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Originally Posted by mcan
I actually see this argument both ways.
1. If you sign up for any SPORT that means you're there for exercise, fun, and competition. But everyone is going to put these three things in their own order, and there's nothing wrong with that. I seriously don't see anything wrong with taking it as seriously as you want to, and I believe that everybody should always play to win. If you're just there to have fun and don't care about winning, then you should just watch the game and drink with everybody afterwards. Don't ask to play and then come in and half-ass it, and then blow people off by saying, "Man we're just here to have a good time." That's just being rude to people who actually do care.
2. HOWEVER. Not everybody is going to be Carlos Beltran and make every play, and nobody has the right to be a dick to somebody who is honestly trying. Also there is a big difference between wanting or trying hard to win, and needing to win to have any fun. People who get depressed or upset when they lose just boggle my mind. If you love the game, then honestly TRYING to win should satisfy you.
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Couldn't have said it better!!
I've been playing ball since I was 6 and bugged my dad to play on the 9 to 12 y/o league he coached. No one was more competetive than I was in my earlier years.
BUT, I never once took softball so seriously that I lived my life around it, screamed at my friends when they screwed up and dressed liked I just walked out of MC Sports.
As I have imparted to everyone here on an thread a month or two ago, I am playing my "goodbye year" this summer, because it's time to turn this game over to the younger guys, and spend more time coaching my kids. But I will tell you this year has been an eye opener for me in terms of seeing myself when I was younger.
The company is sponsoring a team made up of mostly guys who work there, or the husband of a wife who works at the company. We ended up having to get into a league that was a step above our competition level due to getting our team in late. But, what was supposed to be a "C" league has 3 teams who are more like "A" teams who couldn't get into any other league because no one wanted to play them. And now I know why.....it is 3 whole teams made up of the very type of person that this thread describes. Two of those teams get pissed if they don't destroy every team they play, except each other,within 3 innings. And if they are ahead by 15 runs after a couple of innings, they spend their last at bat making a game out of trying to ding the pitcher.
All 3 of these teams have played together for several years, even switching players amongst each other, but completely destroying any competition. What makes two of these teams less desirable to play is that they love being obnoxious during the game...and even more obnoxious afterwards.
Hey...I don't mind losing to a much better team, and expect it considering we are mostly a bunch of guys who enjoy playing ball for fun. But it's just a game, and making target practice out of the pitcher and taunting your opponent takes all the fun out of it.
I bet Pitt Gorilla, if he plays softball here, could probably name the teams I am talking about...no one really likes them anymore.
mmaddog
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