"Lee Michaels" <leemichaels*nadaspam* at comcast dot net> wrote in message
news:...
>
>
> "Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>
>> Huh - I must be missing something. I don't get the dodge ball connection
>> in this part of the discussion. Did something concerning dodge ball
>> happen and completely escape my notice?
>>
> Yep, that game that we greatly enjoyed in PE as a kid is now considered a
> "war game" by nanny state parents and schools. Apparently dodge ball
> players become mass murderers or something.
>
>
I will add a remark or two now that I have a little time here.
In Jr High, grades 7, 8 and 9, we played dodge ball regularly. We had a
great PE teacher (Coach Baker) who thought that physical activity should
have some fun mixed in with all the other stuff. So if we we down a little,
there was some heavy current event or it just felt right, he would just yell
out Dodge Ball! We would immediately get out the dodge balls from the
cabinet and go to it. The balls were small and designed to make sure nobody
got hurt. Not one single injury occurred while playing this game at this
school.
And I can not talk about dodge ball without talking about a colorful
classmate named Charlie. Charlie was a little bit clumsy and unbelievably
flexible and some kind of genius at physical comedy. This guy was funny.
Everybody liked him. He had us laughing all the time. Coach liked him too.
He kept things light. He would often do a drill two ways. Once the way
Coach wanted it and another for laughs. Again, nothing disrespectful. Just
good clean fun by a talented guy who just naturally did physical comedy.
He wasn't the greatest athlete, but was a dodge ball genius. On account
that he was a small target and really agile. He just got out of the way of
the ball. Many times he was the last guy standing. Being fast, agile and
wily made for a dodge ball champion.
We got tired of this and decided to play a prank on him. We got everybody
in one this except Coach and Charlie. We quickly "eliminated" all of his
team mates. So it was just Charlie with several members on the other team
ready to let him have it. And, of course, Charlie was never one to pass up
a comedic opportunity. So he hammed it up and acted like we were going to
kill him. And we let him have it. And Charlie did his best impression of a
dramatic stage death scene. Which ended with him twitching on the floor
before he finally "died". It was hilarious.
Soooooo...., when I think if dodge ball, I think of Charlie's very funny
antics during this game. Very fond memories. Such innocence, such fun, I
long for those days. And the nanny state nazis who think dodge ball is evil
probably think laughter and fun is bad too.
Another Charlie incident. When we were doing wrestling, Coach paired
everybody up and had us do a match for a grade. He paired everybody up and
Charlie was odd man out. So coach said he would find somebody for him
later. So when it was Charlie's turn he jumped up and started wrestle
HIMSELF! It was amazing he circled his imaginary opponent. He then grabbed
him and proceeded to play both guys in the wrestling match. This went on
for awhile and ended up when his "opponent" finally pinned him to the mat.
It was totally realistic and quite an athletic achievement. The coach
immediately gave him and A, for athletic ability and "originality" And he
was laughing along with all the rest of us.
I wonder what Charlie is doing these days. Just think of all the creative
kids who will be denied some creative expression like Charlie. And how were
individuals like myself and Charlie in any way harmed by such fun,
beneficial exercise? Come to think of it, Wrestling is probably evil as
well. Any way, when I first heard of this dodge ball thing, I thought of
the above fond memories and could not believe the sheer stupidity of the
people who want to shape future generations. Apparently fun is not allowed.
On Tue, 1 Oct 2013 00:43:57 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
>There have always been kids who were not into atheletic endeavors. Should
>the world stop turning because of that? Geezus Dave - so they did not like
>dodge ball. Big freakin' deal. Terrified? Really? Oh well - let them get
>over it. It's just a damned game.
Really???? So, what's the premise here, that it's just part of growing
up? I wouldn't have thought you so shortsighted Mike.
Were you ever seriously bullied when you were a kid Mike? I'm not
talking about being teased or any of that simple crap. I'm talking
about a kid or kids making your life a complete misery everyday. So
miserable that you'd have done most anything to get away from it.
Yeah, I know, you and especially krw think it's just part of growing
up. That sure as hell doesn't make it right.
Most bullies think they're just having fun. I did. To me it was just a
game. I didn't realize what I was doing was wrong. To me it was just
amusing myself. I realized at one point what a prick I was being. That
was the end of it.
On 10/1/2013 6:51 AM, Mike Marlow wrote:
> I guess I never experienced that. There were bullies but they never had
> that effect on me, or anyone that I knew for that matter.
I did, briefly, in the first grade, from a third grader.
After complaining to my Dad (a LA State GG contender in college), he
simply said:
"Here is how to throw an effective left hook to the solar plexus. You
complain to me again about being bullied, expect a whipping when you get
home".
End of bullying problem, then, and since ... ;)
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://plus.google.com/114902129577517371552/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:32:04 -0400, "Lee Michaels"
>well. Any way, when I first heard of this dodge ball thing, I thought of
>the above fond memories and could not believe the sheer stupidity of the
>people who want to shape future generations. Apparently fun is not allowed.
And, the suggestion is that you can't have fun without dodge ball????
Pretty limited life there Lee.
I never had a problem with dodge ball and had a great deal of fun when
we played too. However, I was aware of a few other students that were
terrified to play the game. They weren't very athletic and they
weren't comedic geniuses like your Charlie. What happens to them?
[email protected] wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:32:04 -0400, "Lee Michaels"
>> well. Any way, when I first heard of this dodge ball thing, I
>> thought of the above fond memories and could not believe the sheer
>> stupidity of the people who want to shape future generations.
>> Apparently fun is not allowed.
>
> And, the suggestion is that you can't have fun without dodge ball????
> Pretty limited life there Lee.
>
> I never had a problem with dodge ball and had a great deal of fun when
> we played too. However, I was aware of a few other students that were
> terrified to play the game. They weren't very athletic and they
> weren't comedic geniuses like your Charlie. What happens to them?
There have always been kids who were not into atheletic endeavors. Should
the world stop turning because of that? Geezus Dave - so they did not like
dodge ball. Big freakin' deal. Terrified? Really? Oh well - let them get
over it. It's just a damned game.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
[email protected] wrote:
> On Tue, 1 Oct 2013 00:43:57 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
>> There have always been kids who were not into atheletic endeavors.
>> Should the world stop turning because of that? Geezus Dave - so
>> they did not like dodge ball. Big freakin' deal. Terrified?
>> Really? Oh well - let them get over it. It's just a damned game.
>
> Really???? So, what's the premise here, that it's just part of growing
> up? I wouldn't have thought you so shortsighted Mike.
>
> Were you ever seriously bullied when you were a kid Mike? I'm not
> talking about being teased or any of that simple crap. I'm talking
> about a kid or kids making your life a complete misery everyday. So
> miserable that you'd have done most anything to get away from it.
I guess I never experienced that. There were bullies but they never had
that effect on me, or anyone that I knew for that matter.
>
> Yeah, I know, you and especially krw think it's just part of growing
> up. That sure as hell doesn't make it right.
I'm not talking about bullies in my statement above. I'm talking about
dodge ball.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
On Tue, 1 Oct 2013 07:51:24 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
>I'm not talking about bullies in my statement above. I'm talking about
>dodge ball.
I know you were and dodge ball as a game by itself I have no problem
with. However, a number of the dodge ball 'exercise periods' I've
witnessed frequently had a group of big guys going after little guys
and laughing their heads off while doing it. It wasn't part of the
rules of the game, but if the gym instructor wasn't watching, it
happened.
As much as anywhere else, those instances were an excuse to bully
someone. A least when there was a sport like wrestling, you were
paired up as much as possible with someone of your own size and
weight. My last wrestling match turned out poorly (very painfully) for
me, but that's another story.