User Comments

1. 

   6/12/08

   BennyGreenberg

   I didn't coach this spring. But I had a no cell in the surrounding stands policy when I did the last few seasons. And I had other parents and a few teens enforce it. If you want to talk - leave the area - otherwise hang up. No parent wanted to leave - and it eliminated the problem.
   
   I had two parents volunteer for me - and it worked well - had one or two - "incidents" but when they realized that they were making fools of themselves in front of all the other parents... well you get the idea~

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2. 

   6/12/08

   RTBjr73

   Benny, I am not a parenting guru of any kind. I am not the most educated person. In fact, if you ask anyone in my family, they would probably agree that I am the most "brusque" of the clan.
   
   But I do know that going to your kids game or activity...is a memory in the making. Something that you can not get back. She can never go back to that game, and have a "do over". Sad thing is, is that I do not think she realizes it.

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   1. 

      6/12/08

      BennyGreenberg

      I did not even like to go to the food stand or the bathroom if my kid was within 9 batters of being up... I know... I never wanted to be too far away from the action... I actually missed a sliding diving (I am sure it was exagerated to me) catch my 12 year old made in the outfield taking my 9 year old to the bathroom... so cell phones - are a no go when I am coaching...
3. 

   6/12/08

   Shiley

   My kids are still too young for little league or whatever. Cell phones bug me anywhere in public. I don't want to know your personal business. People die from talking and driving. I hate cell phones. Even when we had one we didn't carry it around. We now have a land line.

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   1. 

      6/12/08

      RTBjr73

      I understand how you feel, and respect it. My wife and I only use cell phones. My wife has come to the point of her life where she can not function as a human being without her phone. But when we go one of our kids games...there is not such thing as a cell phone...there is no such thing as high fuel prices, bills to pay, global warming, BennyGreenberg getting accused of looking like Chris Penn. There is nothing in our world except for a couple of hours of pure enjoyment watching our kids playing and having a good time.
   2. 

      6/12/08

      BennyGreenberg

      your looking a bit like Lance Berkman there - is that A Texas-thing?
   3. 

      6/12/08

      RTBjr73

      Hey Benny, them thar's fightin words...although I was born in Texas, I am a Cardinals. how would you like it if I said you looked like John "I'm not a" Kruk?
      
      lol
4. 

   6/12/08

   kdawg68

   Very solid points - all too often the calls seem to be work related as well. So called "blackberry syndrome" - or as I call it "crackberry syndrome." I've got a personal vow never to let anything from work get in the way of my personal life - even if that means I miss a few promotions along the way.
   
   The only time I think cell phone usage might be okay in a situation as you describe is if the parent is acting as play-by-play color commentator for a grandparent or other family member who cannot be in attendance - but I'm not naive enough to think that's what is actually happening.
   
   Edit: On the other hand, I suppose ther were times in my youth I wish my father had been distracted with a cell phone to prevent the cursing tirades hurled in my direction - even if I was kicking butt. I'm probably the only kid in my little league that got screamed at while tossing a no-hitter. Apparently I wasn't striking people out in as impressive a fashion as an 11 year-old should.

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   1. 

      6/12/08

      RTBjr73

      I think play-by-play color commentator for a family member is AWESOME. Just don't let it impede on everyone else enjoying the game.
5. 

   6/12/08

   DrowseyMonkey

   That would be frustrating. I think they should be banned in lots of places, but certainly at a kid's ball game, they can't give the kids some undivided attention for a few hours? No one's that important that they can't put the phone down for a bit.
   
   I remember on one of my last commuter train trips, this guy beside me was going on and on. And I just looked at him and said ... unless you're talking them through brain surgery on the onther end of that thing, would you please stop it.
   
   He got up and moved.

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6. 

   6/12/08

   gosmelltheflowers

   BAN THEM at all public events - OR charge people to use them - they're coming on planes...OH NO!
   
   HOW did us kids EVER manage without phones?
   
   We did - exactly!

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7. 

   6/12/08

   mayjah

   kdawg68 that is true, some parents get a little TOO serious about what is going on at their kid's games. And their veins are bulging and they are hollering at the top of their lungs.I mean, it is supposed to be fun right?

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