This past weekend, I realized the true glory of these Olympic games.
While changing channels Saturday afternoon, I clicked across ESPN. The screen showed a commercial, but my handy dandy digital cable told me that Little League Baseball was on.
I kept right on clicking.
Watch my latest video commentary or keep reading below:
Most summers, the Little League World Series has these early days of August to itself. Football has yet to start. Baseball has yet to reach its fall fever pitch. That means if you want to watch games that actually mean something, you usually have to watch the Little League World Series.
Time was, I didn’t mind adding to the event’s TV rankings.
Now, I’d just as soon donate the money in my 401K to Donald Trump.
The Little League World Series has gone from a fun, kitschy event to a microcosm of just about everything that’s wrong with youth sports these days. Pushy parents. Demanding coaches. The boys find themselves in pressure-packed situations where the pressure is high and the scrutiny is intense. Winning is everything.
And here I thought Little League baseball was supposed to be about having fun.
The good news is, the Little League World Series isn’t even close to being the biggest sporting event happening right now. The Olympics have given us wall-to-wall sports for more than a week, and they still have a few more days to go.
Granted, the Olympics aren’t perfect. There’s doping. There’s cheating. But at least I don’t get a nasty knot in my stomach every time I watch them.
That’s what happens anymore when I watch the Little League World Series.
Thank goodness it’s not must-see TV this summer.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Worst. Sportswriter. Ever.