James Harrison returns sons' "participation" trophies

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

Again, you don't think kids recognize the difference between acknowledging participation and rewarding achievement? This is just silly guys. There's nothing at all wrong with giving kids a memento to remember their experiences, and they know such a "trophy" isn't a reward.

I really think a lot of you are missing the point with the "participation trophies". I know there are some dweebs out there opposed to any kind of competition, but it's fine and valid to recognize good faith participation, even if the participants didn't excel. It's a silly thing to get upset about in any case.

So give a kid a participation banner or memento but don't give a kid who just showed up the same awards as the kids who practiced hard, competed and won. You are just teaching that hard work, dedication and excelling means nothing because the under achievers are rewarded the same way. Those same under achievers will grow up expecting to be rewarded the same as the producers in school, careers and in life.

Our girls are in gymnastics and each of those kids know they will only receive medals or trophies if they finish 3rd or better, they practice hard and are dedicated because they want to reach that podium, if everybody gets to go to podium it takes away from what the real achievers accomplished. I don' want that for our children, I want them to realize that the hard work and dedication reaps rewards and they are not going to get a "good feeling" type award because they showed up. It defeats the spirit of the competition

Let's start all over.
I understand that you are doing what is best for your girls grow up as a good person and successful.
But my argument with you is totally different. I keep giving you an example but we are not connecting.
I never mentioned about 2nd or 3rd place getting a trophy. I never mentioned giving a trophy for kids just for the heck of showing up.
I'm talking about giving trophy that won the championship first place. Can you please tell me where is the disconnection here?

My understanding is the father in the article had his sons return the trophies because they were participation trophies. Everyone got one or that's what it implies. I don't have an issue with all team members that participate on a team and that team winning a championship receiving awards, that is a team effort. When I was in HS our football team won state two of the four years I was a student, the better athletes had letter man jackets but all the team members were given a patch signifying they were on a championship team, the ones with jackets put them on the jackets and I suppose the ones that didn't displayed them like an award.. Gymnastics is different, it's more of an individual sport (although they do compete as a team in certain meets) that is where I disagree with everyone competing receiving an award. I've watched these kids practice and I've seen the agony and tears as they strive to be the best and I also see some of them staring off into space, laughing and just basically showing up, it's not fair to the ones giving 100% for the ones giving 50% to get the same awards. Plus I see the pride on their faces when they go to podium, they know they have done it, all that work and practice paid off. That's their moment to shine and be that brightest burning flame, if everyone gets an award it tarnishes that.

We are still not communicating. Your understanding? I never mentioned Harrison to you and that truck driver non of that in my post. You gave me this long explanation that has nothing to do what I'm asking you. My argument with you was. Why you disagree giving trophy to a championship team, number one? You did not understand and you refused to understand but you attacked me with the help of that truck driver.
BTW I have 4 grownup kids. All working in my company.

Who is Harrison and I said I had no problem with a championship team getting a trophy, in fact I was explicit about it. You're confused and obviously are addressing me regarding someone else's comment. I never mentioned a truck driver or a Harrison. I hope you run a company better than you respond on forums, you're way out in left field

He can't run a company better. He thinks labor costs are irrelevant and hiking the minimum wage has no effect on business. He's the typical brainless Leftist pretending to be something more.

 

[Valerie]

No..I was a kid in the 70's...We NEVER received participation trophies.

as someone who was the recipient of a gazillion trophies in the 70s & 80s, i can tell you first-hand that many of them were mere participation awards...

 

[LoneLaugher]

Excellent. Good for him. HBO's Real Sports did a segment on this. That's a lousy thing to do to a kid, all in the name of phony "self esteem". .

You're not helping a child by doing this, in fact it's the complete opposite. They learn to be complacent and have no competitive drive and later in life they will suffer for it

We pump our kids full of phony "self esteem" and the results are predictable: Confident Idiots American Students Growing More Confident Less Capable - The College Fix
.

I despise this notion of self esteem....It has helped create a couple generations of self absorbed self involved narcissistic little brats who feel entitled to anything because they want it.
Their parents have sheltered them from any notion of disappointment. Told them how great they are. The term "helicopter parents" applies to a T...

Look what we've done!!!

I wonder if telling this young woman that she was great ruined her life?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...62-11e5-9561-4b3dc93e3b9a_story.html?hpid=z11

 

[Valerie]

Good man!!!

Not everybody deserves a trophy


James Harrison rejects sons participation trophies

“I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I’m sorry I’m not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I’m not about to raise to boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best…cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better…not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy. #harrisonfamilyvalues“

what a jerk... he deserves an award...

 

[FA_Q2]

I'm still looking for evidence that young people are less competitive as a result of our handing out participation awards.

What sport.....or what field of study is this supposed lack of competitiveness rearing it's ugly head?

It's a false meme.

Sad that you were provided exactly that - the evidence you have been screeching about - and consequently ignored it because it does not fit your preconceived notion.

Go back and deal with reality - celebrating participation is moronic.

I was given an opinion piece.

Tell me how fucking lame American athletes are. Go ahead. Tell me how issuing participation trophies to toddlers has fucked up the competitiveness of American athletes.

We are talking about how awarding young people for doing nothing affects the overall culture and the future of those children. We were talking about the reasoning that next generation is going to be the most confident in their abilities and the least competent. We were talking about the harm that awarding everyone that shows up does.

YOU are the only one idiotic enough to demand that we look at the top 0.00001 percent in athletics and reject the obvious.

Bullshit. Take a trip down to your local HS and watch some baseball or softball or soccer games. Every one of those kids got participation trophies when they were playing rec ball. And every one will take your fucking head off if you are between them and a victory.

Learn first.....then type.

Also....Mac's theory about overconfident yet incompetent young people is not supported. The dude found a couple of studies that confirm his hypothesis......and he's been posting them for years.

And you have posted nothing at all other than hostile tripe.

Very convincing.

 

[initforme]

participation trophies are not necessary. Losing also should be taught as not a bad thing. Everyone loses at times in this life and in this nation. One just learns to not be disappointed and move onto the next competition. Winning isnt that important and neither is losing.

 

[LoneLaugher]

I'm still looking for evidence that young people are less competitive as a result of our handing out participation awards.

What sport.....or what field of study is this supposed lack of competitiveness rearing it's ugly head?

It's a false meme.

Sad that you were provided exactly that - the evidence you have been screeching about - and consequently ignored it because it does not fit your preconceived notion.

Go back and deal with reality - celebrating participation is moronic.

I was given an opinion piece.

Tell me how fucking lame American athletes are. Go ahead. Tell me how issuing participation trophies to toddlers has fucked up the competitiveness of American athletes.

We are talking about how awarding young people for doing nothing affects the overall culture and the future of those children. We were talking about the reasoning that next generation is going to be the most confident in their abilities and the least competent. We were talking about the harm that awarding everyone that shows up does.

YOU are the only one idiotic enough to demand that we look at the top 0.00001 percent in athletics and reject the obvious.

Bullshit. Take a trip down to your local HS and watch some baseball or softball or soccer games. Every one of those kids got participation trophies when they were playing rec ball. And every one will take your fucking head off if you are between them and a victory.

Learn first.....then type.

Also....Mac's theory about overconfident yet incompetent young people is not supported. The dude found a couple of studies that confirm his hypothesis......and he's been posting them for years.

And you have posted nothing at all other than hostile tripe.

Very convincing.

I know. I've presented some reality for you. In reality......giving kids who participate in something a participation award......does no harm whatsoever. If you could prove otherwise, you'd have done so.

 

[FA_Q2]

Sad that you were provided exactly that - the evidence you have been screeching about - and consequently ignored it because it does not fit your preconceived notion.

Go back and deal with reality - celebrating participation is moronic.

I was given an opinion piece.

Tell me how fucking lame American athletes are. Go ahead. Tell me how issuing participation trophies to toddlers has fucked up the competitiveness of American athletes.

We are talking about how awarding young people for doing nothing affects the overall culture and the future of those children. We were talking about the reasoning that next generation is going to be the most confident in their abilities and the least competent. We were talking about the harm that awarding everyone that shows up does.

YOU are the only one idiotic enough to demand that we look at the top 0.00001 percent in athletics and reject the obvious.

Bullshit. Take a trip down to your local HS and watch some baseball or softball or soccer games. Every one of those kids got participation trophies when they were playing rec ball. And every one will take your fucking head off if you are between them and a victory.

Learn first.....then type.

Also....Mac's theory about overconfident yet incompetent young people is not supported. The dude found a couple of studies that confirm his hypothesis......and he's been posting them for years.

And you have posted nothing at all other than hostile tripe.

Very convincing.

I know. I've presented some reality for you. In reality......giving kids who participate in something a participation award......does no harm whatsoever. If you could prove otherwise, you'd have done so.

lol.

More nothing and avoiding what was already given to you.

If you could prove otherwise already indeed.

 

[LoneLaugher]

I was given an opinion piece.

Tell me how fucking lame American athletes are. Go ahead. Tell me how issuing participation trophies to toddlers has fucked up the competitiveness of American athletes.

We are talking about how awarding young people for doing nothing affects the overall culture and the future of those children. We were talking about the reasoning that next generation is going to be the most confident in their abilities and the least competent. We were talking about the harm that awarding everyone that shows up does.

YOU are the only one idiotic enough to demand that we look at the top 0.00001 percent in athletics and reject the obvious.

Bullshit. Take a trip down to your local HS and watch some baseball or softball or soccer games. Every one of those kids got participation trophies when they were playing rec ball. And every one will take your fucking head off if you are between them and a victory.

Learn first.....then type.

Also....Mac's theory about overconfident yet incompetent young people is not supported. The dude found a couple of studies that confirm his hypothesis......and he's been posting them for years.

And you have posted nothing at all other than hostile tripe.

Very convincing.

I know. I've presented some reality for you. In reality......giving kids who participate in something a participation award......does no harm whatsoever. If you could prove otherwise, you'd have done so.

lol.

More nothing and avoiding what was already given to you.

If you could prove otherwise already indeed.

I'll wait. Give me your evidence.

And that doesn't mean Mac's lame opinion piece.

 

[charwin95]

So give a kid a participation banner or memento but don't give a kid who just showed up the same awards as the kids who practiced hard, competed and won. You are just teaching that hard work, dedication and excelling means nothing because the under achievers are rewarded the same way. Those same under achievers will grow up expecting to be rewarded the same as the producers in school, careers and in life.

Our girls are in gymnastics and each of those kids know they will only receive medals or trophies if they finish 3rd or better, they practice hard and are dedicated because they want to reach that podium, if everybody gets to go to podium it takes away from what the real achievers accomplished. I don' want that for our children, I want them to realize that the hard work and dedication reaps rewards and they are not going to get a "good feeling" type award because they showed up. It defeats the spirit of the competition

Let's start all over.
I understand that you are doing what is best for your girls grow up as a good person and successful.
But my argument with you is totally different. I keep giving you an example but we are not connecting.
I never mentioned about 2nd or 3rd place getting a trophy. I never mentioned giving a trophy for kids just for the heck of showing up.
I'm talking about giving trophy that won the championship first place. Can you please tell me where is the disconnection here?

My understanding is the father in the article had his sons return the trophies because they were participation trophies. Everyone got one or that's what it implies. I don't have an issue with all team members that participate on a team and that team winning a championship receiving awards, that is a team effort. When I was in HS our football team won state two of the four years I was a student, the better athletes had letter man jackets but all the team members were given a patch signifying they were on a championship team, the ones with jackets put them on the jackets and I suppose the ones that didn't displayed them like an award.. Gymnastics is different, it's more of an individual sport (although they do compete as a team in certain meets) that is where I disagree with everyone competing receiving an award. I've watched these kids practice and I've seen the agony and tears as they strive to be the best and I also see some of them staring off into space, laughing and just basically showing up, it's not fair to the ones giving 100% for the ones giving 50% to get the same awards. Plus I see the pride on their faces when they go to podium, they know they have done it, all that work and practice paid off. That's their moment to shine and be that brightest burning flame, if everyone gets an award it tarnishes that.

We are still not communicating. Your understanding? I never mentioned Harrison to you and that truck driver non of that in my post. You gave me this long explanation that has nothing to do what I'm asking you. My argument with you was. Why you disagree giving trophy to a championship team, number one? You did not understand and you refused to understand but you attacked me with the help of that truck driver.
BTW I have 4 grownup kids. All working in my company.

Who is Harrison and I said I had no problem with a championship team getting a trophy, in fact I was explicit about it. You're confused and obviously are addressing me regarding someone else's comment. I never mentioned a truck driver or a Harrison. I hope you run a company better than you respond on forums, you're way out in left field

He can't run a company better. He thinks labor costs are irrelevant and hiking the minimum wage has no effect on business. He's the typical brainless Leftist pretending to be something more.

Once again let me repeat it to you. I never never mentioned anything that raising a minimum wage will not have any affect. Prove it to me here or any thread that I said that.
I asked both of you and Sassy prove any establishment that a place closed because of minimum wage. So far both of you CANNOT prove it.
AGAIN in this thread. I asked both of you a question. WHY do you disagree of giving a trophy to a player that did not play in a championship game? And won.
AGAIN both you cannot give me an answer. But gave me this very long nice explanation that has nothing to do with what I'm asking you.
You cannot answer my question. Then attacking that has nothing to do with this participation BS.
I offered both of you to come and see my businesses. Both of you declined because both of you are coward, hypocrites and bullshit. Offer still open.
I do not run my business on day to day operations. I have my president run it for me for decades. Stupid.
Now let me repeat the question again that both of you keep avoiding.
Why do you disagree in giving a trophy to a player that won the championship game but did not play? Why? Stuck with this issue and stop going around. Parasites.