I suppose if you put up 8 runs against him, maybe he had a bad day or is not as good as I thought. Then find out "no... we lost 8-0!" What? Yes after getting shut out by a pitcher players have the audacity to act as if he was nothing after being embarrassed by him and the team. Oh, and that kid is wanted by Walters State, one of the top 5 teams in the nation in JUCO D1.

I go to Sequoyah last week and run into a couple former players. One of which constantly talked down about the players of the other team. One of which is really good.

I just don't understand why most athletes today, when losing, try to make them feel better about themselves by talking the others down. I don't know that they do so on purpose. I just know that it bothers me. When I played Anderson County had two really good pitchers. Loudon had a couple really good players. And there was Kingston, a team with a kid that got on people's nerves. Very cocky player, a guy that few really liked that much from the outside (no one really knew him that well). Yet each of those players were bragged on by us. They all could play. We knew it. When they struck us out or popped us up, the phrases used were: "his fastball is not overpowering but it moves a lot so get your hands thru". "His curve ball is not 12-6 but it does break pretty good". "He got me on the high fastball when you get behind he is going to try and throw it past you". At worst: "Its not as hard as it looks from here, but get in the back of the box, its still coming pretty fast."

This is just how we talked. Especially after getting out (which often happened to me). We had respect for the other team and the players. I don't know that these players actually feel that their opponents are not that good. I wonder if they are just embarrased, jealous, or so insecure with themselves that they have to bring others down to make them feel better about themselves.

Do not get me wrong, I am critical of people. I have high standards and often put other people down(although usually in a jokingly manner). But the last 2-5 sporting events I have been to have involved in each contest statements like that. And most often from the team that loses.

I don't know... its just something that bothers me about the mindset of many of our athletes today.