Blog Posting #76, September 6, 2009

9 Year Old Headed for the NFL

This is a true story from a reliable source.  


On a recent Friday, 20 minutes from finishing a placement test, a Southern California third grader put his head down on his desk and closed his eyes. The teacher reminded him he had 20 minutes left to finish the test but the boy refused to do so. 

His parents were called in and, when presented with the situation, condoned their child’s actions. Straight forward, they told the principal and teacher, their son was tired from a Thursday evening football practice and had a big game the next day. 

I’m not making this up, folks; this happened. But, before we pass judgment on the parents, let’s do the right and fair thing. Let’s try to see things from their perspective. Here, then, are:

THE TOP TEN REASONS HIS PARENTS THINK FOOTBALL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SCHOOL

10. Why force him to do something he doesn’t want to do? We hate those temper tantrums. 

9. If you wear out his mind in the classroom, what good is he going to be during the game?

8. High school diplomas don’t run in the family.

7. Their boy must learn an important life lesson: “If you can’t excel at something, act like you’re not trying.” 

6. Let’s put the cart before the horse: First get good at sports. He’s got the rest of his life to get an education. 

5. Studying takes valuable time away from extra throwing practice with Dad in the front yard.

4. Around town, who do you want to be known as: the parents of a football star or the parents of an A student? Come on; get real.

3. High grade-point averages are for players that need that “edge” to get a scholarship. 

2. They want him to look fresh in front of the area “junior high school scouts.” 

And the number 1 reason the boy’s parents think football is more important than school is:

Drum Roll, Please

They are poor and the one hope of getting rich is that little savior out on the field (in a dwarfing uniform that is so big, all you can see is uniform) going pro.