Interested to see what people think.

Best: Out of all the sports I have parented through, I think lacrosse has been the most entertaining. Games are over in an hour, there's always stuff going on.

Worst: I just got back from a six hour wrestling invitational where I watched my stepson wrestle for roughly 8.5 minutes.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

As a former cross country runner, I'd have to think that it's the worst. Drive awhile to watch a three mile race where I don't think that I remember the crowds cheering(?) when I ran. Long assed track meets would have to be second, unless you previously ran track yourself.

Frankly I nevertheless enjoyed them all as a parent.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Best: Pheasant Hunting! Great activity for parents and their kids and yeah man the dog too!

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Track if your kid sprints. Like 45 seconds of your kid in action.

So, I did cross country sophomore year because the soccer coach and I had a personality conflict and I decided if I was going to be made to run 3 miles a day in practice I’d might as well do it for the cross country coach who at least didn’t speak in horrible cliches all day. Injured my knee in preseason jumping over a creek so it was all for naught but I attended a few meets to support the team and my friends... good god was that the most boring sporting experience as a fan.

It is a good activity. Some of my favorite memories of my grandfather was going pheasant hunting with him and my dad when I was a young teen. Enjoy it with my dad and brother now that the Colonel (grandfather) has passed and watching the dog work while getting a good walk in.

I used to go out to Des Plaines reserve and get in a sweat line on days off. But about 7 years ago I got peppered from some Dick Cheney asshole not paying attention to where hes shooting and haven't been back. When I buy some farmland in the next few years I'll get some of it in CRP and seed some pheasant and hope to grow a population to hunt.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Worst sports parents: 312player's mom & dad.

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Yeah that's pretty good -- never had track and field parenting except once in junior high -- it was pretty shortlived.

I do enjoy it when they are participating of course, and it is definitely worth the time. Never thought about cross country -- you just see them run away and then wait a while for them to come back?

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Did you eat the kill?

Our was a 1.5 mile loop so in theory you could walk a bit and see kid several times. That being said, parental and other fan attendance could be best described as sparse.

Well at least you'd get the 100, 200 and 4x1 relay.

No one wants to watch the 800, mile or two mile. My greatest day was when I could shift to the 400/800 combo.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

This is probably my favorite. You know what time your child is going to run. You can position yourself near the finish line to know how well they're doing. After a brief meeting with their coach you can leave after it's over. The drive is the only thing that would suck but I drive a lot daily anyway.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Hopefully they don't still have the state championships at that crappy park in dreary Peoria.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

The non sporting events bother me most. My youngest daughter has competitions that make me want put a bullet in my head. Waiting 2+ hours to get finished with something that I can't see and then another 30 minutes to an hour waiting for the results.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

That's reminds me of the worst competition. Chess. Hands down.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Junior high scholastic bowl.... holy hell.

Were the alley bars at least open? (Yes I know that's wrong)

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

If only.

Are you all quiet or loud parents at sporting events? Besides occasionally saying "good job" I never open my mouth. That can't be said about me pretty much anywhere else.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I’m quiet but I’m pretty quiet in most cases in public unless I get riled. I try to stay as detached as possible as full meatball is just not what I want to be in these situations. I’ve watched parents berate coaches and refs and I just don’t get it. I remember those parents of my friends that were that way. They are not fond memories.

In all but two games for both sons I was nervously quiet. In football I got my youngest son to start knocking the hell outta the kids he lined up against. In baseball my oldest was struggling on the mound and I got over aggressively loud.

I was an on edge dad in baseball. Thrice I nearly went too far. But I was provoked.

Make that four times in roughly 500 games...no, five times. But three times it involved injuries and b.s. responses from the other dugout.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Do parents actually come to watch Jr High Scholastic Bowl? I actually think scholastic bowl is an interesting game to watch. You can play along in your head or write down answers.

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Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be.

Very few but i went to more than my share. If I’m going to support my kids athletics I feel as if supporting academics is probably even more important for me to be involved with (especially considering my kids athletic prowress).


The kids have a lot to learn. I’m pained when my kid misses an answer I know they know. And sometimes I swear more questions are unanswered than answered.

Not sure we're qualified to discuss this one, ace. Though I've actually been pheasant hunting as a youth, with my pappy.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

This.

But when my oldest was on the mound or at the plate, you'd be hard pressed to find me anywhere near the field.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I am waiting for Spaulding to chime in about hockey.

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When I am stuck and need to figure something out I always remember the Immortal words of Socrates when he said:"I just drank what?"

There's like two different forms of this... one is talking to your kid. My favorite is a guy who is yelling at his kid during a football game as the play is happening and telling him to slide out to block. First off, do you really know every play, including what play was just called? Secondly, you are sixty yards away from the kid and about 15 feet higher in the air. Thirdly, do you think he will hear you, process the information, and act on it in a timely fashion? Pointless yelling. In baseball, a little different because you are right on the field most of the time. I just think the parents coaching of the kids in the moment of an at bat is probably not as useful as talking to them after the at bat might actually be, or even before the at bat ("the ump is calling everything inside a strike")

The other one is berating the officials. In football, this mob mentality takes over on bad calls -- especially if there are a couple in a row, and then you get all these guys yelling at these refs because they aren't making NFL caliber calls. In baseball, it is a little bit rarer because again, you are right there and they know who is talking to them. When you get to the point where the ump is coming over to talk to the stands, things have gone too far. Basketball tends to be more football like --general booing and then two or three guys who are really pissed off, and one who thinks he is working The Chuckle Hut with his comedic insults. I have to say that I generally feel bad for the officials -- they are trying to do their best and make a little extra money for their family, and they have to put up with two hours of getting yelled at because some 11 year old's baseball team won by 7 instead of by 5 due to a bad call at the plate.

I'm usually quiet -- most any advice I give would be on things I'm picking up from baseball pitchers/umps. Sometimes the pitchers get way too predictible with two fastball strikes and then a change for the third strike. Umps calling pitches neck high as strikes -- I tell them it is your job to swing at those if he is going to call them. You can go back to the dugout and mope about how bad the umpiring is, or you can foul it off and get another pitch.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Baseball is the worst. 2-3 hours of misery in the cold and dark multiple times per week

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

Getting off to a far off suburban field for 7am bp and warmups in early April didn't help either. Unless there are jokes. And expectations of blowouts.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.